Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-23

10 cOrrespono-there she sat, round, rosy
and dlmpled, mere dot of woman, yet
how much more she knew than he did!
"She must despise me-" he thought, I'M
easily Juggling at his rich brown mastache.
" She can't help it! Such dumb-head as
l must seem to her. Yet how pretty and
soft-spoken she is"
Poor Gilbert, He was very wretched
that night, because Miss Root knew geom-
etry and he did not.
Yet what vague happiness it was to be
under the same roof with her
If Gilbert had only known it, he was
falling in love with Emma Root.
The school ma'am stayed two weeks at
the Bligh farm, because the Widow Dunn's
"ager" stubbornly held on, and toward the
end OF her sojourn there came on one of
those terrific rain-storms that sometimes
sweep the Western slopes.
am going to hitch up old Sorrel and
go after Miss Root" said Gilbert at noon.
The red bridge foundations are pretty
nigh washed away, and Pll have to bring
her around by Piny Point"
81 low it's a good idear," said Mrs.
Bligh, scratching her head with knitting
needle. am glad you thought ont it."
But either he had miscalculated old
SorrePs rate of speed over the muddy
roads, or else the family clock was wrong :
for when he reached the red school-house
it was closed and locked and Miss Root
was gone.
He drove at railroad rate to overtake
her, but just on the edge of the river he
saw that he was too late.
Tho HI,,,cr, = Al.
given way beneath her weight, and she
was struggling in the black waters
"Gilbert-oh, Gilbert-save mep'
Through the rush of the swollen stream,
the roaring of the wind, her frenzied cry
reached his ears.
He flung off his heavy boots, his cling
ing coat and jumped into the river. And
as he did so an odd fancy eddied across his
brain.
Geometry was of no use here. Mathe-
MATES could be of no avail. 1t was mans
strength, an experts skill, hero's heart
that counted now. Yes, he was her equal
more than her equal-at last
" Is she dead Emma! For heavens
sake, speakw
"Dead~ grumbled old Abraham Gay.
Tor. No more'n you be. Look at the
color comm back into her lips. But |
say, though, it was narrow squeeze of it,
one time. That currents powerful strong,
and the bridge timbers was sweeping down
on We like thousand O brick. It's good
thing We knowed how to swim like an
otter, Gil Bligh. Yes, you're safe at home
| brung We both back wrapped in all the
blankets my ole woman had. That's your
own freight you're starin' at"
After all, it was only a drenching, q
fright and chill. said Gilbert, that dusk.
as they sat by the fire, when Mrs. Bligh
had gone out to feed the late brood OF
chickens, and Johnny was in the shed try
ing to build a ship that should be like the
one described in "Masterman Ready's''
fascinating pages.
Emma shuddered.
81 have been rescued from the very
verge of the grave" said she, "and by
you, Gilbert. Gilbert ~ looking wistfully
up into his face.
"Well@
"Will-will you teach me to swim !
You are so strong, so noble, and l am SC
weak and Ignorant. Oh, Gilbert, after
this you will be my prince among menu
Emma, my love, my darling r
That was how it happened. There waf
no formal proposal nor acceptance-only
these words-only a lovers kiss, shy
girls joyful nesting to the side of him
whom she had regarded as her hearts
master; and so they were engaged.
The people of Red Hollow expressed
themselves differently on the subject.
colbert Bligh hasn't no book larnin',' -
said Squire Peters, and this young wo-
mans eradicate OF Tassel College. Don't
see how she came to fancy him."
"That don't signify" said Widow Dunn.
I" He's mortal smart, and owns a good patch
o land right on the farmin' flats; but |
only hope they'll live happy together. II
Twas man | wouldn't dare to marry gal
that had put me outer the school-'us She
must hev temper"
But neither Gilbert nor Emma had any
misgivings after all, they were the
chief persons concerned.-Saturday Night