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

"See here, came suddenly from Joe,
"you didn't really mean to jump into
the water?"
"Oh, but you promised, sir, to ask me
no questions!"
81 didn't promise; it was you who
made the request"
"Imake it again, she pleaded. "Sure-
ly you will humor me.
'And do anything else that you ask, )"
cried Joe, suddenly, overwhelmed and
conquered by that most wonderful little
face he had ever seen. "What shall [
do, first of alp"
Talk about something cheerful, :" she
urged, with shiver.
well, in the first place. you're GER
tainly wet, and you must be cold"
"Oh, no; the night is too warm for
that !"
won't you take a little taste of this
brandy" he suggested, producing his
flask. ut may save you from catching
a severe cold"
She took the flask, but only the merest
drop passed her lips.
Then Joe, in obedience to her whim,
branched out into dissertations on the
most general topics. He felt that he
was talking like an idiot, but he evil
IDENTIFY pleased her, for soon she joined
in his talk, and displayed not only un-
common intelligence, but vivacity
that was hardly to be expected.
All this time they had been speeding
up the North river. Joe suddenly
awakened from his delicious absorption
to find that they were opposite Harlem.
"Where shall l land you?" he asked.
"Anywhere; / must be getting home"
"And may escort you there?
"Oh, no! not for worIds!"
Her look was both pleading and
frightened.
AT least, may call tomorrow, to
make sure that you have not suffered
from your exposure?"
please don't think of doing that,
either. And don't try to find out any
thing about me. Above all, please
don't follow me-
Il am gentleman. said Joe, with
simplicity that must have touched her.
The boat had landed by this time. She
stood up, shock out her garments
which We're almost dry by this time
and held out her hand.
"Good-bye, she said, "and thank you
you. We shall probably never meet
again, but l shall always look back up
on you as one OF my friends. Thank
you again, most earnestly, and good
bye"
Joe held her hand a few seconds
longer than he needed to, and tipped
his Lat almost reverently as she glided
away.
| aNI Il. cbo ,o,,+o,,,l,- J;J,,'+ ,,,ooo 70
commit suicide, F" he soliloquized, gazing
intently at her rapidly-disappearing g
form. "Confound it. If l meet that
girl again, I shall certainly fall in love
with her. What is all the mystery back
of this affair, wonder?"
The Nancy backed water again, then
steamed down the river. Twenty min
utes atef~the launch was at her berth,
and fifteen minutes after that the fire
was drawn and all made snug about her.
Then Joe wended his way home, his
pretty craft forgotten in the maze of
thoughts with which the adventure of
that evening had filed his head.
And when, in his bed, Joe Parsons
tried in vain to WOO sleep, these words
kept running through his brain:
IF, meet shat girl again shall GER
tainly fall in love with her"
But month after month went by, and
Joe did not once behold the woman that
the river had yielded up to him. only to
! let the town swallow her up half an
hour later.
1t was only few weeks ago that Joe
had been taken from the books of the
bank and established in a small cozy
Office to attend to the correspondence
of the institution.
A typewriter was necessary, so he ad-
vertised for one. There were host OF
applicants, but many of them had not
the necessary knowledge for his kind OF
work, SO they were rejected.
When the door opened to admit still
another applicant, and Joe looked up,
he almost shouted in his glee, for the
newcomer was the young woman of the
river episode.
The recognition was mutual, but
each strove to ignore the fact and Joe
plunged at once into an examination OF
her qualifications.
She gave her name as Nora DurweH
and responded to all his questions sc
satisfactorily that he engaged her or
the spot.
4 am sorry the salary is not larger,
he said, apologetically, "but the bank
regulates that and [ have no control il
the matter"
Only a few days ago an observer
might have seen Nora gazing with truly
feminine delight at pretty solitaire
ring on her finger. Joe's hand was
resting affectiopately on her shoulder
Tell me-" he said. suddenly, and
with something of an air of proprietor
ship, show you happened to be in the
river that night?"
81 was pushed in," she replied, turn
ing pale at the recollection.
"By whom?"
"My husband"
"Your husband!"
"Yes; he was q fearful brute Tha
night he inyeigled me out on the pier
with the deliberate intention OF murder
ing me. But l am trying to forget al
that. Please never speak of it again.
Little girl" said joe with husk.
7 tenderness, ''if you are willing to mar
~ me after such an experience in matri
mony, what great faith you mus
have in me?"
a "I have, she replied, simply
! The Nancy has new skipper now
y the most delightful skipper imaginable
N Y JOUT32UL.