Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-08-01

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 was startled by a
woman's scream.
Looking up the river l saw a boat
coming towards Newell, somehow
bent for election-you know the say
ing-and swirling around in the rapid
current until il made me think had a
regular New Years jag. Then / mo-
ticed there were no oars and looking
around l 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 il 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 1t would not be two sec
onds before il would strike.
Honor bright now, / never thought
for 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 bronch1s up
stream and towards another quick
sand bar that CLEANED above the wa
ter But before | got anywhere near
her the crash came and the brat
keeled over, throwing the miss into
the water. She went down with
splash, and I stripped off my coat.
kicked off my shoes and into the wa
ter | jumped.
Il ten you it was hard picking push
ing my way up 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 l could
swim free without any hampering, |
though I did get mixed with her
skirts once or twice.
"The current swept us towards the |
quicksand bar, and by a final big ef-
fort | pushed in far enough 10 get |
my feet on the sands. Then | got |
them off again because il was quick
sand But she had recovered her |
breath by that time, and its first |
normal emission brought with it in
the sweetest voice ever heard: oh.
sir, I thank you, thank you, thank /
gou,' and ! 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 10
where the ponies were turning around
and around, as though their horse
sense told them they had to keep
moving or go under.
81 helped her into the buggy and
hen climbed in myself and started up
the bronchos to make the third and
asst swim for the north shore. Now
his was not such a bad lift as we had
before, but some way or other | man
lged to make il seem worse. for when
got her into the buggy | saw she
vas as pretty a little country girl as
,ver eyes looked upon. Her cheeks,
which had been slightly pale from
he fright she received, had become
'osy and soft as the bloom Of peach.
md ! tell you, ! ached for a taste Of
heir sweetness. She had ewes of a
leeper blue than italian skies ever
Produced, and they laughed until the
un hid itself in shame for its com
,arative lack of brightness. Brown
lair. now wet with the Plates tears. |
urled all about her temples and hung
n clusters at the back of her neck.
Ter form was as round and plump as
yer a Venus possessed, and / Just
couldn't help II. | wilted Ny arm
tole around her waist and the squeeze
gave her, under pretense that the
buggy was about to overturn. made
Ter gasp, but she seemed to like it.
anyway, she did not resist, and then
when, by a judicious Juggling at the
ines I gave the buggy another chance
o twist, why, it was just accident
'ut I got a taste of her lips l felt
myself going. going, going, the cookies
"a my heart were tingling So"
"Well?' / asked, as he stopped.
But I was married and so was She
And tina; was the end Of the romance"
4 burst of laughter followed the
concluding refrain and we noticed ;
hat quite a crowd had gathered about
is during the narrative, so we, per- !
orce, joined in the mirth.
|