Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-10-13

income. It would seem that she WAS
pitifully unappreciative of small favors
that she sadly lacked the sense OF
Gratitude. Nevertheless, she was witch
ING little lady, with ever restless
fairy feet and singularly pretty, eltish
hands. She was dark and petite; her
hair was jetty black, and her black eyes
were brilliant with mcsmeric hues; she
had red, laughing lips, and dainty
scarlet color always wavering over her
babyishly rounded checks. She affected
the maize with the most hattering suc-
cess.
And she seemed very childishly in
genuous, indeed, when she first smiled
beguilingly into tho admiring eyes of
him whom she supposed to be wealthy
and titled.
Apparently that first meeting was en-
tirely accidental.
The gentleman had been piseatorially
busted in deliciously cool niche among
the willows, whose foliage of topaz and
emerald left Aickering shadows along
the margin of still pond where q strata
of wild rock had damned the stream,
and where a myriad Of silvery fins
glanced through the clear, brown water.
He had heard a lazy and irregular sound
Of oars, and had glanced with small in
tercst across the high green reeds and
low hower-de. luce, TO see a gaudily
gilded and very small skiff rocking
dangerously among the water-lilies just
before him.
The single occupant of the boat was
n brunette fay wearing q fancy cos
tune of some dark. ruddy-bronze stuff,
with golden-hearted lily-buds in her
corsage and an aigrette tipped with
white and gold in her iaunty bronze
velvet cap.
As tho young gentleman regarded her
with a differentiated gaze, she extended
her dusky, ieweled hands toward a
snowy blossom, dropping her oars with
pretty, careless gesture. The next in
slant the oars were drifting slowly away
on the sluggish current the next in
slant there was a splash and = musical
cry for help.
The light craft was capsized, and
Claudia Thorne was struggling and
gasping among the lilies.
How the spectator Of the catastrophe
rescued her he could never quite clear
ly remember; however, he might never
forget the sensation of pleasurable tri-
umph he felt as she lag at last help
lessly in his arms--a saved, thankful
nymph, so drenched and seemingly
frightened that one much less gallant
and susceptible than he must, perforce,
have said to her something very Aatter-
ing aud agreeable.
That episode was the beginning of a
charming little romance.
eff my mishap be known I shall
only be ridiculed," declared pretty
Claudia, automatically, whereas she
had purposely caused the accident. Il
have always been awkward with my
oars. There is a standing prediction,
believe, that l should he capsized
some time. must invent some neat
fiction to account for III vet aounces
and this poor spoiled hat.1
She was turning sioyty away, and
her manner would sdem to oexpress that
her gratitude was tool great tobe uttered
in the ordinary phraA BIOLOGY considered !
on such An occasion. -
The gentleman imagined that he an-
derstood that stimulation of graceful
timidity. He thought her tho hand
soonest, the most ingeauous, and the
most charming young lady whom he
had ever met.
"Shall 1 never SEQ you again 2" he
queried, almos. beseechingly.
Perhaps you may" she returned,
with a coquettish aud bewildering
smile. II row or ride or walk every
morning in this delightful place. I am
Absurdly fond OF the bride path along
the river bank, and OF the cool promen-
nde among tho willows"
"Aud so am l." he asserted, quickly
and respectfully. 81 shall see you Of
ten but perhaps you will not think
proper to recognize me, If we should
meet p he supplemented, uneasily.
With seeming bashfulness she averted
her bright face and brilliant eyes but,
rs she vanished among the golden green
willow shadows, she murmured Au
re1oir," in encouraging accents.
Claudia went slowly homeward. Her
mood was thoughtful and speculative.
"He is certainly certainly interested. and per-