Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-29

ABOUT at once, the captain lying witt
lis eyes closed and his cigar between
his lips. The next moment the patched
and dirty sail dipped into the sea. TIL
boat turned bottom up, and its occu
pants, Of course, went with it. TIL,
old man had grasped the edge Of thu
vessel and chung to it. The captain
chung to nothing. He had put out tina
remembrance of a right arm, which
was all he brought from Seven Oaks
but it scarcely served him. By the
time he remembered that the sleeve
was actually empty he was in the
water. He could not SWIM His
heavy clothes weighed him down. The
tipsy boatman could not help him.
Its over with me-" he thought.
Then a strange. underlined thought
fitted through his mind. He could
no have analysed it. had there been
time. 1t was a somehow softened and
regretful thought about the girl OF
whom he always spoke as ''that
woman
Meanwhile that woman looked out
from the bathing nook in the arms of
the shore across the water, and cried
out with an exclamation of concern
and anxiety:
Look! it's Bogles' old boat. and one
/ of our gentlemen in it. It's your
brother, Mrs. Silverspeer How
clumsy! How stupid. What are they
/ trying to do? They'll be over!''
Old Boyle is drunk. 1 suppose How
/ l.;
verspeer. cap can't swim; he never
could. And since he has lost his arm,
of course Oh, my dear, they arc
going overv'
They're over!' cried Matte Aid
at that moment the sail dipped into
the sea.
my brother! my helpless brother!''
cried Mrs. Silverspeer. ooh, help!
help! Why am 1 not man? Help!
help! help! Cap is drowningr'
Run for help" said Matte. I'm
not quite sure how long L can hold out,
but he sha'n't drown. l can SWIM
And with wrench she tore the sleeves
from her bathing dress, flung her hat
away, and dashed into the water.
! 1t was 4 sight to look upon-those
round bare arms, white and glittering
in the sunlight; the unbound hair flung
back and lifted by the strong sea
breeze; the face growing white also
in its eagerneSS, turned toward that
spot where the drunken hoatman
clung to the boat She knew her dan
ger we'll, but she never Shrunk from
fnr hn No
that this was her enemy, but she re-
membered also that he had been Il
brave soldier-tbat he was now in a
measure helpless.
The captain had sunk twice He
was rising for the last time, when a
white arm flung itself about him.
''Be quiet" said a clear voice. Don't
clutch me, or we are dead"
Then naiad or some fairy of the
sea bore him shoreward. Half way
there a boat met them, with two gen
tlemen who had been called to the
spot by the ladies' screams. 1t met
them just in time. Mattie's strength
was gone. She could not speak to
those who bore her home. But she
had saved the captains life, and he
knew it.
At the door of that quiet room where
her life hung in the balance, he waited
many an hour. When she grew better,
he sent her flowers and messages of
interest. And when she was we'll
again, he became her shadow. That
woman was beginning to be the great
est object of interest to him in all the
world. So one autumn day found
them together in the grove, sitting
upon rustic chair; he looked in her
face, she at the messy leaves strewn
around. Suddenly she spoke:
''Do you really think it wrong for a
woman to drive, and row, and swim ?"
she asked.
His face flushed scarlet.
ct would be scarcely gracious of me
to find fault with one of those accom-
plishments," he said.
Don't talk of that she murmured.
But actually, you were so fierce about
my tomboyishness once. 1 know you
meant me all the while"
Il was an insolent brute"
She checked him by a touch of her
hand.
81 wanted to tell you how 1 came to
be an adept in such things" she said.
ct was poor Brother Ben. l was his
friend and comrade. There were but
two of us. We were very fond Of each
other, and our home was wild coun-
try place. Had 1 had sisters, l might
have been fond of other things. But
1 grew to be half a boy. He died five
years ago. Poor Ben. Dear Ben!
shall never love any one so much"
At that an arm crept around Mattie's
waist
Don't say that" he whispered. Il
II do not want to believe that it is So.
Couldn't you love me little? Matte,
couldn't you love lne a little?'
The eyes, still full Of tears, turned
upon him tenderly; the soft white hand
touched his cheek.
81 think could-the least little bit
in the world,' she answered.
| And Cap took that woman" to his
heart and kissed her And the two
went home through the bright autumn
sunlight hand in hand.-New York
! News
The lifework of Farmer Millsap's
wife was over. Like a head of wheat
! fully ripe, she was about to be gath
cred in by the grim harvester.
! Obadiah" she said in a feeble
voice as the end drew near peacefully