Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-05-04
SHE WAS PRETTY.

what 1 should do when / did see her,
and in fact was entirely nonplused by
the whole situation.
I determined to retire to my ham
mock and think over matters in gen.
eral AS I lay there, swinging lightly
over the water, and with the distant
sound of the weir lulling my senses
pleasantly, it is not to be wondered at
that fell into dreamy reverie.
Old half forgotten recollections came
thronging upon me; OF little t1axen
haired Kitty, whom used to torment
and laughingly ask to be my little
wife, nearly dozen years ago, when
she was little chit Of 10; of her father,
my old friend John Dobson, who used
to say in his sober business way, "And
so she shall be, Mildenhall, if I can help
you, and you care to have her when she
is grown up;" of that quantity touching
clause in poor Dobson's will by which
he had done all that lay in his power to
help me.
And I, engrossed in turning over
money in the city, had clean forgotten
all about her!
I was aroused by the sound of voices
and looked round. There, in the very
identical place where Mr.. Bob Tyncker
had done his extremely futile fishing in
the morning, he and Kitty were sitting
and talking.
'sAnd so the old fellow-and queer
old fellow he is, too," Mr.. Bob was say
ing, twill be round at the house this
very afternoon to see about claiming
your hand.
'Oh, Bob!" said Kitty, trembling.
81 say, Kitty" said Bob mischiev-
ously, "suppose he really wants to stick
to his old idea Of making you his little
wife, eh? What shall you do them"
''Oh, Bob, DON'T" said poor Kitty.
"He has been such a bugbear to me late
ly that-that' &C that there is dan
ger of young lady shedding tears at
the very mention of his name,'
thought to myself grimly, for Kitty did
not seem to be able to complete the SEN
tence HERSELF.
Never mind, Kitty" said poor Bob,
hugging her tenderly. II am brute to
have suggested such an idea. If he
doesn It refuse to have you, why, you will
just have to refuse him, you know, and
that will bring the whole matter to the
usual way of doing things, from young
lady point of view, you see.''
$50 it WILL" said Kitty, frightening
up once more; 'but, Bob, then the $780,
900 will have to go to the Methodist
chapel, and that is just the very thing
al tow ! ~
savage
as''Let him be- said Bob stoutly. SIT
won't hurt us after today; you will be
free then, you see, and marry whoever
you like. And we have plenty to set up
housekeeping on between us, without
the beastly money-let him be angry if
he likes
''And so he is, sir, shouted Mr.. Dob
son suddenly, poking his head over the
top of the bank. $50 he is! 1t would
make saint savage to be set at defiance
in this way. begin to think''--
"Stop!". called out, rising hastily
in my hammock.
Splish! Somebody had fallen into the
water.
Me, by Jove, and so I began striking
out Justify on all sides, with hands,
feet, fingers, elbows-I cannot exactly
call myself aswimmer-and getting my
my head, am afraid, till I was sud
denly grasped by the collar firmly.
"Keep COOL" said my young friend
Bob Tyncker authoritatively-f he
it was-nimbly swimming on his back
with two legs and one arm, and draw
ing me after him with the other. keep
cool; I've got you all right!''
"Cool it is!'' thought to myself, my
spirits reyiving as I felt myself towed
along-right across the river! For Bob,
it seems, like retriever-he certainly
swan as well as one-would not con-
descend to lay me anywhere but at the
very feet of his mistress.
''There at last! hurra''--
An overwhelming rush Of water
across my face cut short my self con-
graduation; was fairly under, in fact
And the remarkably unpleasant
thought flashed upon me that was
driving down under the dipping bush.
But a spasmodic jerk from Tyncker
brought me to the top once more, and
as I gasped for breath heard his voice:
"Shift for yourself catch hold of the
bush-I'm going!"
I caught the branches as high up as
possible and got glance behind me.
Tyncker was not only going-he was
gone, diving down under the bush, hav-
ing sacrificed himself to keep me from
a like fate.
saw his face disappearing beneath
the water; heard the despa1ring cry OF
Kitty from the bank, and letting go my
own hold with one hand thrust down
and caught the poor fellows collar and
turned a remarkably wild eye to the on
lockers.
The old gentleman was helplessly
shouting and running to and fro, but I
saw his niece rapidly unknotting from
her waist that heavy scarf of gold which
she had worn all day. Then, like
flash of fire in the sunlight, one end
Ieaped out at me. Well thrown! The
embroidered fringe fell across the
branches and over my wrist. Quick as
thought had quilted my useless clutch
on the yielding twigs, and with 3 con-
vulsive leap in the water had got Gou-
hle turn Of the scarf about my wrist.
OF course ! went under, but with a
mind fully made up upon two points
that nothing but death should tear me
from my hold upon that scarf of
course not!-and that if ever I was to be
nulled out alive Tyncker should come
too.
I don't know how long I held my
breath-an age, I fancy, and then q
rush of fire swept across my vision. I
was gone-it struck me forclbly-a
burning. ezhilarating sensation in my
throat. and the sound of a voice speak
ing, as it seemed, many miles away:
The voice drew close to me at
bound, and opening my eyes l saw
some one stopping over me, brandy hask
in hand and an expression of horror on
his face. That expression instantly van
lshed as he caught my gaze. :.
'This one is all right, Kitty; ne Is
coming round fast. Here, take the hask
and give Tyncker some more brandy!
Cheer up; he will be all right in a min