Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-02-05

uaoss sure he doesn't thiRk 81 Eas, kEt
ssa't help thAnxsDg Of hl1 n0u and
then, for since the very IRA tlne saw
hIsn be has impressed me as beng such
q maciy felle~. That was the Grss
thing | admired about tina. Fkea l
was impressed By Tie tact that ne Is 50
well educated
"He is So refined in everything he
says ana does. aai has slseh polished
manners; sad 50 many nsa. dear. would
envy him his height. his broad shoai-
ders and his fne physique generally.
OF course | admire il. AID yoa kao~
he is entertainl1gi sand. dearest" she
continued. after little hesitation,
You must admit tina. ne Is fne look
Ing. When l was coming upstairs To-
nigs., he came out in the hall mo-
ment "a saw something, aud once. when
was we.. Al nay way up, he raised
his eyes. resteA his head back o. his
hand, and looked 70 At ne. snd-weD.
/ know it's silly, dearest bat he was
the handsomest creature ! ever saw.
Then be sang 10 me this afternoon cut
on the lawn-snd such voiesl Now
you know, dear, that FRA not senti-
mental aud ell that sort of thing. but
yet an girl. aad can't help admir-
ing and liking this cousin of your"
/ '.Are you very sure. dcarest?" Dcro-
thy asked, putting her arm around her
friend
IL know ! do. How could help 1t
when admire him so much as man.
and think him SO refined and entertain
ing? Yes, dear" she added, in falter
ing voice, al like him very much"
On the following evening came the
dance On the river. that had been
looked forward to and discussed during
the past week. Two long floats, with
fcors laid purposely for dancing. were
made fast TO the sides of o launch N
the intervening space was placed q
small float. which answered Is the
music stand. supper-roon, All as
passageway from one OF the large floats
to the other. The ratings were hung
with Japanese lanterns, which afforded
ample light to dance by. but the mu-
sicians had number Of large lamps set
in metal brackets. When all the guests
were on board, the launch steamed out
into the Middle of the river, which a.
this place was about a mile wide.
While tho first waltz was being laTed
darkness set IL, the stars grew thicker,
and the full moon, high up in cloud
less sky, made the surface OF the water
resemble sheet of polished silver. SO
tteady and even was the motion of the
floats rs they moved slowly up stream
that only those who were leaning on
| the Rulings and were looking down at
the reflection of the coiorcd lanterns
could detect it. Stamford thought the
whole affair SO picturesque that during
one of the dances he stood alone at tho
end of one Of the floats, and watched
al that was going on before him
why aren't you dancing?" sonc one
| asked, while passing him.
| lie turned and saw Miss Colyol
promenadipg with her partner.
Il shall dance il q moment" lie re-
| piled, end then admired her grace and
neanty as she went slowly by. he saw
| her ssprt of TO waltz again, and he
| watched her until she mingled with the
| others and became lost TO his view.
! MANY couples were dancing, some we're
! rromonading, and few were leaning
lightly against the ratings. and all
seemed to be fell of pleasure, iairsh.
Ind happiness. Stamford was scr joy
! ing. being silent spectator Of it all.
Suddenly he and al on board wero
/ startled by crash. The next nloIpect
sheet of flames arose fgoTa the barge,
where the musicians were. Orn of the
| large lamps had fellen. broken, anj
now the fame had caught the oil
| spilled over the floor. The musicians
fed to the large barges but IN Doing
so one OF them struck one of the other
lamps and knocked 1t down, a.sd now
! its contents were added to all that wa:
burning. Many of the young men did
whit they could TO try to beat ont tbs
! flames, but all their efforts were In
vain. for the fame. rose higher and
higher. and were blown angrily by the
breeze on the river. A number OF the
girls tainted when they first saw the
flames, others s~coned after the sec
ond lamp had fallen, and they lay like
corpses. terrifying those who stumbled
over them as they hurried to the fai
| tnOS VI VIC iDdbc> ~ AAA'
the river. No boats had been brought
along. for no one had dreamed OF there
being any danger. The shores were
half mile away. and the river was
some fifteen feet dcep. The situation
began to look dangerous.
Stamford alone had kept his post.
and with perfect GOODNESS watched ev
erything that was going on. Presently
some one caught his hand. placed &
trembling hand upon his shoulder, and
looked up through her tears into his
face.
Wont you let me die with yor?"
"You mustn't be frightened" he said
looking down at her for moment
Eve are not going to die"
Then he Strengthened up and raiset
his voice: Cut away the ropes and re
verse the engine"
The voice brought all the ncn e
their senses. and everything becsrn,
quiet; then, when the ropes - the small
foat were cut. The engineer reversed
his engine. The launch. with tho tive
large floats. drew back increasing a
every moment the space betweenit ane
the small float which was 5000 drifting
by itself on the river.
"You would better land rs as quickly
IS possible Stamford said to tae cap
tain, for many on board are still dan
geroasly nervous
A large crowd was collected on ~
shore By the tiTas the party laadeCi
bat this dispersed shortly after In
pleasure-seekcrs had gone % theii
homes Miss Colyon went ~ once Z