Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-08-31
People saw me from the distant shore,

descentS. IL entered q tumblng,
swirling, foaming flood; it passed other
islands, where, -afar off, / saw men and
women gazing at me, dumb and motion
less, with the sense of my impending
fate. A cloud Of silver mist rose up far
down the river, and heavy uninter-
hitting roar was in the air. Faster
went the boat, rocking and careening
from side to side, while the spray
drenched me. Then it seemed to shoot
upward on the surface of a great green
mass of water-then it toppled over,
down into an awful abyss-and I knew
no more.
1t was the cause of some surprise
among my friends that such homely
woman-shunning fellow as I should
marry at all; it created positive amaze
ment that I did marry girl who was
not only as handsome as any girl in the
three kingdoms, but also very rich.
How It came about has nothing to do
with this narrative; and as the way of it
would make a very good story by itself,
1 will defer it till anothe r time.
The poor man who marries q rich girl
is in duty bound to defer to her wishes
and opinions rather more than if the
situation were vice versa. Therefore
when Jane expressed wish to go across
the ocean for our bridal-tour, I con-
sented with a fine appearance of cheer
fulness, though I hated the
ocean, and never thought much
of the Yankees. Maybe I shall live
long enough to get over both these
prejudices; it's neither here nor there,
anyway.
We went to New York, to Washing
ton, to New Orleans. We had been
three months away and I was secretly
signing for Liverpool docks when Jane
bethought her that we must see Nj
agara before returning.
Thither we went, of course; Jane
wished it.
One bright morning of that visit we
took carriage and went down to the
great railway suspension bridge, across,
and up the road on the Canadian side
to the place where Table Rock used to
be. Jane was full of enthusiasm over
what she called the grandeur of the
scene, and was slightly provoked at nae
because did not warm up to the sights
I then reminded her that she had otter
heard me tell her that / was the most
unsentimental Scotchman of most I'M
sentimental race; and she retorted:
eyes, Bob; and I never understood
what q truthful man you are till THU
moment"
That, by the way, is the severes
thing my wife has ever said to me.
We sat there in the carriage gooi
half hour, looking at the river, the cat
aract, and the islands; and PRESENT..
I began to get interested, ant
to confess to myself that her
was something we'll worth looking
Aft it hadn't been in America. TIL,
driver was q garrulous fellow, and be
tween sightseeing and listening to hi
stories about the place, I think W,
got the worth Of our money.
People get carried over there some
times?" I suggested.
20, yes-every year two or three.
And with that he talked off like par
rot an account of all such dreadful &C
cidents in the last forty years, and tn
names Of the poor victims.
"There was another one, that ",
saved till the last, forI saw it myself
Twas long ago; in forty-nine, believe
I knew the man; an old fellow that uset
to go across to Navy Island, three mile
up yonder, and fish all day. Tha
evening he lost an oar coming back, ant
the boat drifted right down into tn,
rapids, and went over. Lots Of peopl,
saw it, but they might as we'll have beer
in Greenland for all they could do tt
help. o, I tell you, ma'am, it was a,
awful sight when old French Charlie,
threw up his arms and went over; jus
where you see that green water on
there! I've walked up in the nigh
more'n once, dreamin' of it."
Ny troublesome vision had almos
abandoned me since I met Jane. TIL
drivers words suddenly brought i
back.
"What was his name ?" asked.
French Charley they called him
but his real name was Charles Gar
deau."
So it came out. Who can explai,
it?
know nothing of metaphysics, an,
care less for everything of that kind
and I would-if I could-leave thi
strange discovery here where I fount
it, and never think of it again.
I don't know what it means; dom
want to know. What to me is an oil
fisherman who died before I was born
of whom J. never heard until this day
except in the unaccountable way hav'
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