Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-01-20
A SURF STUDY.
BY LILY CURRY.

The first two weeks of September are
undoubtedly the finest of all the summer
For ocean, bathing. The water has
at length become bearably warm,
and Tue waves, though running
high run regularly and with a
certain eyenness that a fair swimmer can
comprehend and count upon. At the
resorts along the New Jersey coast, for
instance. this is season of absolute
water reyelry. The beach is peoplcd with
thousands Of figures, happy and
picturesque--or grotesque, as the case may
be. Gild, youth, adult, all are here.
The strong swimmer calmly ccaving his
wax ont through the breakers; the tlmid
novice shrinking at each new burst of
salty sudss and the would-be brave one.
prancing deGantly knee deep in the mighty
brine. yet c.;nging at the same time with
desperate grip to the lifeline.
1t was not long since, at one of these re-
sorts, a heavenly morning-the sky sheer
dazzle Of sun and palest azure; the sea
booming grandly on the white sand, and
all the merry thousands Fastening down to
meet it.
Two ,sen and a woman left the fourth
of ,;leir party, IN elderly lady. who was
not in bathing costume, rs were they,
safely e,lsconced with camp-stool and
umbrella. where the sand was quite dry,
and tripned lightly down to the first thin
edge OF the water. 10 be strictly accurate,
but two OF them tripped lightly; the wo-
man, who was young, and, in her own
way. beautiful. and the smaller and less
thoughtful appearing Of the men. The
third Of The party followed with a gravity of
coauteuancc that was almost absurd in
conjunction with his costume. Having
entered the water. they naturally separated.
The younger man was of the slender:
willowy, graceful type; o blonde with
golden tints of hair and beard. Moreover
every word and gesture seemed expressive
Of intense dissatisfaction and self
qualification, possibly relative to some late
personal triumph.
"Come!!" he cried, reaching out joyously
to tho girl. But she drew back she could
not hwim. "No?" he said carelcssly, and
plunged off leaving her there near the
otller man. This other was also fair of
complexion, but his close-shaven hair had
the look of brown velvet and his large
vioie; ewes were fringed with lashes almost
black.
He had stopped to put some water on
his bead. and looking up he saw that the
young lady stood alone, her gaze resting
quietly upon him.
s-hall take You out little farther?'
he nsked.
Size shook her head, with fretful curve
OF the lip.
"You lools too SOBER" she said. "Iou
might want to drown me-"
He took no notice of tho closing petu-
lance.
"You think 1 should not look sober
then ?"
"l'na sure think nothing whatever, Mr.
Denton. You have relieved me of the
necessity"
lie took step nearer to her. His face
flushed. There, in the edge of the ocean,
was an absurd place to show feeling. But
he seemed to forget their surroundings,
and to see only her dark, uncommon
beauty her flashing, conquering eyes.
"I.;na, he said, quietly, 81 have done
nothing to merit your enmity; L have been
sincere"
%, ycs; but too much sincerity bores
one at times"
The young man started, his lips moved,
then he seemed to recall some resolution
and 40 sound issued from his tighty-set
jaws.
The .iil continued to speak, however, in
the same stndiously insolcnt tone. "Why
are We standing here? At least you might
take me over to the line. l certainly shall
have lessons when VIC 90 back to town. 1t
Is abs'I'd for one to feel so dependent.
And these good swimmers are always SO
selfish.
lie put out his hand.
"Come tbs way" tie said, Simply.
They made as pretty Il picture as any of
the thousands of couples who had gone
down r were going down together.
Some Of The lookers-on upon the beach
singled them OF and discussed them:
The young lady in white and scarlet ?
With Ito Italian face? The tall young es-
cort i'll blue and yellow? Miss Warmer
Elna Warmer. Quite rich. Hush The
mother is there with tho red umbrella,
The young man is Ned Denton; sort of
thild cousin: used to be engaged to her.