The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-09-25

mother won't let nae go alone; they
say a certain part Of the lake is danger
ous."
30, bother! everything il always
dangerous. I'll tell you what we'll do;
there is going to be . dance tonight,
then we can get out on the roof of that
piazza and get down to the lake and
home again without anybody knowing
it,
s.But the boats will all be locked"
objected the other voice.
..No they won't, for I heard that
Smith fellow tell the man to leave one
out. Isuppose he is going to take his
sweetheart out on the water to cool of
after the dancing, and we can use it for
them"
And then the owners of the voices
walked away, leaving Alice to wonder
what she should do.
1t was nearly tea time and there
would be no opportunity to let the boys
mothers know of the proposed proceed.
ings, even if she knew who they were.
But after thinking it over she cor
cluded to try and get down to the lake
before the boys did, and then persuade
them not to go, or if that failed to
threaten them with exposure.
Accordingly DOMINIC a dark dress,
she waited until the guests had assem-
bled in the parlor, and then she fastened
down the steps that led from the hotel
to the lake. She was just a little too
late, however, for she had only reached
the boat house as she saw a dark object
turning round the curve and knew
they had the coast clear. Still she
could keep watch until they came back,
and for nearly an hour she walked up
and down, keeping in the shadow of
the trees, and then to her relief she saw
the boat returning.
1t was so very still that the least
sound could be heard, and when they
were still quite a distance from her, she
could hear what they were saying.
Il told you there was no danger. and
it's a regular lark; wonder if Smithy is
ready to take his girl out to see the
stars" and evidently impressed by the
magnitude of the joke the boy who was
rowing leaned forward laughing i'm
moderately.
As he did so one of the bars dropped
from his hand, and making a desperate
dive for it the boattipped and both boys
were sprawling in the water.
She could not make any one at the
hotel hear by calling for help, but AL
ice had noticed. a few yards from the
boat-house an old boat partly out of the
water, which had been drawn up on the
sand and left there because it leaked,
but perhaps it would carry her without
filing.
She ran to the boat, unfastened it,
| seized the oars and in a few minutes
had reached the boys, neither of whom
could swim, and had pulled them,
thoroughly soaked and frightened into
her boat.
It was not a very perilous thing to do
and perhaps the boys could have chung
to the boat, which was upside down, unit
it. But some one had witnessed the lat
ter part of this little scene, and in his
eyes it seemed an act worthy of a Grace
Darling or an Ida Lewis.
It had been very a and uncom
Portable in the parlor, and Mr.. Illesley
had slipped out and, with a cigar fol
company, strolled down to the lake
arriving just as Alice had gotten tn,
younger of the two boys into the boat
It was quite light, aud he recognized
| Miss Disbro as she rowed toward him.
| He drew the boat up and assisted hel
from it, saying, "Miss Disbro, I cal
not express the admiration / feel TO
such an act, to say nothing of the deb
my sister and myself owe you, for thi
graceless scamp" taking the elder o
the two by the shoulder, sis m,
nephew"
He offered her his ARM, but she did no
seem to notice it, for she was trying t.
hold her wet skirts up out of the sand
and so they set out for the hotel, fol
lowed by the two boys, who neve sait
a word.
After leaving Alice at the door ant
consigning the boys to their %respectiv
mothers, MIR. nlesley went to his ow
room for a little quiet meditation.
You are a fool, he said to himself, t
be so ..stuffy" about proprieties. Sh
may carry a tray in the dining room
or peel potatoes in the kitchen. she
no less a lady, and has more pluck tina
any so-called lady who might loo
down on her in her present position.
The next morning a note, accom-
panied by a bunch of pond lilies an
ferns, was sent to Miss Disbro by NEAR
of a small boy who looked, at tn:
time, very meek and penitent.
The note begged that Miss Disbr
would come down to the lake at eigh
and allow Mr.. ulesley to take her
row around the Point.
He was there long before that tim
half fearing that she would not com,
she had seemed SO proud and reserve
the night before.
| But a few minutes after eight Alic
looking very pretty in n of her la
seasons dresses-which she had n
, dared to wear before, with somethir
white and feecy thrown over her hea
l came down the steps and they rowe
away in the moonlight together.
The result of it was that when Ali,
, did write to her sister the letter co
tanned a very astonishing piece of ne1
for that lady.
, However she was delighted, ar
wrote to Alice that she must come
her Immediately, and that she must st,
, until after the wedding, for of cour
> she must be married at her house,
And her husband was so pleased
the denouement that she forgot entire
her disappointed plans of last summe
| But still il was very provoking of Ali
l to tell her so little about it, how she h;
r met him, and all those things so dear
g a woman's curiosity.
t And SO at last when Alice appear
at the Holden's one day in the ear
autumn, escorted by Mr.. IllesIey, h
, sisters first words when they foul
themselves alone together. were, .No
! do tell me all about it-how did
r beginP"
\ at began" said Alice, demurely, 8
j began, L think, by spilling the soup
his best boots. "-Albany (N. " Args
9 The True Friend.
Did it ever occur to you, reader,
reflect on the depths of deceit whi
u lie still and dark even in the M