The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-02-11
ONE WOMAN'S WAY.
A HousEBoAT INCIDENT.

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A pleasanter party was surely never
gathered. General and Mrs. Hewletts
seemed to concentrate their energies IN
making young folks happy. Inc CEN
eral was. and still is, always surrouhu-
ed by bevy OF larking suoalterns, VINO
swore by him as the prince OF good lei
lows. and TO whom he was real gu'de,
philosopher and friend. getting them
out OF scrape after scrape, ana appAr-
entity liking them all the better the
more scrapes they got into; while MIS-
Hewlett deservedly holds the proud IL
tie of the most inveterate and success
ful match maker in the world.
II was then and there that first met
Archie Chandos. though l had frequent
ly heard Of him. Indeed, most people
had at that time heard Of him, for he
managed by his reckless extravaganza
to get talked about by people in gener-
al. and paragraphed by the society pa
pers in particular.
some two years before our meeting
one OF his aunts had died. leaving him
4 handsome fortune. and he had IN
some eighteen months or so run
through as much money as would have
maintained him in comfort for the rest
OF his life.
Consequently, the last financial state
Of that young line lieutenant was con-
siderably worse than the first, and
within a few months OF my first meet
ing with him a meeting OF his credi-
tors had been called. and he had been
severely admonished by some gentle
men rejoicing in the rank and style
Of official receiver.
l must confess l was agreeably sur
prised on making his acquaintance.
found him very good-looking. unas-
suming. gentlemanlike, and straight
forward boy. with frank. good-temper-
ed eyes and a winning countenance.
In the morning We ished or punted,
and in the afternoon made calls or
played lawn tennis in the neighbor-
hood. Al 5 i'clock there was always
pleasant tea on the deck OF our own or
somebody's else boat
1t was supremely pleasant to sit from
till about 10 or IL among the palms
and Chinese lanterns, watching the
moonlight kissing the placid bosom Of
the sleeping river. Il was pleasanter
still when Archie. bringing his deck
chair closer to mine, chatted confident
tally. as though We had met as many
years ago as days.
He had been left early an orphan,
and had been brought up under the
strict unbending rule OF doubtless wor-
thy but bigoted relatives, so that l
ceased 10 wonder that, as sSpn as he
gained his majority and freedom. he
plunged into the vortex OF the whirl-
pool men call life.
You see. l never had a sister" he
said, his eyes resting on my face with
! strange wistful expression. "Ithink
If my life had been blessed with the in
auenee of q girl like-like some girls
l haye met, it would have been other
than II has been"
From the after-deck drifted the aro-
ma OF cigar smoke, the sound OF
notes.-the Generals and Archie's. l
heard my name mentioned I am wo-
man listened. Under the circum-
stances 50 would a man.
a capital chance for you, my bOy.H
said the General. I'm pretty certain
she likes you. and she's as good as
gold"
"Ah, but she's wealthy said Archie.
IF l had met her before I played the
fool with my fortune, ii might have
been. Buc for a penniless outcast like
me 10 seek a girl like that. What
would the world think? What would
she think?"
There was a pause. Then he said ab-
ruptly:
Good night, General By the by.
must pack up and be off in the morn
ing. l must go up 10 the horse guards
to see about my exchanging into
West Indian regiment, or retiring and
receiving the value OF my commission"
And what shall you do after?'
Don't quite know-cattle rancho in
Texas. sheep farm in Queensland, or
perhaps Kimberley or Mashonaland."
Next morning l discovered that it
was absolutely necessary that I should
punt up 10 Whitchurch Lock. Archie
Chandos offered 70 punt me. but
would not permit him, consenting, how
ever. to take him as passenger.
81 am going away this afternoon" he
said. dreamily gazing at Whitchurch
woods up above.
Indeed said, with an assumed air
Of profound indifference Tired of
this quiet kind of life, suppose?"
He made no answer
Then suddenly it strangely occurred
10 me that We were not very far from
the houseboat, that the river was not
very deep. that could swim ac.css il
without the least difficulty in the
world, and that the water could not be
very cold. while nO.h.ng in the world
seemed much more desirable that hot
morning than good ducking.
And just then. strangely enough, my
pole slipped, and in half a moment.
with halt-scream, I went tumbling
into about four fee. Ot water.
He was almost Instantly beside me.
one arm round ne, the other striking
out for the opposite shore.
We were in really deep water now, so
naturally l. for safety, clasped his neck
with one of my arms.
Whatever would Mrs. Grundy have
said? Mrs. Gen. Hewlett, when told
her in confidence, said:
You designing little mink! I like
you now better than ever. and I'm
sure he'll make one OF the best hus-