Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-09-28

and Maggie was on her way to NEE
Owen, when her attention was al
tracted by an unwonted sight. B'
side the lake an easel was set uI
and an artist was seated before
making sketch of the surroundin
: scenery. The place was 80 out Q
the way of tourists or summer board
ers that this thing had never beel
seen before, and Maggie, who wa
very fond of pictures-though sh
had seen but few-paused, an,
watched the painter from afar.
He was an elderly man, and wor,
"A velvet coat and a large sloucheC
hat. When he saw Maggie stand
ing at little distance he turned
and smiled kindly upon her.
"Come," he said, with a strong
French accent; "come and see, !
you like-comc."
Maggie approached the easel.
ooh, how pIettyw said she. 81
don't see how you ever do it, I'm
sure-all with that little brush and
some paint"
"And some brains," said the
Frenchman.
con, Of course you must think il
all out" said Maggie -"the sky and
the cI, uds and the water. What
lovely little wavesw
Maggie stood watching him as he
worked, and for the first time in heI
life she forgot her child.
The little creature wandered away,
going nearer to the water than his
mother ever permitted him to go,
and shortly waded in further and
further down the gradual slope OF
smooth sand, until sudden dip
took him Off his feet, and at his
scream his mother turned to see
him struggling ng-drowning
before her eyes.
The next instant the Frenchman
had thrown off his coat, kicked off
his shoes and was i'm the water. He
seemed to be good swimmer, soon
grasped the child's garments and
reached the shore with him.
Maggie casped her boy to her
heart, and finding the little fellow
unframed, and now laughing, flung
herself upon her knees before his
preserver.
GLOW shall thank you?" she
said. "You have saved my hoy's
life."
ooh, it was nothing, it was moth
ing" the Frenchman repeated, re-
suming his coat and shoes. "a
plunge hurts nobody this weather
! go home to dry myself, that is ALL"
Maggie, however, could not look
upon the matter calmly. She had
expected to see her child drown be-
fore her eyes. She was trembling
from head to foot, and after striving
in vain to restrain herself she burst
into flood Of tears, which ended
in n fit of hysterical laughing and
sobbng.
"Oh, these women" said the
Frenchman to himself, but he was
gallant to express his feelings.
Placing Maggie upon his sketch
ing stool, he knelt beside her, APP
piled little smelling bottle to her
nostrils and shortly restored her to
calmness.
"Now, little mother, do not cry
any more" he said. "You should
laugh because the little one is safe.
heavens! how foolish"
And then, In perfectly paternal
he kissed her. And Mag
gle, crying out:
"lou good, good man! | shall
pray for you every night of my
ife," kissed him again.
1t was all for the preserver of her
Boy, of Owens boy, and because
she was really out Of her mind at
.he moment. But at this instant
owen himself, coming rapidly along
he shore road, caught sight of his
wife. The child perchcd on rock
lard by, was playing unconcernedly |
with his wet shoe, but owen did not |
'cc him. What he saw was
stranger kissing his wife, his wife
Kissing the stranger again; and all
hat was fond and tender and low
ny flew from his soul.
"rhe dark man." of whom the
gypsy had warned Maggie, was her
husband now. lie came rushing
lown toward them, and the French
nan, seeing what he fancied..-not
without rcason-to be madman
ppruaching, turned and fled. Ii
Ighting days, il he ever had amy,
we're over, lie was willing To risk
lis life 10 save beautiful little
hild, but this was another matter.
IS for Owen, he reached Maggie's ,
Idle AT thrce bounds, and seizing her
rm, held II in grip of iron.
al suW VAN kiss him - la hissal ,