The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1892-07-28

stir with the breath of life. Spreading
nv coat over her and saying to Herod,
.Watch!" ran across the fields in
shirt sleeves for assistance.
Arriving at the Balms, l shouted to
the hired man leaning on tho gate
post:
"Harness horse into the chaise!"
Then rushing to the kitchen. l franti-
cally ordered "Hot water and blan-
kets!"
Finally, encountering my respected
uncle in the sitting-room, l laid violent
hands upon him.
"Why, John-what the duse-"
"Come, come!" / entreated. ga
young lady is drowning"
"Where?"
"Over hereunder tho pines-by
the bank of the cove" 1 painted, dis
connectedly. "Come, come!"
All amazement, he followed me.
Arriving at the stable thrust Enoch
aside-most unceremoniously, for his
customary leisureIy manner particu-
larly exasperated me at that moment
finished harnessing the gray into the
vehicle, jumped in. motioned my uncle
after me, and whipped the animal all
the way down the hill.
"John, l think you are crazy
mildly demonstrated Uncle Lemuel.
Imadc no reply, for we had reached
the spot.
AS 1 stepped out of the chaise,
Herod came leaping upon me.
"Where-" l commenced, looking
silently around. My patient was
gone.
My uncle gazed at me inquiringly.
/ think must have looked foolish.
81 should like to know what you
are looking for, John"
"Looking for?' exclaimed, begin
ming to get angry. "You think I'm
fool, suppose. but tell you there
was a girl here; she was drowning,
and the dog pulled her out of the
water. She was quite insensible, and
1 laid her here myself. Now she is
gone"
$50 1 see," coolly replied Uncle
Lemuel. "Wcll, how did it happen?"
"She was in boat"
"What boat?"
"It swamped."
Uncle Lemuel whistled and put his
hands in his pockets. began to doubt
myself if there had been any reality in
the scene which had so excited me.
Had l not been dreaming? AT that
moment Herod shook the water from
his thick coat all over me.
"Look at the dog" began.
.What is that he has there?" inter-
rupted Uncle Lemuel.
Herod had lain down with his fore
paws upon some small, white object.
| went to examine it. 1t was linen
handkerchief.
"See here!" l cried, in exultation.
ale is watching her handkerchief
now."
Then I looked for name, and found
it caster Grey" Uncle Lemuel be-
gan to look convinced as l sho wed it
to him. But ho said:
"There are no Greys in Riverville
that know Of"
We re-entered the chaise and drove
mare slowly homeward. So ended the
episode, and SO ended, upon the next
day, my stay at Riverville.
l returned to the city and plunged
into hard work, mental activity and
steady application. Before another
spring my energies were rather
drained.
l should have forgotten the episode
at Riverville, perhaps. If the girl had
not been 80 beautiful. As it was. the
face sometimes haunted me. 1t was
the kind of beauty that suited me
fair, noble, and serene in character, l
wanted some one to love, and l was
sorry that had lost Aster Grey.
One spring evening, after harass-
ing days work, left my office and
hailed h0rse-car to take me up town.
1t was raining heavily.
After l had entered the car found
that l had left my umbrella behind
me. My rooms we're beyond the ex-
treme route of the car, and some ten
minutes walk from the stopping