The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-24

| Copyright, 1902, by Daily Story Pub. Co
At twenty-four Laura Kirkton had
! tired of adulation and social victories
| of meaningless compliments and inane
! small talk, of bIase men of the world
| and envious. women, of "fanneled fools
| at the wicket and muddied OATS at the
| goal" She had drunk of the pleasures
of society to the dregs. Her wealth and
| beauty had insured her a high place in
the -Four Hundred" which her talent
| and wit adorned.
AT first, of course, she enjoyed it, but
after the novelty wore off and she saw
| all the hollowness and heartlessness the
| hypocrisy and sham beneath the be-
| spangled surface she sickened and tired
| of it. And so she had come down to the
remote village on the sea shore, far from
| the fashionable resorts to rest from the
crowds of Vanity Fair, and to commune
with nature and live among simple folk
who rounded out their lives in hard toll
and simple pleasures. Still she was rest
| less. There was something unsatisfed in
her nature-a longing for something, she
hardly knew what
She sat in the window of the little cot
tage listlessly reading a novel. The wind
was blowing too strong to render the
porch comfortable. Presently she threw
down the book impatiently and exclaim-
ed:
why don't we see men like this in
real life? What's the use of reading
about them in books when they don't
exist? Authors are dreamers, and they
write their dreams. Heroism is dead
The heroes are all between the covers
of the histories and romances. 1 would
like to see a real man, just once-not q
shallow insincere, selfish sensualist, but
a man capable of great sacrifice and of
absolute honesty of purpose
She glanced out at the great waves
dashing madly upon the shore and noted
! that the gale had increased in fury. Her
eyes sparkled.
How 1 love the ocean when it is aroUs-
ed. 1t is so grand, so powerful. If l were
a man 1 would want to be like the ocean
and conquer all things that came in my
way"
A bell changed furiously and people
came running past the cottage and on
to the little government life saving sta
ton She opened the door and called to
one of the runners:
Whats the matter?'
~ essel goin' to pieces on the reef, =
came back the painting answer.
She caught up her hat and cape and
joined the hurrying throng. Here at last
was something real and thrilling. There,
sure enough, were the outlines Of a
steamer rocking violently on the great
white line that marked the breakers
Over the waters came the hoarse alarm
of the whistle.
The life-saving crew, eight in number
were dressed for the coming battle with
the sea and stood about the great, clumsy
boat oars in hand. They looked like grim
giants, but as Winnifred looked at the
angry sea, they became as pigmies with
a paper boat.
Where's Captain WHIP asked one of
the crowd
Over to his father's,'' replied one of
the crew. He'll be comm runnin' in
a jiffy."
I've can't live in that sea a mint" re-
marker a weatherbeaten fisherman, shak-
ing his head. BE we agoin' to try it?''
'FWhat are we here fer?" laconically
responded one of the crew. Here he
comes"
A tall, athletic figure bounded through
the group, knocking people right and
left in his haste, and in an instant was
in his sea toys.
What do you make it?" he asked one
of the crew, who was gazing earnestly
through a glass.
Small steamer an she's goin' to pieces
fast" was the reply. Seems to be seven
or eight people aboard-one woman 8
near as / can make out
The captain seized the glass and took
quick look. Winnifred surveyed him