The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1901-06-21
FARMyILLE VA. FRIDAY JUNE q. 1901.

third Of the way across. I drove
them around bit ON the quicksand-
had TO keep them moving. you know
until they got their second wind. then
started for the second pole. / mean
stretch, of deep water. They plunged
in and were getting along swimming
ly-no pun intended, / assure YOU
when suddenly l was startled by a
woman's scream.
Looking up the river I saw boat
coming towards newell. somehow
bent for elcction-you know the say
ing-and swirlng around In the rapid
current until it made me think had a
regular New Years jag. Then ! no.
uced there were no oars and looking
around j saw them floating calmly
down stream ON another swell OF the
current. Finally it struck me that !
hadn't looked for the woman. but
there She was hanging ON the sides Of
the boat for everything she was
worth and just then she gave another
yell. This time it was because she
saw, as ! did then. that the boat was
being whirled right towards one of
the protruding pilings of the busted
bridge. and it would not be two sec
onds before it would strike.
Honor bright now. / never thought
for a minute of the danger that might
come TO me from being alone on the
wide sea of the Platte with a woman.
and young one at that. or Of compli-
cations which might arise in case
some one should hear of it. But ! Just
grabbed the lines, as though they
were reeling off from a life-gun and
jerked the heads of the bronchos up
stream and towards another quick
sand bar that CLEANED above the wa
ter. But before I got anywhere near
her the crash came and the beat
keeled over, throwing the miss into
the water. She went down with
splash, and / stripped off my coat.
kicked off my shoes and into the VA.
ter | jumped.
81 tell you it was hard picking push
ing my way mp against that current.
but | did il somehow and grabbed her
arm as she came up and flying down
at me.
THAT girl had common sense. Never
struggled a bit. but as soon as she
realized she had assistance. Just put
her arm around my neck and rested
her weight on my back so ! could
swim free without any hampering.
though | did get mixed with her
skirts once or twice.
"The current swept us towards the
quicksand bar. and by a final hig ef-
fort I pushed i'm far enough 10 get /
my feet on the sands. Then 7 got /
them off again because it was quick /
sand. But she had recovered her .
breath by that time. and its first /
normal emission brought with II in +.
the sweetest voice ] ever heard: 'Oh. I
sir I thank you, thank you, thank /.
you.' and I actually felt her arm /
tighten around my neck as she
stepped along at the 'double-quick'
time ! was using TO keep my feet out
of the sand. and we hustled along TO
where the ponies were turning around
and around. as though their horse
sense told them they had 10 keep
moving or 60 under.
81 helped her into the buggy and
then climbed in myself and started mp
the bronchos TO make the third and
last swim for the north shore. Now
this was not such bad lift as we had
before. but some way or other ] man
aged to make it seem worse. for when
] got her into the buggy / saw She
was as pretty little country girl as
ever eyes looked upon. Her cheeks
which had been slightly pale from
the fright she received, had become
rosy and soft as the bloom Of q peach
md tell you, I achcd for a taste Of
their sweetness. She had eyes Of
deeper blue than Italian skies ever
produced. and they laughed until the
sun hid itself i'm shame for its com
oarative lack Of brightness. Brown
hair, now wet with the Plates tears.
,urled all about her temples and hung
n clusters at the back of her neck.
Her form was as round and plump as
,ver a Venus possessed. and I just
couldn't help it. I wilted. My arm
tole around her waist and the squeeze
gave her, under pretense that the
iuggy was about to overturn. made
Ter gasp, but she seemed to like IT,
anyway, she did not resist, and then
when. by a judicious tugging at the
ines I gave the buggy another chance
o twist, why, it was just accident
,ut I got a taste Of her lips. ! felt
myself going. going. going the cookies
b my heart were tingling So"
"Well?" I asked. as he stopped.
"ButI was married and so was she. !
And that was the end Of the romance" !
A burst of laughter followed the
oncluding refrain and we noticed
hat quite a crowd had gathered about
IS during the narrative. so we, per-
orce, Joined in the mirth.
Not Clipped. Z
4 naturalist says the squirrel tribe
al 1. IaT q