The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-07-22
MEETING A MERMAID


wet and cold came dab In my face. ! snt
up with jerk. and there snt mermaid !
Good graciousi
You can imagine how startled felt.
She sat ON tho sand quite close to me,
resting ON one hand. and with her tail, an
indisputable tail, with beautifully glisten-
tg silvery brown scales. coiled round In %
graceful curve. She was fasoinatingly
pretty, with sweet face. laughing now ut
my air Of bowildcrment. and with long
tresses Of brown hair blowing about her.
suppose my dropped jaw and staring
eyes must havo struck her as very comicGl,
for she laughed-such musical, soothing
laugh, strangely like tho ripple of the
waves among tho groynes higher up the
beach.
Excuse me-" she said, "but you look
50 funny"
Funny" I exclaimed Indignantly.
"What have you been up tor You've been
throwing water over me-"
IL haven't"
"Yes, you have. Look here, my face Is
ali wet now, and my hair is damp"
II didn't throw water over you. I sup
pose 1t was rather forward, but I put the
end of my tail on your face You looked
SO tempting, you know, lying. there.
really gould not resist you"
well, you shouldn't, then," I said.
"Now you've woke me up, and some Of
the water has gone down my neck
spoke grumpily. You see, was
scarcely myself yet. It was so utterly in
comprehensive that should be sitting
here with an absolute mermaid, creature
had never for moment believed In, sit-
ting almost close enough for me to touch.
had wandered of that afternoon among
the bowlders that lay piled up on the shin
ing beach at the foot of the cliffs to the
left Of the little town. It was very hot, so
hot that after skimming through tho col
umns OF the paper had brought with me
lay back and snoozed, In blissful disre-
gard OF the glaring sun and the white
rocks and the low ripple of the retreating
tide And then happened all have de-
scribed.
"Do you know you snoref" she said
suddenly.
Said /, "You must be very misohie-
vous girl-mermaid, mean"
"Oh, no, I'm nOt-not nearly 80 bad as
some. It's lucky for you my cousin wasn't
with me when oame up and found you
here"
IA gentleman-s mermans" ventured.
"Oh. mol She usually comes up here
with me Of an afternoon, but she's up at
the other end Of the bag today. Her names
0enevSeve, and mines Maud"
Where do you got your namess''
asked.
"Out of books we pick up. We got mine
and my cousin Imogen's out Of supple
ment that dropped overheard from steam.
er. Pretty name, Imogen, isn't itf'
"Not half 70 pretty az Maud"
well, ! don't know. We're glad TO get
anything to read. Is that today's paperS'
pointing to The Chronicle that lay on the
bsaoh.
"Yes."I said. would you like 1t to
readr'
"Thanks, awfully. No, not now, but
I'll take II with me, II you don't mind.
Smoke your pipe, will your"
with great pleasure Sure you don't
mindY'
"Not a bit. Besides want you to let
me light it."
So pulled out my pipe and filed it,
and Maud, with sinewy loop Of her tail,
glided up to me. She seemed highly de-
i8hICu nv ocluB dilOWcu W Bbrlk6 Ln6
match for me to get light by.
"Isn't this jollyY" she said, looking up
at me with wonderful eyes.
Rather" said, looking down into
them. "Do you often go in for this sort
of thing?'
"Well, now. I'll tell you," she replied
"You're the first man I ever spoke to-
like this, mean-but old Nep sent me
W fn In
you know. l often come here, and yester-
day 1t was so hot that 1 dropped asleep,
and when you came along l only Just had
time to get behind that rock
$50 you've seen me before, then?'
"Ob, yes, several times! I saw you
along the beach on Sunday evening""
''The deuce you did, beg your par.
don!"
"And saw you kiss that fisher girl.
Oh, yes, you did!''
"Well," said, turning very red, "I ad.
NIT 1t, but 1t was only one"
"There amt any mermen here" she re.
; "Aren't thereS I suppose it's rather
lonely"
II used to be spoons little with one at
Brighton, but we never sec one here.
That's old Nep's doings. I haven't been
kissed for ever SO long"
Really" said, edging over toward
her.
Really" she sighed, looking down.
"Er-shall I-would you-shall we
that Isl
leaned over her as she raised her face,
smilingly, mischievously, to mine, when,
just as our lips touched, with sudden
twist OF her tail she caught me a dab In
the face with her wet fin.
fell over backward, and by the time I
had got the sand and wet out of my eyes
the mermaid had disappeared.
No trace of her was left, but my news
paper was gone, and as 1 went slowly
home fancied could catch sight of her,
lying out by the big black rock that lust
showed itself above the sen. stood still and
called to her and distinctly saw her white
arms waved to mo and heard the ripping
OF her laugh and saw, too, her long brown
hair tossing on the waves. .-Exchange.
The Danger Side Of Lightning Rods.
The conventional lightning rods that