Smyrna times., 1901-09-18
Where PIdEOniC5
Were Strained
A STORY OF WRECKED
CANCERS.
-. -! -. -. :,

pOSSlDllllN Ol an dtIdcuuleIlI more tell
der and affectiOnate, she pOohpOohed
it with an emphasis indicative of an
sure state of mind. She was
not like other girls, she said. Several
men had found that out. They began
by being friendly. She encouraged
them perhaps in a certain liking that
she had for masculine companionship
which they not infrequently misunder-
stood. Then when the night and the |
moon and the soft breeZeS stirred them |
to declarations fraught with more than |
passing interest she was forced to more |
heroic utterances.
Dear me-" she would say, 81 don't |
see why a man and Il woman can't go
on being just friends here in New
York. Bob never acted this way. Why,
we rowed and sailed and tramped to-
gether summer in and summer out, and
he never thought of making a proposal.
Dear old Bob. lie had more sense.
Brace up now. BE a man. Forget it,
and so will l, and We'll just go on being
comrades"
Some Of them got angry. Others ac-
cCpted it as a matter of course. There
IS at least one instance on record of n
chap who really tried second time
and ended by responding to the usual
throw down with Wh!stlng Il popular
air that begins, Comrades, comrades,
ever since we were boys" Upon which
occasion she told him he was dear to
take it that way, and they have been
better friends ever since.
y few weeks ago She went to spend
the summer with friends in Il little
hamlet up the Hudson. Thither also
jOurneyed Bob. She is Il strong, hand
some, athletic creature, fond of out
door sports. She begins her seasons
swimming long before the daring small
boy thinks the water has lost enough
of its chill. When She is not gOlfing,
she is in the tennis court. In the Win
ter basket ball and long rambles
through snowy woods serve to keep
| her checks rosy and her eyes bright.
And the man who accompanies her on
| such walks needs to be more than a
| passably good pedestrian, for she will
! soon tire him whose limbs are not Of
iron.
Bob is not easily tired. His training
with the college boat crew came in
handy, too, ROW that the form of sport
took an aquatic turn. The long tramps
over the country roads were varied
with sailing, swimming and an Occa-
sional hour of padding in BOb's beau
tiful new canoe. The last, in fact, was
| IL hA fo
But now she AYERS that canoes, like
men, are mighty uncertain creatures.
1t happened this way: They had
started out for an early morning pad
desc early, in fact, that the rest of
the household was still asleep. But the
air was crisp, and the sun rising behind
the Jersey hills made a picture long tC
be remembered. She is quite sure that
she will remember it. He has no doubts
ON the subject. She was sitting in the
bow of the canoe trailing her hands il
the still water and enjoying 1t all ST
much that it startled her when Bob.
aimless conversation took another turn
He did not say much, but it was all 81
sudden, there was such Il depth of ten
: derness in the tone, and it was so i'm
pressive that she gave Il sudden start
: That did the trick. The canoe turned
turtle, and iii an instant they wer
A both floundering in the water.
t "Great C9sarw he shouted. Il didn'
+ mean it. Can't you take jOke?"
He was clinging to one end of the ca
noe, and she had found safety b.
throwing her arm over the other end.
'It was too much of a Shock" she ar
: swered. I'm surprised at you. HOY
dare you! Oh, Bob, I'm so disappointe
-. in yOu!'
u but, tell you, l didn't mean it.
The speech was not gallant, and sh
may have resented it, but she only ado
ed:
Il "Well, you oughtn't to talk nonsens
e in a canoe. It's apt to upset one"
80 observe. But if you weren't s
" set up in your notions l might
tempted
"There, now, you're beginning agail
I'm going to swim ashore"
'Its a mile or more" he shoute
:. "For heavens sake, not to speak I
81 mine, don't think of it,"
IS "Well, you stop talking nonsens
ID then"
re 'It isn't nonsense"
le at is"
a I'm serious"
n "That settles it," Her arms can
!, down from the canoe. I'm going
4. try for the shore"
90 He tried waddling along the side
ne the canoe to get at her arm and deta
lg her. The shell trembled along its G
Up tire length and sank far down und
re his weight. She laughed derisivel
rs and he grew pale.
W every funny, isn't it?' he asked.
~ Decidedly. Do you think If you sil
70 1t We'll be any better off"