New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1892-06-29

4 remarked Owens, as he escaped from
the retarding hand of his wife and
strolled away II,
have a favor to ask Of you,
Blanche Mr.. Romano said. My
4 housekeeper is indisposed, and [ have
i given her leave OF absence Her niece
4 will supply replace. VIII you over
see her a little"
Blanche assenJed, and looked at
him gratefully. She understood the
4 dellcacy which prompted this request
He wished her to feel that she was
needed in the house to which she had
come only as q guest
/ So the weeks went by, and still Mr.
land Mrs. Owens remained at Romano
Park. Robert was a brilliant talker,
1 and basking in the sunshine Of the
hour, made delightful companion,
/ while Blanche fitted about the house,
helped to entertain the guests, and
Tor the time was mistress OF the prem
ises.
She was a very graceful hostess, one
whom none could help admiring, pre-
siding with that natural ease which
can never be acquired; and ifshe were
not perfectly happy it was not be-
cause she felt unwelcome, for Romano
LETT nothing. undone that might con-
| tribute to the pleasure Of his guests.
but he did it all in such an uno btru-
slve way that there was no burden in
| his hospitality.
Dinner was over. The moon threw
such a brilliant light into the drawing
room that the gas had not been lit.
The air was fragrant with the breath
| OF creeping rose that wound itself
around the pillar OF the piazza
1t had been a very warm day, al
! most suffocating; but at dusk a slight
breeze arose.
"A lovely night fora row, Romano, &
said Owens, lounging against pillar
Of the veranda.
"All right. Robert, we'll 60"
blanche, called her husband,
were off for row. Bring your
guitar"
I'm a moment she answered.
- was lovely night. Onefor poets
dreams and lovers; a night when the
higher spiritual part of human nature
rises above it's earthly environments;
when our ideal eyes can almost pierce
beyond the blue to the mysteries it
wells.
The water was smooth as glass; the
moon shone likes SILVER; the boat gllded
on with very little effort from the
oarsmen. Blanche began to sing, for
no one seemed disposed to talk. From
one ballad to another she passed, the
men listening in silence. But what
was the matter with the night? They
were suddenly plunged in darkness. A
cloud had obscured the moon.
We are. goingto have roughweather.
Let us START for the Shore" said Ro-
maine
''See how fast that cloud travels
and how the waves roll!'' exclaimed
Owens in some excitement.
Romano was already giving his
strength to the oars! Blanche was
apparently as calm as though she were
safe at Romano Park. She was not
naturally a nervous woman, and the
beauty Of the night had perhaps in
.splred her soul with a little Of its sub
Unity.
Suddenly the storm burst upon
them; the waves rolled high and tossed
the boat about like an eggshell They
could not see each other faces; they
were saturated with rain and spray.
'Tm afraid we're lost" shouted
Owen, above the roar Of the tempest.
"Hold fast and we're all right"
shouted back Romano; but never a
word spoke Blanche
A blaze OF lightning showed them
that they were near the shore. The
boat began to whirl around.
Courage, Owens, courage!" cried
Romano; and while he said it they
were in the water
AS the boat capsized Blanche did
not know who clasped her close and
called out
"Don't pull me down..
A wave rolled over them and the
next moment she was on solid ground
Are you alive Blanche?" said Rom
a!ne, as he pressed his cheek to her
lips to see ii she breathed, Eyes, yes,
God be thanked Oh, my pure white
rose, could not have lived without
your
The color swept into BIanche's face
and she tried, though vainly, to free
herself from his arms.
'Robertp' she cried .'NVhere is Rob
ert. He cannot swim!''
A blaze OF lightning revealed a white
face on the bosom OF a wave near by.
lie will be drowned He is lostp,
Blanche cried, and with heart-ren-
ding cry she became again uncon-
sclous. Romano had not released
her, asshe would have fallen to the
ground.
He held the woman he loved in his
arms, and for one wild, brief moment
was happy. There, amid the raging
storm, with death behind him, and
death perhaps before, he was in bliss.
There was nothing between them
now-not even her own consciousness
nothing but that white face on The
water. A great temptation assailed
him. Owens could not swim; he might
be dead even then, or beyond all hui
man help. 1t was folly to risk his life
on such a chance. Like a flash these
thoughts came to Romano; those
few seconds seemed as many hours:
\ mr. n G - . = w 4,