Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-03-20

The event of the season was over in
the little Texas village Of Cypress
Bayou. All the San Jacinto bay coun-
try had furnished the dancers, and
among them had come Henry Mitchell,
Just home after seven years absence in
remote Alaska. Success was written
in his face, and success meant wealth
with the Mitchells, hence the people
fell to wondering II Henry Mitchell
would be true to his bay-country
sweetheart Of seven years ago, for Car
oline Wells was poor.
The man, however, did not reveal
his feelings. He danced and talked
with other old friends as with Caroline
Wells. But in her face, and not in
the others, there might have been seen
a faint glow as of hope. The rekin-
died light of a forgotten love still
shone in her eyes the second day later
as she stood upon the shore of the San
Jacinto, contemplating the leaden
waste of water In the late afternoon.
An east wind blew and the girls wavy
0'O"h h1t was tiCWh Oub hpOh ~ ~
swept down in bunch of curls to hide
the red that the wind was painting
over the tan OF her cheeks. The
changing lights in her face were very
beautiful to look upon, like the varied
shadows that hurrying clouds some
times reflect in a restless sea. There
was coming into her eyes a look of
anxiety as she regarded the river be-
Ere her.
AS from habit, she shaded her eyes
with her hand and looked out across
the stream to an island in which for
over fifty years that early pioneer and
gentleman and officer of the second
British war, Col Smith, had chosen to
make his home. His wife had shared
the island home. Their house had
once been all but carried away by one
of the devastating river floods. Mrs
Smith was now alone upon the island.
In the event of food she would be in
great danger.
AS Caroline Wells looked at the
heavy, threatening sky, and the curl
ing waters, steadily creeping toward
her, she gave way to a shiver Of dread,
and turned toward her house, through
q field of half-picked cotton. But a
look of determination had settled into
Aer countenance. Shortly she returned
with great storm coat, which she
flung into long, low boat that lay
restlessly tugging at its chain. She
cast sorry eye out to midstream,
where the strong wind had raised the
water into perilous ridges. But, know
ing that she was the only help for
Mrs. Smith within six miles, unless 1T
be from across the river, she reached
out to pull the boat toward her.
Carried away by the wind it seemed
to resist her. but with some effort she
succeeded. and after a hurried glance
back at her home, she jumped into the
boat. Before she thought it possible,
the wind had caught the boat and car
ried 1t far upstream. across the inner
bay. But Caroline was used to the
river, and, controlling the boat. she
was soon pulling with long. steady
btlOAco IOWdlu thC POihe "hSiS SAS
could best cross the mid-current for
Smith island. She made some prog
ress, but such was the force of the
wind that after half an hour she had
only reached the point of the peninsula
from which she intended to cross the
main current to the island. She had
still her fiercest struggle before her
Strong as the girl was from her river
life, her wrists ached and her arms felt
heavy from the exertion. The wind