Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-05-18

very Well, Aunt Jane decides, ''yOu
may have the southwest chamber, which
IS the pleasantest room in the house, for
| three dollars a week"
THANK you. very much" says Mr.
| Shafter, promptly 81 will send nv
trunk over this afternoon
With that he bows himself out, leav-
ing me much elated at the prospect of so
pleasant an addition to our family.
In weeks time Mr.. Shafter and l are
the best possible friends.
Father,to speak figuratively, has taken
him to his bOsom-indeed these two
seem to have some pleasant understand
ing between them which | do not COM
prehend
Even Aunt Jane unbends in the magic
of his frank speech and laughing voice
We are very good friends, but l am
perfectly thunderstruck, when, at the
end of a months acquaintance, our lodger
makes me an offer of marriage.
L am nineteen years old, and have
never had lover: bat l have very
romantic ideas of what a lover should be.
and Robert Shafter falls very short of
my ideal.
So l reply decidedly in the negative,
and endeavor 20 explain to him what
manner of a man l intend to honor
with my heart and hand.
He does not seem as despairing as
rejected lover should.
Indeed, [ think he is very much
amused at what 1 say, for he shrugs his
shoulders and walks away, laughing.
| am provoked and disguised with his
levity, and treat him with much dignity
and GOODNESS for day or two but this
seems foolish in the face of his frank,
jolly manners, and soon we drift back
into the old pleasant comradeship.
l can see the band-stand from our
piazza, but, being rather near sighted,
[ cannot distinguish MIR. Shafter from
the other musicians.
/ never 90 over to the hotel when the
band is playing; prefer to listen to the
music swinging luxuriously in my ham
mock.
There is a cornet solor ist-Reede-
whose playing l greatly admire; and l
implore Onr ledger to bring him over to
promise. l decide in my own mind that
he is jealous and afraid that will fall in
love with Reede. l have unbounded
self-conceit, and do not consider that
the great musician has probably scores
of admiring friends and lovers.
One never to- be forgotten day I take
one of my girl friends for a row along
the shore in my little boat. Lizzie is a
quiet, solid, unpretentiOus girl, who
loves me and believes in me in spite of
my arrogance and vanity. Werow along
where the bathers from the hotel are dis
porting themselves in the water.
Presently l catch sight of Robert Shat
ter swimming toward us.
He is laughing and blowing the water
from his mouth at great rate, and in a
spirit of mischief, l began to pull away
''Why, that is Reede, the cornetist,"
says Lizzie in some excitement
''Oh, no." reply, very decidedly,
cts our ledger, Mr.. Shafter."
We have no time for discussion, for
Immediately Robert Shafter throws up
his arms with q cry of pain and goes
under.
l know, of course, that he is attacked
by swimmers cramp, and my heart
leaps to my throat. l put my oar into
LizZie's hand and go overheard after him.
This feat requires no heroism on my part,
as about third of my life has been
spent either in or on the water. When
he comes to the surface l catch my
fingers in his curly hair and draw his head
up to the level of the boats gunwale,
and with the help of Lizzie who is strong
and robust, get him into the boat.
In the meantime another boat has been
sent out from the shore which follows us
as we row swiftly back to the little
wooden pier at the foot of the garden.
The boat contains two men, who carry
Mr.. Shafter up to the house.
l leave Lizzie to fasten my boat, and
hasten into the house and up to my
chamber to take off my wet clothing. l
am trembling from head to foot with a
strange, new excitement. Robert Shat
ter, in danger of his life, seems suddenly
dear to me- When, at last, regain
some command of myself, 1 slowly de-
scend to the sitting-roOm. They have
put Shafter into the little bedroom,
opening from the sitting-room, and have
brought him back to consciousness.
There is very handsome young lady
sitting by the bed. He holds her hand
in his, and they are talking very earnest
" together. l am terribly Jealous right
away; and grow more so when the young
lady comes out to me and introduces her
self as Miss Bradford, and thanks me
warmly for what she calls my brave con-
duct
"Mr. Reede is MY very dear friend"
she says, gracefully, land there are 9TH
ers who will be proud to make the &C
quaintance of the noble girl who has
saved his life"
"Twas nothing" 1 return, bluntly,
almost rudely. ''Did understand you
to say that the gentleraan's name is