Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-11-07
IN THE Tolls.

In THE Tolls.
&c. ID. Cardinal in Chicago T-1ure1
IL was at sun-steeped. breos~-freshenad.
water-cooled Charlevoix in July
The blue lake stretched westward with q
dim purple cloud to define 1.-THE Beavers;
but DO the north it looked illimitahle; its
iGim touched the sky.
Out and in through the channel piled little
steamers, gay with flags; row-boats crawled
hither and thither, like crabs with shining
leg; along the beach, day in and day out.
bent men, women, and chiliren--demented
agate -hnnters. Not that one in a thousand
found an agate. bu. even the most geologi-
cally ignorant could hope.
And these were all the signs of life there
were.
lis stupid beyond belief, Cragmore,
said Ellington
Cragmore tossed his head backward with
a halt snort of amusement
"NGere isn't it stupid to you, Edingtoni
Upon my. word, you're the worst bored man
ever knew
you think affect ennuis 1t is You who
affect he reiorted ~You affect enjoyment
entertainment, delight"
more good humcredly.
"You find the lovely everywhere You're
one OF those rhapsodical fellows that like
sunsets. believe you could find cham
payne bead in hotel coffee
Cragipore laughed aloud
"Yes, we're opposite tyres. no doubt, he
said. You wear green and yellow glasses,
and they color the whole world Mine are of
good. clear crystal. and zee the broad, clear
daylight just as it it--tbank Heaven
And this said Ellington, waving his
hand with sursrcilious irony around the Gre
scent Of beach where they were walking, rs
delightful, charming, gay"
Charming and delightfur-yes; gay
not very. But can't you smell the pines, Ed
ingtoni Can't you hear this swash on the
stonesi Can't you I'll your smokedegener-
sted lungs with this tonic north windf'
Il can But what difference does that
maker Its dall-it's internally stupid, and
ought to have known better than to start out
on a wildgoose chase with you 1t might
have been Newport or Bar Harborv Then
with sigh: But l suppose this was my
fate. agreed to he guided by you. and here
am"
~I'll convert you yet Ellington. Let me
once get You up the Jordan, where You can
try your hand at landing two-pound trout,
and we'll see
Nothing less than ten pounds would afford
me the least satisfaction
Ten, Edingtonl You're prepostero,isi
You're a cut and dried cynic! You are
There's face.r interrupted Ellington, IN
q half whisper, touching his friends arm TO
arrest his attention
Cragmore stopped short in his speech to
look
A young girl in a most hideous beach hat
YVES struggling with a 9-year-old youngster
10 prevent his getting into a boat which the
owner had left supposedly safe on the beach,
while he hunted up and down for agates
The waves had loosened the boat and it
was humping about in manner quite at
uactive to the ungovernable boy.
20, dearie, don't! You promised not to give
sister any troCble. You must no: 20 out
upon the water. 1t is too rough
"But I'm goingw roared the lad
mo, no." pleaded the girl, physically not
strong enough TO restrain him, ayou would
be drowned, JohEny. Please. Be good
row-pray do"
But he broke away from her wilfully, and
began clainoring into the boat, although the
surf wet him to the knees.
~You distress me so, Johnny" cried the
young lady, elinging to the collar OF his
jacket. out of which he tried to wriggle him
self like muscular eel
Cragmore stepped forward without demur,
and taking hold of the bow of the boat kept
IL from being pushed off.
This young man is inclined TO go 10 sea-"
he said Don't be troubled. He won't drown.
Such youngsters never dor-this with rue
,.onx-ax-s.d a,,,araAu ,b. ,,;@x-
The lad felt conlradeship in the tone, not
outstanding its implied differentiation of
himself, and looked up with a bright smile
Suppose you take me out he said.
The young lady blushed. why, Johnny"
she exclaimed deprecatingly, "how can you"
Cragmore laughed He liked tho lads di-
rectness, turbulent and disagreeable as he
evidently was. And the one quick glance be
had given the sister had made him aware
that her face was quiet worthy even Eding-
tons fsstidious regard
@Nery well,r said Cragmore, lump in and
take an gar"
Then, turning TO the sister, be lifted his
hal, and. bowling, said, He wants a turn.
He'll be quite safe with me;- and to mis-
friend, wait here, Ellington won't be gone
long and, stepping rather clumsily into
the boat. for he was no stripping, ne pushed
of, he and the lad rowing together.
AZ watching the half confused, half-relieved
look on the young lady face at the agreeable
deposition OF her unruly charge, Ellington
began to realize the constraint on his stu
efson-fcte- with a strange young
woman in an isolated place, and for an in
definite length of time.
She turned to glance for the first time at
him, and blushed deeper than ever at meet
ing SO unsympathetic face. The half-side-
long, keen, critical Inspection to which she
felt herself subjected seemed to jar upon
every nerve IN her body like rude hand
paving rather then touching the strings Of
some delicate instrument
She gave half gasp, as if she would have
sat right down on the sand TO cry, and prob
ably would have done so but for innate femi-
nine pefyyrsity. When she would have cried
Il course she laughed This without a word
he lifted his hat
Nv friend is a new kind of knight-.rrant.
Il said; she rescues the maiden out of the
ands of her bad brother
An boys are hard TO manage she said,
. IMPLY. Johnny isn't bad
%, no, replied Ellington, smoothing with
: and tact all sarcasm out of his assent but
In So doing emphasizing it in such a way that
l. - satire was broad as daylight
MOI in any sense bad she added. as If her
Sentence had been interrupted. -On the con-
L. ~, he IS very good
ihen sewibls that by her hot defense she
N"ald only confirm the gentleman in his poor
& mon o. Johnny, she explained:
i have no government be minds mamma
P,rfectly."
This was such transparent piece of IN
a.=iiishness that Ellington relaxed his grim
,.Tutiny of her and smiled. He turned his
gaze lakeward that she might not feel her
sgif studied 80 closely.
Some distance out from shore johnny was
i,iunging bis oar about in most uIskillful
and energetic fashion, while Cragmore was
trying 10 adapt his caimer stroke to the vari-
emergencies Of his neighbors rregu-
ilrity. They could hear his voice giving oc-
easional quiet instructions
Presently Jchnnyls hat biew of
On, shoot the hati' he cried
The two on shore could hear every word
distinctly. The young girl turned quick
hoo. at Ellington, as If that spontaneous slang
nu surely convict Johnny, but she laughed
: ~ TO herself as she watched Der hopefsrs
ggles 10 regain the lost article, combined
"a Cragmore's 20 keep the boat right side
p
IN thus wstching-she the boat, he her fac,
"a silence fell between them
Something nearer like interest than any
Ing be had before felt reused Ellington.
DE girl within such close range had a singu-
.rly mobile and expressive countenance. He |
,uld not take his eyes from it, II was the |
mirror of every fiesting emotion 10 such q \
degree that the temptation became great TO |
= il with surprise, or even to shock it with |
;larm.
80 he said, drawing his brow down with 4
I;own Of anxiety:
They make quite frolic OF this norther.n |
No repiy--sbe evidently had not heard |
lat quite an outbust Of merriment, as |
Johnny flung his oar in air, deluging Crag |
more with all the water he brought out |
with it,
She appeared 70 have great faith in Crag. |
more, for she was not even uneasy.
"Eragmore isn't much of seaman
A faint pailor answered this
Butt have seen worse blow, of course.
Rough as it is, a genuine sailor would prob
abls only call this water a little lumpy'"
do you-is there danger in small boatr
20, no i presume Cragmone can swim
But Johnny, Oh dear All you are try
ing TO tease me- Her eyes and dimples
1