The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-10-10
LUCK OF THE NANCY.

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take"
"Yes, and fast, too"
"That's her best point in my estima-
ton"
With a skillful turn of the wheel, that
was so little as to seem almost toy.
Joe Parson brought the trim steam
launch Nancy gracefully around the
end of the pier and up beside a floating
stage, with maneuver SO clever that
the new paint on the side of the little
craft was not scraped.
Fred Allen sprang out upon the stage,
and then, running his eye along the
lines of the boat repeated his remark:
"She's a beauty, and, as you say, fast.
Joye, she cuts the air at such rate
that she carries a cool breeze with her
on the hottest night.
Then, with cordial Good night,
Allen lightly climbed the ladder that
led to the pier, while Parsons, after a
preliminary toot of the little steam
whistle, backed slowly out into the
stream. and then kept on up the North
river at full speed.
"a beauty, indeed" he kept repeat
ing to himself, thrilling with a strange
pride at the thought of being owner,
master and crew of such a saucy little
marine creature.
For the Nancy seemed almost alive to
him. He was bookkeeper in a down
town bank, a sober, industrious, loyal
and good-hearted fellow, who preferred
the pleasures that do not appeal to the
general run of young men.
Two years before he had conceived
the idea that for at least six months in
the year it would give him great pleas
ure to spend his evenings and holidays
in just such craft as he now possessed.
The Nancy had consumed 81, 900 of
his by no means extensive savings, but
Joe was happy, and what is money COM
pared to happiness.
First the launch spurted ahead at her
best speed, then slowed down to hardly
more that half speed, all the while her
shrill whistle footed much more fre-
quently than is required by the laws of
navigation. Joe was playing with his
boat as some men do with fine horse,
as woman does with her laughing
frst-born.
In and out among the larger river
craft the Nancy gided. Several times
he all but got in the way of tugs or
ferry boats, but these experiences only
made his miniature voyage the more
exciting.
One Of these maneuvers carried him
close into the piers on the New York
side of the river
Suddenly Joe looked ahead, just in
time to see a human figure shoot from
the end Of pier and strike the water
with a splash.
At that instant the Nancy was not
more than twenty yards away.
"a suicide!" burst from Joe's. lips.
Then:
"But I'll spoil the game"
The launch sped quickly to the spot,
then hesitated and almost stood still
under the influence of sudden reversal
of the engine.
In that pause of an instant Joe leaned
over the side and found himself grasp
ing young woman.
The next moment the Nancy began
to go backward through the water, but
Joe had lifted the syIph-like form into
the boat, and now the young lady lay
between him and the engine.
Her wide-open eyes stared at him in
| q peculiar fashion.
.'Do you do this often?" he queried
not knowing what else to say. A sigh
was the only answer,
Il must scold her," thought Joe.
So be began:
Miss, don't you know that suicide is
one of the wickedest things in the
worId?"
The expression on her face changed
to one of relief.
"Y Yes," she answered.
"Then why did you jump into the
water?"
$50 you didn't see me"-she began
but stopped in sudden confusion.
Il saw you just as you struck the wa
ter" he answered.
A sigh-this time one of unmistaka
BILE relief-escaped her.
"Why did you try to" he went OF
sternly.
"Don't-don't ask me, " she pleaded
"Don't ask what?"
Don't ask me anything, please!-
shall be greatly obliged to you if yoI
will humor me"
well, you are a queer girl" he com
mented. "You reach the point wher
life has no further charms for you, ant
then Immediately begin to ask favors.
Under pretense of working at the en-
gine, he managed to turn the littl
lantern SO that it shed fuller light up
on her face.
The cheeks were pallid-naturally
Joe inwardly commented = but tn
great, tender eyes and inexpressibl
sweet face did not belong to a woma
who would deliberately end her life.
II was a face with which any man no
wholly brute would be unable to avoi
falling in love.