Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-09-04

ASA W POSCpOuc 1uIGAeT compact
with the Giant Despair at least
until she had made effort . lit
tie longer. And all went we'll until
the afternoon when he was powerless
to fight the recurring battle with her
because of the determined compan-
ionship and questioning of the ascetic
maiden lady who wanted his views
upon the Athanasian creed question
and also to talk about the yellow
haired woman. The little minister,
whose gentlemanly instinct never al
lowed him to discuss one woman with
another, found anxiety dispossessing
his patient and polite boredom as he
noticed that the yellow-haired woman
was leaning through instead of over
the rail. But before he could
carry out his swiftly formed resolu-
ton to 60 to her Immediately there
was the flash of a falling figure, sud-
den commoti on-and he realized that
the long-dreaded circumstance had
come to pass.
He was In the water almost as soon
as she was. Three other men made
themselves ready, but were a trife
slower, for various reasons. Before
| they reached the rail the little minis
ter had caught hold of the yellow
| haired woman-who struggled and
fought him wildly.
"Dont save me-" she gasped, moan
ingly. II can't help struggling, but
don't want to be saved. Please,
please let me drown!"
For all answer he slipped hand
under the little, round, delicate chin
which told such @clear4story of the
weakness which loves and finds it
hard to resist temptation, pushed her
at arms'-length from him, and SWAN
as strongly as he might until a rope
came to him over the stern of the
ship. First she was drawn on board
safely, then he followed and was hur-
| ried downstairs for brandy and hard
rubbing. Almost before the two
combined brought warmth and. vital
ity back to the limbs which were so
insignifcantly weak and untitled to
contain the mighty spirit which up
held them message came to his
stateroom. The yellow-haired wom-
an hoped he had not been injured in
coming to her rescue; she would like
to see him to say ''Thanl1 you" when
ever he should feel inclined to leave
his berth. She herself had been com.
manded by the surgeon to remain mo-
tionless for some hours.
When the a:sles and staterooms had
been emptied by the dinner-gong the
little minister traversed the former
and stood at the side of the yellow
haired woman-pathetically weak and
young-looking in her physical weak
| ness and spiritual abasement. At
sight of him she broke into sobbing,
regardless of the now sympatheti tic
stewardess, who CONSIDERABLY slipped
from the room. -,
"Why did you save me?": she asked
him, still weeping. "You knew I want
ed to die. Iwant to die now, as God
hears me, although I have learned
this evening just how sweet it would
be to go on living-if one only had =
! chance to start over" =.
And then it was that the soul Of
the man and the gentleman stood up
in the eyes of, the preacher, and the
divine instinct which had healed SO
many sins and sorrows. failed not the
little minister, even though the rem
edy required was unusual. +r.I~sss~ts s IL !.
II, ~too,' learned something; while
down in the water" he said, with the
hesitating precision of one who re-
cites lesson but hastily learned.
II learned that, my life will never be
quite perfect, never quite what 1T
should be, unless you consent to be-
come part of it., my-my dear. Will
you''-his manner as reverential as
though she had been the most con-
ventional of conventional. "good wom-
en- '-''honor me by promising to be-
come my wife?'' ~.5
The hope and the swonder: which
flashed out in her face transformed
and TRANSPORTED it; but the glory
ldiedou moment Letter. ss
are only saying this for char
ity's sake, to save me- Ito give me an
| other chance" she told him. .s
"No,". answered the little minister,
with quiet tenderness and gentle5de-
termination, you are quite, quite
istaken, my-my dear. i am saying
it because I love you" 85 s.S s=:.
And the good God, hearing these
words Of mobility and resurrection,
looked upon them with favor and
made them true. - ~. ISL, &.