Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-06-09

ready to start on the fools GRAND
1t was indeed FOOLS errand. The
river, swollen by recent rains, tumbled
fiercely over the high dam. The lilies
were rapidly nearing the brink, which
could not be approached without great
danger. But the raah boys were ON
their mettle, and evidently intended to
take the risk at any cost
Little Johnny McGlinn, n small pic.
nicker, saw them doff their coats, and
dropping.his rod exclaimed: "Come on,
folks! There's going to be a fight up
here!"
This brought all the anglers to the
point where Ada stood.
They saw the two young men ex-
change few quick words, and then
after shaking hands each leaped into
his boat, and the watchers caught
these words of Joes above the roar OF
the dam; "All right, Ed; it's bar.
gainl"
No one knew what it was all about
except Ada, who thought they were
agreeing to abide by the result of the
coming trial of courage.
"Be they going to race?" asked
Johnny.
"No, they are going to fetch those
lilies for me-" answered Ada, coolly.
mot those!" cried Ida Leyman,
pointing to where the flowers were
floating swiftly toward the dam.
YES" replied the girl.
"Oh, you bad, bad womanl' cried
Della, looking "as though she'd like to
throw her into the river" as Johnny
expressed it later on. Then Della and
Ida cried, with one accord; "Come back,
Joe! Come back, Ed You will both be
drownedl'
The young men either did not or
would not hear their cries, but kept
steadily on.
Joe had the lead by rod or two
when, giving his boat a graceful swerve,
he reached lily and started landward
again.
Ed was not so good rover, but, not
to be outdone, kept boldly on. The re-
manning lily was now a little below
him and very near the dam. He sue
ceeded in heading it off, and was about
TO make turn up stream to capture
his prize, when, horror he dropped an
oar, which went shooting over the dam.
The next instant, quicker than
thought, his boat whirled sidewise with
the current, then rushed against the
end of big log Ed managed to spring
to this Just as his boat swung round and
fell over the dam with crash.
Seeing Eds danger, Joe pulled quick
ly back to point above where the log
projected; he let his sl1iff float to with
in few feet of his rival, and cried
"Now for it, Ed! Jump! l daren't
come any closer, or we'll both go over. y
Ed stood up on his slippery bridge
and made leap into the boat, when
by dint of hard pulling, Joe soon had
them out of danger. Then they looked
hard at each other.
''By Jove, you are pluclly to hang or
to that flower all the time!" said Joe
as he saw the lily, somewhat crushed
in Eds hand.
sand what are your asked Ed, feel
ingly. "Who rislled his neck to get mt
out of my awkward fix?"
80, pshaw that was nothing" an
swered Joe, rather sheepishly. "You'C
have done the same for me-"
"Do you believe that, Joe?"
''As do the Gospel"
"Shake hands"
There were tears in the mems eyes
which did them no discredit, as they
performed the rite SO laconically sug
gested.
Presently both looked toward th
shore. Della, on her knees, seemed t.
be praying, while Ida hung about her
weeping copiously. A short distance
away stood Ada Huron, looking tri
umphantly toward the boat.
4 ed said Joe, in a tone of deep con
viction, "we've been pair of inferna
fools"
When they landed, Ada was on tn
spot to meet them, exulting in the fac
that she was the heroine of such an eX
citing episode. Herlips were parted a
though she were about to utter word