The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-07-03


save for inlets, for one hundred miles or
more, there is little about the place to
make it attractive. The idea originated
with the Sawyers, or rather with young
Jim Sawyer.
"It's stupid he said, Lying around
here and letting the sloop to city visitors
on holidays. We're doing well enough.
Let's make holiday of the Fourth for
ourselves, stead of working harder then
than any other day."
Ably seconded by his elder sister, Mel
lie, Jim carried the day in his own house
hold, and after that the ''set" joined in.
Henry Martin, true enough, had held
back somewhat in favor of making bust
ness of the Fourth and holiday of some
other occasion, but he was overruled in
dignantly, and Nellie Sawyer even said
one or two sharp little things about some
peoples small dispositions, so that Henry
retreated hastily. Nellies words might
have kept him away but for two reasons:
Young Jim was firm friend and admir-
er of Martin, and he threatened to make
it uncomfortable for Nellie if Martin was
''frozen out" Martin knew that the lads
tongue would fulfill the threat, to the
modification of not only Nellie but him
self as well, and therefore he ignored his
wounded pride and joined with appar-
ent heartiness in the proceedings.
Young Jim would have made up the
party in the exclusive interest of his hero
if he could have done that, but Nellie
had her own will, too, and in this case
she compelled her brother to yield to the
dictates of the senior Sawyers, neither of
whom understood the cause of hostilities
between their children.
So when the excursionists started from
the Babylon wharf at o'clock ON the
morning of July 4, 1884, there was a
ranking discomfort in the heart of more
than one member of the party. Three
boats made up the fleet The Sawyers'
large and handsome sloop carried about
twenty, among whom were all the elder
ly people, Nellie and Jim, and two of the
young men whom Henry Martin knew
to be his rivals. Henry was consigned
! to one of the minor boats. Although this
arrangement was due to Nellie's strategy,
there was spice of dissatisfaction in her
view of the situation. Just what it was,
or why, is more thanI can say, for the
vagaries of a young womans heart defy
my comprehension and analysis. never
| did understand them and never expect
to; simply put down what l know, and
among those things is the fact that Henry
| Martin ras Nellie's favorite. and that
not all of young Jim's i'll advised efforts
in his behalf could displace him from a
high place in her affections. In fact, had
it not been for jim, Henry might have
sailed in the big sloop; but it doesn't
matter much, for no blunder of that well
meaning boy could have affected serious
ly what finally came to pass on that
Fourth of July, seven years ago. Just
before the boats put off Jim had whis-
pered to his hero:
'Never mind, Mart; I'll keep those
buffers at bay till we get to Lone Hill,
and then you watch your chance" to
which Henry's reply had been silent
scowl; but he made up his mind, never
theless, that the day should not pass be-
fore he had come to an exact understand
ing with Nellie; for hitherto there had
been no declaration or other formal talk
between them.
Arrived at Lone Hill the party went
directly across the narrow sandy strip of
land that prevents Great South bay from
being part of the ocean. There was a
grand surf rolling away out ON the
beach, which at the time of the arrival
of the excursionists was as wide as pos
sible, for it was low tide. The wind
freshened steadily and veered about until
it came from the southeast, and the
weatherwise talked of fogs and storms.
| Nothing interfered with the pleasure of
the day, however, and preparations were
begun for an outdoor dinner, provisions
from home being increased by various
articles secured on the spot.
Henry Martin joined earnestly in the
work, and sought especially to be of as
sistance to or under the direction of Mel
lie; but Miss Nellie, with that rare tact
| for giving stabs with smile and a
laugh that only maidens-possess, refused
his services while gladly accepting those
of his rivals. It proved to be of little
use for him to try to assist, but he stood
about with an appearance of good nat
ure, and when dinner was finally eaten
he played his part in the entertainment.
There were speeches in which the Amer
lean eagle fairly howled defiance and
| tapped her wings scornfully at British
ers; and there were explosions of crack
ers and firearms by Jim and his imme-
date companions that made their quiet
loving elders wish they had staid at
home. Then the party broke into little
groups, and after time, through his
customary quiet persistence, Henry
found an opportunity to speak to Nellie
The rising tide had hidden more than
half the beach, and the still rising wind
had set the breakers roaring They
stood where each incoming wave caused
them to retire little farther inland.
GIVE been waiting all day for a word
with you, Nellie" said Henry.
"Isn't that grand roller?" she in
quired. pointing indifferently to wave
combing and foaming as far as the eye
could reach along the sands. Henry
glanced at it seriously and was silent for
moment. Then he resumed:
"Nellie, you are not interested in the
rollers, I know that, and you are trying