The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-11-05
From Longman's Magazine.]
LA FFAIRE SPIN KS
BY BERNARD HASTE.

Oh my preSerVer! my noble deilV-
erer! my brave. generous, fearless he
ro! how can | thank you? What
should | have done without you?"
ETC., etc, etc.
| do not know what the bull
thought of this touching scene. | can
only say that, in my battered condi-
tion, less vigorous cudgeling with
epithets would have been more to my
taste. But Miss Spinks would not be
checked. She continued to wiring my
hands, and to torture her own vocabu-
larry, and | felt it mercy that she did
not think it necessary to faint as re-
lief to her overcharged feelings. For
tunately alteration, even at the hands
of the fair sex, is luxury apt to pail
on both adored and adorer After a
time her transports moderated, and |
was able to suggest a fresh start. But
here new difficulty presented itself.
Miss Spinks declared herself quite too
nervous to think Of crossing the plank.
| allow it did not look inviting. Our
bank was about six feet above the
stream, the other almost level with
the waters edge. The plank there
fore sloped pretty sharply from our
side. It had no hand-rail, and indeed
was only intended to give access to the
bulls quarters from a farmhouse a
couple of hundred yards off, beyond
the stream. Moreover, it was damp,
messy, and therefore slippery, and be-
ing about thirty feet long, had an un-
pleasantly springy motion under foot.
However, it was our only exit, so |
boldly advanced three or four steps to
convince Miss Spinks Of its safety.
But she would not be comforted.
"Oh! dear Mr. HASTE, pray dou't
trust your life to that plank. You'll
fall off and be drowned, and then what
shall I do?''
Nonsense" l replied reassuringly
''The plank is quite sound. You need
only be steady and walk slowly to be
perfectly safe."
81 can't do it. I won't attempt it, >
she cried.
"Then would you prefer to race the
bull again?" l asked impatiently.
"Oh, don't tease me. Don't be un.
kind. Do tell me what to do
"Let me help you," said I. "Take
my hand and step carefully"
She took two short steps; the plank
vibrated under our combined weight
and loosing her hold she returned tc
the shore.
81 daren't do it that way" she said
II must go sideways"
Whatever way you like" | assent.
ed, and giving her my right hand she
took it in her right, and we started
inelegantly shufiing, crab-fashion
along the plank. Still we were pro.
crossing, and appearances did not mat.
ter. Half the distance was accom-.
plished, and l was already congratu.
lating myself on the conquest Of my
final difficulty, when-horribile Hicti
that accursed bull, balked Of his
prey, raised his voice in one last pro.
digious below. Miss Spinks gave
heart-rending screech and violent
start, which communicated itself tc
the arm by which l was supporting
her. | felt myself wobbling, swaying
slipping. made superhuman effort tc
recover my balance, overdid it, and
UdCh SOul6ISdulb IubO Lue
shining depths beneath.
Gasping, blinded. and half choked
by my sudden immersion, I rose to the
surface, felt ground under my feet
and was struggling into an upright
position, when 10! a vision of whirl-
ing arms, sensation Of heavy body
rushing through the air, a crash
which showed me countless constella-
tions, | was seized firmly by the hair.
enveloped in a bewildering cloud of
drapery, suddenly and violently reim-
mersed, and | were locked in deadly
grapple in the bed of the stream.
Luckily the depth was not great, and
in moment or two | regained my
footing. Miss Spinks, still clutching
my locks, was dragged up with me,
and being unable to detach her hold
was forced to carry her ashore.
Restored to terra .frma, she relaxed
her grip, and sinking down on the
bank, with a smile Of ineffable salts
faction, she murmured,-
"Oh, thank Heaven, I have saved
your
"You have done what?" | cried.
maddened by the pain in my scalp and
the unnecessary extra ducking | had
undergone.
Saved your life," she repeated
ecstatically. II saw you were drown :
ing, and flew to your rescue. IF ha 4
not caught your hair as you sank yon
would have been-oh-h-hr'
| could not laugh, or even speak. [
merely stared blankly at the dripping
naiad, and feebly wondered which Of
us was insane. She had closed her
eyes, and lay smiling sweetly to her
self, oblivious of everything but her
heroism. The situation was romantic,
but not practical; and, much as it
grieved me to break the spell, [ was
forced at last prosaically to suggest
that we were catching cold.
She languidly opened her eyes, and,
again smiling, remarked
''Mr. Hastie, I'm going to faint"
and did so.
Ii at this juncture | was betrayed
nto an supplementary expression, it
vas surely case in which Uncle To-
oy's recording angel should spare a
ear. l helplessly felt for the place
where my coat pocket, and in it my
lask, should have been, but the bull
lad omitted to return my property,
nd even for Miss Spinks's sake I was
lot prepared to encounter him again.
had no burnt feathers, and the cold
Vater cure in my patients present
onditlon would have been locals to
Newcastle There was nothing for
but to carry the senseless form of
ny companion to the farmhouse.
istance of quite two hundred yards,
nd there beg assistance.
Now, where in a novel or picture
he hero "bears the inanimate fair one
enderly in his arms, her head resting
n his shoulder, her golden hair brush
ng his cheek" he seems to do it with