Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-08-31


excited 10 nerrimcnt at our eccentric
appearance, though the rest Of the
party on the veranda We're not 80
punctilious; and it was with quiet sat.
isfaction that saw one man dragged
away in a fit.
For the next few days we kept our
selves in close retirement, as we were
wearing several marks and bruises
which only time and arnica could ef-
face.
We resolved on our next appearance
| to avoid both canoes and broncos. So
arraying ourselves in our tartest raj.
ment. and assuming our imported
| bored look. we sauntered to the picnic
| grounds by the river bank, where Miss
Rosalee and her party were assembled.
In consequence of the two disastrous
incidents we had experienced in trying
20 make an impression on Miss Rosa
lee, this our third attempt made us
feel decidedly nervous. All the con-
ventional picnic accidents rose up be-
| fore us like ghosts.
On approaching we saw that the
widest confusion and excitement
seemed to prevail; then out from the
crowd walked the H. r., Mr. Junius
Brutus Jonas. Yes. there was no mis-
take, though his appearance was I'M
usual.
His elastic step, his nonchalant air,
his patronizing smile and his spotless
garb were not with him. At every
move water spouted from his shoes,
spurted from every seam and ran in
torrents from the edges of his clothes.
Yes, as the intelligent reade T. has
already surmised, Mr.. Jonas was wet!
don't hesitate to say we Smiled--in
| fact, my amusement was too large for
nv collar and | came lear having
fit.
We suddenly observed that our in
nocent merriment was cOldly frOwned
on by the assembly; and, moment
later, it was explained to us that Mr..
| Jonas was a herO-a real. life-siZed,
| first-class. sensational hero!
At the risk of his life and the sure
ruin of his chaste costume he had
plunged boldly into the raging tor
rent and snatched the beautiful Miss
Rosalee from the jaws of death-that
| is, she would no doubt have drowned,
| In time, if the water had sufficient
depth; but, to tell the truth, PoOlado
and / afterwards quietly sounded the
water in that locality and found it
only three or four feet deep. There
| was no curreut, and no holes; and if
she had been let alone she would have
walked comfortably out and saved her
bangs, which, alas! were lost in the
confusion of being dragged ashore.
But of course we could not say all
this to the enthusiastic admirers Of
the thrilling deed, and the H. R. "
posed as the lion of the hour.
Some OF the reports placed the
depth OF the water at seventy-ive
feet, and said the young lady was be-
ing rapidly swept out Of sight by a
furious current, and that she had al
ready sunk four times before the dar-
ing swimmer could grasp her.
All this was too much for POOlado.
We wandered to our hotel, and he
paced the foor nervously all day. and
wrote desperately all night And the
result was Il letter to Miss ROsalee, OF
which this is a synopsis:
He told her of his unconquerable
| love; ha declared his intention of never
seeing her again; he would leave the
field to Mr.. Jonas, the man whom
! fate had favored in allowing him the
privilege of risking his life to save
the loveliest girl in the world; and
he could only hope her happiness
would be as great as his own misery
was deep; etc, etc.
The number of hours and the amount
of writing-paper it required to
compose this effusiOu were beyond
reckoning. 1t was sent to her by a
| messenger as we rolled to the station
the next morning on our way home.
The following day at the breakfast
table. as | occupied my accustomed
stool at Poolado's elbow, watching
him listlessly open his mail, he
| Jumped from his seat. upsetting the
chocolate-pOt and nearly overturnln9
the whole table. | sprang just in
time to avoid the flying china and
| falling chairs rs he rushed wildly to
| his room, where | was not slow III
following him.
Already his t"aveling-bag was in
his hand, into which he was crowding
a lot of articles. Then. without one
word or thought for me, he flew out OF
the house.
Now from experience knew that ii
| went uninyited it would simply make
a scene; so while | was standing there
undecided. my eye fell on the letter
| which had caused this sudden emo
ton, and which he had accidentally
dropped.
Behold the contents:
| you Dear Foolish Old Boy: thought even
| one knew that Mr. Jonas was engaged to my
pretty cousin who is now abroad. and he seeks
my society simply so that he can find patient
listener while he enthuSes about his absent
| love-
'In regard 10 his saving the loveliest girl In
| the world, as you so charmingly word 1t, may
! as well let you into the secret now; it was all
| a practical Joke we girls planned, We made
| wagers as to which man would be the first TO
| lump in after the-supposed-t o.be-drowning
| girl.
Besides being an expert swimmer, knew