Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-23

, thought of IL made NE very ii for days
was not surprised that she was BON
/ with skin scaled like IA fish Her legs,
too, were joined together, and the feet,
being webbed. made her look like q
strange, uncanny sort Of fish. The doctor
! after surgical treatment assured me that
! she would be able TO walk naturally
As a mere infant she was passionateiy
| fond Cf water When the nurse gave her
| her bath, she was wild with delight and
! strUci. out with her little arms and legs Us
/ though she wanted To swim.
| Lolita was not quite a year old when
\ we went TO santa Cruz TO spend the sum
Uer. She could not walk ut the time, but
/ 10 used 70 put her in Il little bathing suit
| and let her creep on the sand.
| lone day the waves rolled Up higher on
| the shore than usual, and somehow she
got mixed up with them. There We're
7 EIthCrs al around who saw her, and at
! ioast a dozen OF them started TO the cEild 5
| rcscUc. ICu can imagine how surprised
avery one was to SEQ the babe swim rs cas-
/ jly rs tho most accomplished swimmer.
| She took TO the water rs though she be-
| iOugCd in it. After that We simply could
| not keep her out OF il.
Though IL was weeks before Lolita
could walk. vet every morning she went
| 5or = swim with her father Than she
would si5 quietly for hours and look at
| he ocean, never making q sound, but
| screaming and crying if any one attempted
| % take her away.
1t worried me dreadfuI.-, ard I came
! home. ! made up my mind would never
let the child 90 swimming After she
I learned 10 walk used % take her Along
tie beach 70 look ut the water, but never
let 20 Of Lcr hand for an instant
''One day, however, whilc walking on
e lake shore she broke away from me,
threw herself II and swan 10 the opposite
shors
E. The lake asked nc to come in, was
ali size would ever shy abort IL.
We have Il little fountain in tho yard,
and Lolita would sit tEcro for hours run
uirG her fingers through the water. she
never las tasted fish. but fer the matter of
that cannot even bear the sight Of one
myself
''Shc, went to achool when she was 6,
and 7 feared that size would suffer from
the careless remarks Of the ether children
about her skin, but through the applica-
tion Ct oil ! managed to have her skin
look almost natural.
~ never permitted her to go swimming
NJ tho baths here or in Alameda, although
I could not prayenS her from constantly
slipping away to look ut the ocean. She
would never say whether or not she went
in swimming on such occasions
This Summer VIC went to Santa Cruz.
Lolita had not been there since habyhood.
WHOM she went down to tho beach, she
burst into violent tears. She could nos
wait, she was SO impatient to put ON a
bathing SUi1 and swim. SEo would stay
IN the water almost all day long, but IL
mover scenlcd' to disagree with her. Poo
pie began to talk about her wonderful
swimming and then about-well, about
other things. - we cImo ECme.
But Lolita was SO unhappy hero that l
sent her Gown to santa Barbara. From
there her father took her - Coronado, and
then they came home.
We have to let her SO swimming every |
day now. She goes III tho morning be !
fore school. I forbade her going at first, |
bUU she grew 50 strangely silent and went !
around so IitgaUgly has 7 had to let her |
go she syvan in the surf at Alameda |
this morning and Is out in tho yard now |
drying her hair. III call her in. Lolita |
Lolita
Lolita cane quickly, throwing back her /
golden hair and showing an oval face /
with delicate features and beautiful sea |
green eyes. Shc j not as tail Is ;hc aver /
ACC child Of l /, and she has an CGd, pitC0uS /
expression.
Did you enjoy your swi;a?" I asked.
YES, hut I had to como home, and |
whom the waves c.,l you all the time it is
CO lard to get away from them. -
''NCu love the se2?' / said.
ooh. yes. and the sea is NY friend. 1t
woalG never harm Iuc. Even when 7 was
"a baby it let ne ride on it.. she moved
over to the window, and the rays of light |
falling on hcr face showed the peculiar
scaled skin. In the shadow it was scarce
l. noticeable
People say I am like a fish," she con
ti1uCd in q voice as young ana fresh an
ocean breeze.
At first 1 felt dreadful about it, hut
now do not care. I can swim better
rsan any Of them. And, Oh, if yen hut
I.uew the things she sea says 20 me when
I am swiIrmiE--all about coral reefs
AID lrCrmuids and beautiful fish, ! know
there is something In the Sc. that plays on
some sweet Instrument. tCcGUSC when I
swim with tho side stroke I hear the most
lc4yCnly music. No one else can hear
IL. ~ ---t tlI--.s % I do not CT. ,,