El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-07

BREAKING THE ICE.


both in love with Alice Ware, but she had
SO successfully used those methods in
which all accomplished young women are
we'll versed that neither of them had any
assurance of being a favored sutton With
most admirable adroitness she would di
vide her attentions between the two and
then on convenient occasions would slight
them both with equal sincerity.
One afternoon in midwinter as she sat
playing and singing dreamily to herself
she was interrupted by her cousin Edith,
who came to discuss the skating party
planned for the approaching evening.
'We must start early, SO that we can
make the most of it, she said enthusi
astically. They're going to build fire
on the bank of the pond, where we can
warm ourselves and have our refresh
ments, and 1 believe twill be the gayest
time we've had this season.
81 don't think I care much about it.
said Alice, lingering her piano absently Us
she spoke.
Regardless of her Indifferent manner
Edith continued her lively conversation
Didn't Frank Spencer look fine at the
last dance if he'd just stepped out of
fashion plate?''
81 hate to see man look that way
said Alice coldly. GO IT'S bad sign
"Nonsensel IT'S only signal that he's
fastidious, that's ALL" replied Edith.
Harold ought to suit you better, then.
His necktie is hardly ever exactly
straight"
He is careless about his clothes, and
that's another bad fault
Goodness! If 1 wasn't acquainted
with you, Alice, I should think some
thing dreadful was going to happen, but
1 know you'll be yourself again when you
get on your skates with devoted attend
ant on each side.''
The full moon shone in cloudless sky
when the party reached the pond, and,
soon equipped for their sport, they went
skimming away over the sparkling surface
like flock of swift winged birds, while
the brushwood fire burning on the bank
shed warmth and brightness around the
merry scene.
Exercise sharpened all appetites, and
the lunch baskets were emptied at an early
hour, after which their spirits seemed to
rise to higher levels. Alice especially dis
played more than her usual willfulness as
she performed her capricious evolutions,
closely followed by her unwearied satel
lites.
At length she was describing wide
circle near the edge of the pond she ap-
preached point where the prying beams
of the afternoons sun had discovered a
weak spot, and now the warm breath of
unsafe. But, unaware of this, she swept
fearlessly onward, when suddenly the ice
gave way at her feet, and she sank into
the water beneath. Though the depth
was not great, the shock was sufficient to
excite her utmost terror, and, struggling
kelplessly, she shrieked aloud, ''Oh, Har-
old, save me!''
Both young men arrived at nearly the
same moment, but Harold had heard his
name called, and with headlong speed he
rushed to her aid. Plunging into the
broken ice, he held her fast while he strove
to secure foothold on the muddy bot
tom. He was not long in doing so, and
then succeeded in getting to the shore I'M
assisted with Alice clinging frantically to
him.
'Oh, Harold" she murmured between
her shivering sobs, ''I'm so glad you got
| here! 1 didn't want Frank to get me out.
''Let me get off your skates, quick,
Alice, and then we must hurry home, f0G
| you'll get deadly. cold
Frank met them on the bank, saying
! anXiously, do let me help about some
| thing -
| "Take care of our skates, will you?"
| said Harold We've got to race for life,
and catching Alice by the hand they ran
like two children across the meadow t.
the road, where they disappeared from tho
| sight of their companions, who irD.o
diately disbanded and FASTENED ava
from the scene of the catastrophe.
Frank Spencer mechanically gatherc'
| up the skates that had been left in hi.
care and walked in silence amid the TAX
| ative groups, feeling that something wat
! ended forever.
Alice, comforted by dry clothes ard {;
| warm bed, soon recovered from her rhs'
| and fright, and Harold, blessing his GCr,c
fortune that at the mere cost of n cob
bath he had won her approval, slept wit.
rainbow visions lowering around his III.
| low.
The next morning, as soon as practice
BE, he called on Alice, to find her ca!I:
and reticent-not at all the clinginP, i'm
pulsive being he had so lately rescued; bat
resolved not to be baf1led, he Vcntured t.
say, Il never dared to think before thai
you could really care for me, but las
night, when you said"-
''You were my choice then," she has
tened to reply, with look and emphasis
that struck the gallant youth like blow
In the face. and. unable to command hi