The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-07-11

MIN reVOlted, ana IN thousand ways
made himself indispensable. Gle is
really quite useful Ethelnda ac-
knowledged to herself. 81 don't know
what | should do without him"
But there came time which,
though Ethelinda was unconscious OF
It, was the crisis, the turning point
of all her days. The river that ran
by the town had the habit of over
flowing it's banks in the spring fresh
cts, leaving behind in getting back
into its channel long stretches of the
loveliest of flats teeming with insect
life. very paradise for those devoted
to that kind of game.
Ethelinda was in raptures over the
prospect, and no sooner had the sun
established a safe footing over the
treacherous waste than she was daily
to be seen in the little boat, pro-
PEELED by the professor, hurrying to
the desired fields.
This went on for n week, and every
thing was lovely. But one day in mid
stream the little boat sprung a leak.
Ethelinda would not believe il until
the water was half way to her shoe
tops. SO faithful, so stanch craft
to go back on her sol But there was
nothing for her but to make land as
quickly as possible, and from that
point the shore seemed perilously far
away. Ethelinda would have fallen
fiat in three feet of water, but the
professor could, if need were, swim
like duck, and now there was ur-
gent call for all his science.
BY stuffing his soft hat into the
rent at the bottom of the boat eth
elinda proffered hers) the river was
held in allegiance. but this was clear
ly only makeshift. Any moment
their frail vehicle might fail them,
and then what? Why, the swift cur
rent of the remorseless stream, which
would snatch them away from life
and light forever, and bury them
fathoms deep in sand and unsightly
debris.
Ethelinda thought of this for one
dreadful, agonizing moment, then she
became aware of the professor speak
to listen to what he was saying.
He was telling her in calm, even
tones that there was no immediate
danger, that even if the worst came
to the worst he could swim with her
to shore, provided she remained calm,
and did exactly as he told her to do.
White and rigid, she promised, though
in her heart she saw very little hope.
The professor was, on the contrary,
almost gay. He piled the oars vigor-
ously, humming a lively tune, though
the water in the boat continued to
increase alarmingly. To Ethelinda it
seemed an eternity before the mid
die current had been cleared and shall.
lower space reached.
Then, without a moments warning,
the boat filed, and they were up to
their waists in the river. Ethelinda,
forgetting her resolution, screamed
and clung to the professor, but that
gentleman, having had the presence
of mind to seize an oar as he went
overheard, steadied himself by it,
begging Miss Grayson to trust to him,
for he would save her if he himself
perished in the attempt.
Fortunately at that point the river
bottom was firm; some good genius
had surely directed their course, and
after the first shock Miss Grayson re-
covered her courage somewhat. There
was danger, to be sure, but the seren-
ity with which the professor faced it
shamed her fears, and she let him put
his left arm around her waist to sup
port her, while with his right he as
sisted their struggling steps toward
the shore. BY merest chance Jack
Melvin had taken a spin on the water
that morning, and while the professor
and Eth elinda were rescuing them
selves from shipwreck was watching
them from a clump of bushes on the
banks. A four-oared boat was moored
near by, though what he might want
with four oars, going up stream, too,
was not clear.
Hello, professor" "he shouted, "what
are you and Miss Grayson doing out
there? You'll get wet if you don't
mind"
"Is that you, Jack?" shouted the
professor in turn. "Fetch out your
boat if you have one and help us out
of this beastly fix. Upon my honor,
we've had close CALI
Ten minutes later the four-oared
boat had justified its presence and
Ethelinda, seated in the stern, was
wringing the water from her drenched
skirts and warmly thanking Jack Mel
win for his timely assistance.
Don't mention it," said Jack, "the
professor had already rescued you
when ] appeared on the scene"
"Yes," replied Miss Grayson, blush
ing crimson. 81 owe my life to the pro-
fessor, and I shall always be grateful
to him for the favor"
At the wedding a month later Jack
Melvin was best man, and after the
ceremony he kissed the bride, shook
hands with all the guests in defiance
of etiquette and otherwise distin-
guished himself. And while concen-
tration was concentrated upon Miss
Grayson that was, he held n short