The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-01-30


seemed drifting further away, or else my
frantic efforts produced retrogression. My
clothes were coiling around me like clammy
snakes; my cries sounded like the shouts
ofsome one else; l was horribly frightened,
and my struggles were growing feebler.
Like in some nightmare, could see the
boat rowing toward me. How slowly it
appeared to novel My body seemed turning
to lead. don't believe any one ever had
such body, for suddenly it dragged my
head under in spite of its efforts to keep
above, and felt as one might feel shut up
in a gigantic bottle of soda-water at the
moment some Titanic hand drew the cork,
the water hissed, fzzled, and swirled SO
hideously. As it closed over my crown,
suddenly strong hand clutched me and
dragged me to the surface again, and L
heard above the awful, jubilant splashing
of the sea familiar voice uttering | know
not what of encouragement. Then some
how 1 clutched the side of boat; there
was long struggle with my inert body
that could do SO little for itself and finally
1 found myself, like newly-caught fish,
gasping at the bottom of the boat, and
looking up in mingled terror, joy, and
amazement, at my nephew Charlie and the
frightened face of Edith Lyall.
"You're all right now, Uncle, eh p cried
Charlie, cheerily.
"Yes- -all-righ'-al right-now!" I
gasped Then, feeling like mummy in
wet, swaddling clothes, l sat an animated
sponge on the seat.
1t was all so strange that 1 could only
blink myeyes in wonder.
'Thank you, my dear boy thought it
was all up l-watcry grave ugh |"
At length gradually my breath in a
measure returned.
$50 this is the nameless one, then = said
1. "Found out all fore breakfast Saw
you from the cliffs
But how could l enjoy the triumph
while my teeth were chattering with cold,
and | realized the force of the expression
"to look like drowned rat.
They were both full of solicitude.
Edith looked at me compassionately as l
shivered and shook All the dignity had
been washed out of me as effectually as the
starch from my linen. How thankful L
felt How inclined to hang up my drip
ping garments to the powerful sea god !
At Edith's suggestion l took an oar to row
to shore, whence my accident had evidently
been observed; for number of boats came
and Joined us, and we formed sort Of
triumphal procession toward the beach.
] felt like some prize rescued from the
deep. On land was crowd to welcome
us. A few enthusiastic spirits raised a
feeble cheer; others were guilty of rude
remarks.
"Old chaps didn't ought to be allowed
out in them cranky canoes" said one. L
inwardly agreed with the speaker, and re-
GREETED that some bylaw to this effect did
not exist.
As l walked up the beach the bystand-
ers laughed in vulgar glee at the sorry sight
afforded. CANT he wet Don't be
look blue? That's the young chap what
pulled him out y &c.
Charlie, however, rejected all offers of
assistance, for l was too quenched and
helpless, too inclined to crawl away into
some place where l could not be seen, to
assert myself. l had had one leg in a
watery grave, and terror and damp had
mado mo worry NOOK and very grateful
told Edith as we parted on the parade that
would make it "all right with her moth
er, if possible, when | was dry. A num-
Der of dirty boys followed us to the hotel.
They seemed a little disappointed l had
only been partly drowned, for the young
are fond of excitement. Here l separated
with Charlie; imbibed strong tumbler OF
brandy and water, and commenced to change
my dripping clothes. The spirits mounted
to my head in the most foolish way; and
while | was still fumbling with feeble fin
gers at the buttons of dry shirt, seeming
to see myself quite long way off in the
mirror, Charlie in another suit appeared.
After | had assured him for about the
twentieth time that l was rather better
than worse for my ducking, for the brandy
had produced deceptive complacency, he
informed me that he had only learned that
very day that was friend of Edith's.
"Strange!" !" said 1, ''she has been begging
me to forgive you ever since last June.
"Why, that's exactly what she has been
doing with me" said he "She made me
promise to ask you to forgive me this
morning." continued he. 81 have been
very ungrateful; please forgive me, uncle. >
Forgive him, indeedl Where should
have been if he had not pulled me out Of
the trackless sea?
"My dear boyl My dear boy !"
Then we both understood the little game
Edith had been playing. And my eyes
grew moist; something-perhaps the brandy
and water-had touched the fountain Of
my emotions.
~ only stayed away" said he, "becauso
l wanted to show you l wasn't such NUT
as you thought 1 was"
'sYou have been quite right to become
an artist" said l, shaking his hand an un
necessary while, "and l am sure you vii
be successful one.
1t seemed to me he must be capable o
anything after pulling me out of the water
Then we went down to lunch, objects o
curiosity to the other guests, and drank
bottle of dry champagne "a wine l onl
take when my nerves have received shock
That day it seemed to have a strange effec
on the root of my tongue and to increas
the warmth of my affection for the worl
at large Charlie told me how his picture
were beginning to sell, and everything az
peared to me in very rosy light.
Lunch over, l had an interview wit
Mrs. Lyall
"Your generous offer, she said, ''place
the matter on an entirely different footing.
The generous offer" referred to an a
lowance wished to settle on Charlie if b
would allow it. "Generous," forsooth
Why, if he hadn't pulled me out of tn
water he would be in possession of all m
belongings, and it seems hard people shoul
suffer for doing their duty. So Edith an
Charlie are happy; their story has ended
the curtain has dropped. If you go to tn
Academy you will see some of his picture
hanging on the line Already | am begir
ming to get reflected glory from his talent
1 have picture of myself by him, which
in my opinion-and 1 am no bad judge
aouoI tn almost anv portrait know, excer