Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-07-13
Why He MQHiGd Her.


height, had feet that Eequired broad sew
ems to shod them, moved the atmosphere
like a hurricane as she swept out of the
drawing room of the old country house
and had a voice that could not whisper
words of love-it was a loud, powerful
voice, like an auctioneer's.
"Shes a fine woman, isn't shep re-
marked her husband.
"Where did you meet herW l asked.
ooh, in the most ordinary way" he
said. 81 was paired to play with her in
a golf match on the Peak links. She was
quite a stranger-visitor at Buxton. All
| knew about her was that her people
were from Manchester; her father was in
calico prints. She strobe and drove like
an amazon. She alternately terrified and
amused me. The caddies, when we stood
at the tee, could not keep their impu-
dent faces straight at our disproportion.
Martha-or, as l addressed her at the
time, Miss Sprigg-has a sense of tho
grotesque, too, and as l struggled over
the rough ground and fooled the drive
at the third hole she gave a sonorous
chuckle indicative of suppressed amuse-
ment, and hated her."
"Whatw l calculated in surprise.
81 detested her." he continued. Her
skill with the driver, her towering form,
deep voice and superiority of manner
made me feel so mean and small. Little
did l think that l was destined to wor-
ship her"
ut must have been a sharp CONVEX
sion," I hazarded.
at was" he replied, "a sharp and
dramatic conversion. The ground, as
you know, is strangely riven in the Peak.
Near the far hole the golf course was
broken by a stream. A bridge had been
flung across the brook for the use Of the
players, but unfortunately my cleek
stroke did not clear it. The ball fell
short and rolled into the water. 1t was
picturesque river, flowing through the
limestone formation, and it was made up
of such swift erratic currents that to re-
cover the ball needed sharp work of eye
and hand. I was savage and reckless.
and In rashly endeavoring to net the ball
overbalanced and plunged with a sharp
cry into the current.
"''E's tumbled IT mine rum shouted
the caddie in dismay and whirled his
arms about like a maniac.
Meanwhile, struggle as l might, the
brook, which. appeared insignificant
when viewed from the bank, carried mo
rapidly away from help. The limestone
banks grew higher, l saw the golfers
gesticulating above me, but they were
unable to give me succor. The water
was Icy, and l no longer wondered how
1t was possible to petrify. l was becom-
ing petrifed myself, except in mind. My
brain was In a tumult of fear, for now
the stream, bearing me on Its dark bos-
ON, had entered a strange subterranean
gulf, the walls of which were here black
as Erebus, there dazzling with spar or
cleaning with lead vein. The air was
clammy and yet sitting. A fetid mist
lowered on the breast of the un foreground
stream, and beyond in the recesses of the
cave were the surge and roar of water rs
II it was descending into some abyss"
you're romancing a bit, aren't your"
asked incredulously.
"No," he gravely asserted, shuddering
at the remembrance of his peril. "The
caves there yet; so Is the insidious brook,
In the interior of the cavern the stream
grew in volume and power, and it whirled
me onward in its arctic grasp TO what
seemed speedy death. The darkness was
for few moments chaotic. Then l no.
ticed to the left a shaft of light and n
gray crag standing, like the King rock at
Flambro, out Of the foam and spray the
rushing torrent made"
"You caught hold of the stone pinnacle
and were rescued" l blurted out, rudely
anticipating the climax.
ooh, no." he said; "benumbed with
cold, failed to grasp it, and then
swooned."
''My stars, this is getting excitingw
burst out. However did you escape%
81 could not escape-Martha saved
me-" he said gently.
'Neverw l retorted, In amazement.
"Oh yes, she did-and that's why
married her." he continued, after a few
tantalizing puffs as lesson in patience.
"But how ever did she manage ito
escue you, not to marry your"
"Oh, with comparative ease, and yet
With splendid daring. She knew the
country and the curve of the stream
When she heard the caddie's cry, she
crossed the links swiftly, seized coil OF
rope at the lead miners hut and climbed
down the chasm till she reached the sur.
face of the brook. At this point the
stream had emerged from the cave and
was flowing through the Devils ravine
a grewsome place, associated with many
dark deed and strange tradition. Here
gaining a perilous hand grasp and foot,
hold, she crept, face downward, ON the
narrow ledge that jutted from the lime.
stone crag and waited In suspense. She
had not long to wait. A powerless, help.
less thing, was swept toward her on the
torrents breast, and she dragged me
with magnificent strength, upon the
ledge. Then, amid the fierce swish OF
water and the toss of spray, she placed
the rope around me, tied it securely tC
the sinking rope the mine masters ganG
had thrown down, and l was drawn tC
the brink Of the cliff, Martha following
step by step at every pull, to steady my
unconscious FORM"
what a splendid womanp I exclaim
ed, with genuine admiration.
EYES," he said. at was not difficult tC
love her after that; but there's one queer
thing about her."
'What is itT asked, mystified
though l noticed a humorous puckel
about the corner OF his mouth.
when / asked her to marry me, she
laughed and said she would, but only or
one condition"
"Well," l said impatiently, "what wat
the conditiOnP'
"That we should be married In Q
chapel She had already read the Church
OF England service for the solemnizatioI
Of matrimony and was prepared to love
and cherish me, but said she could moi
obey a man"-Exchange.