Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-04-15

"She is beauty, Joe, and no mis-
take"
Eyes. and fast, too"
THAT'S her best point in my estima-
ton"
With skillful turn of the wheel. that
was so little as to seem almost a toy,
Joe Parsons brought the trim steam
launch gracefully around the end of
the pier and up beside the floating
stage, with maneuver so clever that
the 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 re-
mark:
shes a beauty, and, as you say, fast.
JOve. she cuts the air at such rate
that she carries cool breeze with
her on the hottest night
Then, with a 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
/
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 saucy little
marine creature.
For the Nancy seemed almost alive
to him. He was a bookkeeper in a
downtown 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 1t would give him great pleas
ure to spend his evenings and holidays
In just such a craft as he now possess
ed.
The Nancy had consumed 81 900 of
his by no means extensive savings, but
Joe was happy. and what is money
compared to happiness
First the launch spurted ahead at
her best speed, then slowed down to
hardly more than half speed, all the
while her shrill whistle footed much
more frequently than is required by
the laws Of navigation. Joe was play
ing with his boat as some men do with
n fine horse, as a woman does with her
laughing first born.
In and out among the larger river
craft the Nancy glided. Several times
he all but got in the way of tugs and
ferryboats, but these experiences only
made his miniature voyage the more
exciting.
One of the maneuvers carried him
close to the piers on the New York
side of the river.
Suddenly Joe looked ahead just in
time to see human figure shoot from
the end of pier and strike the water
with splash.
AT that moment 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 re-
versal of the engine.
In that pause of an instant Joe lean
cd over the side and found himself
grasping a young woman.
The next moment the Nancy began
to go backward through the water but
Joe had lifted the sylph-like form into
the boat, and now the young lady lay
between him and the engine.
Her wide open eyes stared at him in a
peculiar fashion.
do you do this often?" he queried
not knowing what else to say.
A sigh was the only answer.
81 must scold her." thought Joe.
So he began:
Miss, don't you know that suicide
Is one Of the wickedest things in the
world?"
The expression on her face changed
to one of relief
YES" she answered.
"Then why did you jump into the
water?"
80 you didn't see me"-she began.
but stopped in sudden confusion.
IL saw you just as you struck the
water" he answered.
A sigh-this time one Of unmistaka-
Die reNeI-eScaped ner.
why did you try to-" he went on,
sternly.
"DOn't-don't ask me-" she pleaded.
Don't ask you what?"
"Don't ask me anything, please!
shall be greatly obliged to you, if you
will humor me-"
well, you are queer girl" he
commented. You reach the point
where life has no further charms for
you, and then Immediately begin to
ask favors."
Under pretense of working at the
engine he managed to turn the little
lantern so that it shed fuller light
upon her face.
The cheeks were pallid-naturally,
Joe inwardly commented-but the
great, tender eyes and ineXpressibly
sweet face did not belong to woman
who would deliberately end her life.
1t was a face with which any man
not wholly brute would be urable to
avoid falling in love.
''See here" came suddenly from Joe,
"you didn't really mean to jump into
the waterT'
"Oh, but you promised, sir, to ask
me no questions"
II didn't promise; 1t was you who
made the request"
Il make 1t again." she pleaded
"Surely you will humor me-"