The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-05-08

among the small boys, VINO Vallantly
dangled their legs over the edge,
bracing themselves tight to the chests
and boxes behind them.
Hold on to me, Mary King" they
shrieked, peeping through the holes
in the planks at the girl swimming
below, but Mary King must have per-
ished had these little brown legs
been her only means of salvation:
she could not reach them by yards.
But, as it happened, she was not at
all in despair. She had got Teddy
as he rose the second time, and was
holding him we'll above water. She
had turned over on her back, and
was swimming with her legs, propel-
ling herself at great rate toward
shore. This was an accomplishment
her father had taught her, and of
which she was not little proud. In
a moment or two she would be in
shallow water.
But Teddy Tomkins was, as usual
an "awful bad boy" tearing hard at
the hands that clutched him, holding
him 80 carefully above water, scratch
ing his deliverer with all his might
But Mary King held on valiantly,
until she had carried him, dripping
and screaming, up the bank to his
mother.
The men were off fishing or lum-
bering; but all the village mothers
had rushed to the spot, arriving in
time to see Little King Cole, her long
curls perfect rivulets, her rosy cheeks
redder than ever, and her white
gown clinging about her as she
waded ashore with Teddy.
"That child will be drowned some
day" said she, giving him shake
as she set him down. "He's too small
to take care of himself, like the 9th
ers. l guess you'd better spank him
we'll to make him remember it," she
added with much dignity. Then, as
certain recollection came back to
her mind, she darted away, passed
Cousin Lou like young whirlwind,
reached the house, and battered up
the stairs, leaving wet trail behind
her. Then she tied her wet hair up
in towel, changed her gown, and
was in bed again in trice.
"Only half an hour more" said
Mary King, as the clock struck
eleven.
Cousin Lou came painting upstairs,
half crying with agitation.
"Oh, Mary KING Dear Little
King Cole!" she cried. and sat down,
really in tears now. "Why don't you
get up, child.
ooh, I'm. on honor!" said Mary
King. "But it's only twenty five
minutes more now"
Cousin Lou took herself and her
tears downstairs; for there was
regular invasion of village mothers,
calling out for Mary King.
"Where's Mary King? I amt be-
gun to thank the child" cried the
mother of the redoubtable Teddy.
And where is Mary King?" cried
all the eager women.
Cousin Lou did not explain. She
took it out in weeping, which was ac-
cepted as tribute to the projections
of the lawful bad boy" by her visit
ors.
Mary King waited for the stroke of
the clock, and bounded up like a
rubber ball. Before long she was
out in the meadow, hunting the new
nest that the hens had been adver-
Using SO insistently.
When Cousin Lou, still hysterical,
for her weak nerves had received
severe shock,-called Mary King to
dinner, she found her busy with the
sweet-peas, her apron OVERLOOKING
with blossoms.
Meanwhile it seemed as though
the very winds were carrying the
story forest-wards of Mary Kings
courage and presence of mind. 1t
was shouted into the ears of the cir
Gus parties, as they returned, in
bewildering mazes of "he's" and
'she's."
"All l can make out is that the
children are neither of them the
worse for the accident" said Mr.
Cole. But how Mary King, whom
left in bed, got mixed up with the
children on the wharf is the point l
do not understand"
After his usual direct fashion, Mr..
Cole called for his little daughter
to explain matters, directly he ar
rived home. The child's recital was
simple enough; and she added apol-
ogetically, Il wasn't away long,
father; and went right back to bed
as soon as | got nv wet gown off, and