Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-04-18
THE BROKEN BOAT.
BY VAVIENNE.

Ill OuC6.
"But haven't firted, said Alice, read
to cry.
''I don't know what else you can cal
It, SAID Mrs. Ford. "Will you have an
other cup of tea, Alice?'
''Tea!" flashed cut the girl; ''as if ont
could drink tea when ones heart is break
ing! Oh, Aunt, if Mr.. Errett were a gen
tleman he would release me from this
calling engagement"
''You promised him, my dear?" said
Mrs. Ford.
eyes, but I hadn't met Arthur Kel
ham then, and have written to Mr.. Err
rett, ana implored him to release me
from this hateful bond" cried poor Al.
ice. Il have told him that since our en-
gagement-an engagement that was your
doing, aunt"
II know it, ~ said Mrs. Ford, "and am
proud of it."
THAT since that engagement" went on
Alice, II have discovered that my heart
Is not my own; and he has written back
that he sees no necessity for altering the
original state of things, and that if it is
agreeable TO me-agreeable indeed the
wedding may still take place on the 9th
OF October. Horrible, cold-hearted, cal
culating old ="
"Good-mornlng, ladies; I hope l see
you wellr'
And Alice's TRADE was unexpectedly
cut short by the apparation of Mr.. Bar
tholomew Errett. She had scarcely ut
tered q disjoInted word or two of greet
ing when the maid opened an opposite
door and announced:
"Please, Miss Alice, Mr.. Kelham."
Aad Arthur Kelham came in, young,
handsome and de50nnGir as unlike his
mature rival as is blooming May to RI
pened September. Mr.. Errett put up his
eye-glaSs at Arthur Kelham, and Arthur
Kelham stared Mr.. Errett full in the
face with well-bred amazement.
"Slr," said Mr.. Errett, II am at loss
to imagine what brings you herep'
"Sir," retOrted Kelham, ~ suppose 1
have as good < right to visit my friends
as you have to call on yours"
"You mistake said Mr.. Errett; Il
am engaged to Miss Ford
"Do you mean to say retorted Kel-
ham, holly, "that you would marry the
girl against her will? Why you might
as well be q Turkish slave-driver at once ~
"Sir, gasped Bartholomew Err EFT, turn
ing livid pallOr, II am at 10 IS to con-
ceive what business all this is of yours"
Alice stepped between them
you shall not quarrel about me, said
she, with dignity that would scarcely
have been expected from one so small
and slight. "Aurthur, have carved out
my own destiny and must abide by it.
''Mr. Errett, beg you to remember that
you are before LADIES'"
''Am I to stand here and see you in
sulted?o demanded Kelham, with flushed
brow.
~ have promised to he his wife and
until he himself absolves NE from my
word, have no power to assert my free
DOM
''Do you then bid me to go?"
Eyes, the girl answered almost inau-
dibly.
And Arthur Kelham turned and left the
field in triumphant possession of Mr..
Bartholomew Errett.
''Mr. Errett"
"Ehl" said the mlddle-aged swimmer;
els 1t you, Kelham? Boating, eh?"
eyes. Do you think it's quite safe for
you to be here, so far from land? You are
not afraid of the shark, them"
GOT the-what?' said Mr.. Errett.
Haven't you heard? There has been
shark along this shore since yesterday;
and, by lingo! believe he is there now.
Don't you see something that shines
white through the sprayr'
Mr.. Errett reared himself up in the wa
ter like new species of sea-serpent.
"Good HeavensI" said he, ''there Is
something like shark there. Why didn't
they tell me? Why did they allow me-
81 wouldn't be nervous" said Kelham,
coolly perhaps he don't see YOU
See me! Why, those fellows can scent
human flesh mile off, should have been
dead man ia ten minutes if you hadn't
come along"
And he began to paddle 1ngloriously
toward the little boat in which Arthur
Kelham was sitting.
"Hallo!' said Kelham, putting an oars
length between himself and the swimmer,
''what are you about?"
"I'm going to get into your boat, to be
sure"
care you, thought said Kelham;
"there may be two opinions concerning
that"
"Ehr'
"What should 1 take you back to land
for?" demanded Kelham; eff the sharks
eat you up am all right with Alice
oman alive!' gasped Mr.. Erret, "you
wouldn't leave me to die horrible death,
would your
eff I remember" ceolly remarked
Arthur Kelham, 'you hadn'tmuch mercy
on me-"
'eThat was different
81 don't see how" with another stroke
OF the oars, just as EFret was about to
clutch at the side Of the boat.
"Don't hurry-now don't"
~ say, KeIham, look here" cried Err
rett, with scared glance over his right
shoulder towards the suspicious looking
white object. "Hold on, 1 say"
"Well," said Kelham.
"I-I amt so very particular about
that girl. Hold on"
He was beginning to lose breath in the
battle with the waves, and said:
eff YOU really ineist-"