Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-08-30

character or the fancy 1ntultlvely;
but the knowledge that he believed
himself sore sinner was as inde-
Finally comforting as his wise silence.
Day after day the little minister
| cheered, strengthened and encour-
aged her, heroically regardless of the
meaning glances cast toward them
by women whose hair was not yellow,
and by men who considered facetious
speeches concerning fiirtatious par
sons and the latitude of the
cloth; day after day he induced
her to postpone further compact
with the Giant Despair at least
until she had made effort lit
tie longer. And all went well 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 li.tle minister,
whose gentlemanly instinct never al
| lowed him to discuss one woman with
another, found anxiety disposs essing
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-
tion to go to her Immediately there
was the flash of a falling figure, sud-
den commotion-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 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.
"Don't save me-" she gasped, moan
ingly. 81 can't help struggling, but
/ don't want to be saved. Plense,
please let me drown!"
For all answer he slipped n hand
under the little, round, delicate chin
which told such clear story 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 n 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
s,,- -f.r,N Il. 4 -
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 "Thank 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 1 want
ed to die. / want 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 a
chance to start over"
And then it was that the soul of
the man and the gentleman stood up
divine instinct which had healed so
many sins and sorrows failed not the
little minister, even though the rem
edy required was unusual.
"I, too, learned something while
down in the water" he said, with the
hesitating precision of one who re-
cites a lesson but hastily learned.
81 learned that my life will never he
quite perfect, never quite what it
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,"
The hope and the wonder which
flashed out in her face transformed
and transfgured it; but the glory
died out moment later.
"You are only saying this for char
ity's sake, to save me, to give me an
other chance" she told him.
NO" answered the little minister,
with quiet tenderness and gentle de-
termination, "you are quite, quite
mistaken, my-my dear. I am saying
it because I love you"
And the good God, hearing these
words of nobility and resurrection,
looked upon them with favor-and
made them true.
One AdmIring Constituent.