The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-07-11
A RHINE STORY.

And YOU mean to say you II swim
down the Rhine to the Picnic?
Yes, Miss Carrie; every inch OF
the way. III start from the bath and
send my clothes on by cart, and
meet you when you arrive IN the car
riage.'
We'll, if you do, Mr.. Beecher, you
shall sit next to me at lunch as a
reward. What do you think Of that?
But be careful and don't run any
risks; the current, you know, is very
strong in some places.
What's this, Miss Carrier said |,
| Joining in the conversation. Is
Beecher going to swim down to-mor-
row ?"
.Yes. he says so; but | don't think
he can manage 1t.
We'll, if he can, | can and to
prove it I'll swim with him.
The fact was | was jealous of
Beecher: and, being good SWIM
mer myself, | was determined not to
be outdone. But, in order to explain
the state of my feelings, | must go
back a little.
| was staying as a guest with my
uncle and aunt at C., on the Rhine.
! They had come for months holi-
day and, having no children of their
own. had asked me to accompany
them-an invitation which | very
readily accepted, more especially as
they had another guestin the person
of Miss Carrie Danvers, the daught-
er of one of their oldest friends. |
had before met Miss Danvers at their
house, and on that occasion she had
made her mark on my heart, and
now. in the month We were to spend
in each others society, | calculated
on being able to return the compli-
ment. and | hoped, ere | again saw
England, to have obtained her con-
sent to become, at no distant period,
Mrs. McGrath-an arrangement
which | felt sure would please my
relations.
For the first fortnight of our stay
at C. everything went happily and
smoothly, and | congratulated my
self on the progress | was making.
But, unfortunately for me, while we
were walking in the kursaal Gard
en- one evening after dinner, we
came across the Beeeher family,
neighbors of my uncle in England,
end who, finding him at c., and
being charmed with the place, de-
termined to make a stay there also.
| liked all the family except the eld-
est son, Jack-in the Guards. Tn
der other circumstances, | doubtless
should have liked him, but, just now,
he was in the way, very much in the
wav.
He, too. was an old acquaintance
of Carries land at times | felt inclin-
ed to believe something more than
an acquaintance. As | have stated
above, | was jealous of HIM, and
that was the long and short of the
matter.
! Since he had arrived, | had not
Carrie to myself as formerly; Jack
Beecher shared in our walks and
conversations to an extent | did not
approve of, but | am bound to admit
his presence seemed to give the
young lady considerable pleasure
and this made my pain all the more
keen.
Some days previous to the even
ing on which | have introduced my
self and friends to the reader, pie
mic had been settled on at NJ, a very
charming spot on the Rhine, some
four miles below c.
The Beechers were all coming, and
some other English folks, whose ac-
quaintance we had made during ouI
stay, together with two or three Ger
man Officers stationed at c.
The excursion promised to be a
very pleasant one, fine weather was
all that was required to make the
! trip delightful.
4 1t had been arranged that We
should drive down to NJ, starting at
II o'clock. and we were now discus.
sing the final arrangements, and set.
tling who was TO be responsible fol
the salt, who for the spoons, and
who for the various other little ne
cessities and comforts, which are gen
orally found to be missing when the
picnic cloth is laid.
Yes continued /, turning to
Jack Beecher IN swim down with
you tomorrow.
Thanks replied he. THAI will
be very jolly. 1t would be rather
solitary work by ones self. We
ought to start about 1890, certainly
not later, for even with the stream
!. in our favor, We shall not be able Il
go as fast as the carriages. VIII tina
suit you p
'Oh. yes, that will do very wen in
deed
All right; then l will make ar
rangements tonight for a man t
take our clothes on in cart, and
shall expect To sae Won at the hat !