Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1902-07-17
MINERALS PLOT.
BY j. A. BALLS,

man.
Mrs. Martha Livingstone and hel
son, Adelbert, alighted from a par
lor car and were met by Abijah An
derson, who took city boarders" dur
ing the summer months.
Adelbert Livingstone had just
graduated from Harvard, and had
planned to take a good rest before
entering upon business career in
New York city. His mother was an
invalid and could not endure the
noise and excitement in hotels.
The little village was formerly
known as Huckleberry Hollow, and
the beautiful lake beside it as Quog's
pond. But with the rise of the place
as a summer resort the village re-
ceived the name of Beauty Nook and
the sheet of water the appellation of
Laurel lake.
Farmer Anderson's only daughter,
Minerva, was at once captivated with
Adelbert Livingstone, well educated,
handsome and distinguished in APP
pearance, as she was inordinately
ambitious, the knowledge that the
young man was rich made her capti-
walton doubly easy.
Minerva had a good figure and
dressed stylishly. She had a quick,
energetic mind, and, although ex-
ceedingly affable to people of high
station with whom she desired to in
gratiate herself, was naughty toward
interiors.
Minerva tried to fascinate Adel-
bert, but he was politely Indifferent.
80 he proposes to treat me as a
casual acquaintance" said Minerva
Indignantly to herself one morning
as she stood in her room admiring
herself in the large mirror which fire.
quently did homage to her vanity.
"Well, III see about it, my fine sir.
I'm no unsophisticated maid, I'll have
him to understand"
When next she met Adelbert she
smiled most sweetly and endeavored
to engage him in conversation; but
he did not take her bait. He was in
search for bait with which to catch
fish in the lake.
About the middle of the afternoon
Adelbert returned with long string
OF fish, and the one who admired his
skill the most and who most enthu-
siastically complimented him was
Minerva.
"Have you anything to claim your
attention during the remainder of
the day." was Minerals stilted ques-
ton.
Nothing in particular" was the
reply.
"Then we would like to have you
60 bathing with US if it would be
agreeable to you. Several of the
guests and myself are going to the
lake; we would like to have you 90,
too"
Thomas Larkins and his wife, Lucy
Wadhams, Daisy Dimple and Benja-
min Winthrop were the other men,
bers of the party.
All were splashing in the water,
laughing and talking, when Minerva
challenged Adelbert to try to catch
her as she swan away from the land.
He followed in perfunctory way,
and she kept well in the lead.
Suddenly she became frightened
and began to founder, having appar-
emily been seized with cramps.
so, dear, what shall | do" she |
gasped. ''Save me; Pm drowning." |
She disappeared beneath the sur
face, and, thoroughly alarmed, Adel- |
bert lunged forward to the rescue. |
He caught the bewildered girl as she |
arose, and she threw one arm wildly |
about his heck.
''Be cool or you'll drown us BOTH"
he cried.
Minerva withdrew her arm from
his neck and began to sink, at the
same time saying: "Only support me
4 little, and I'll be all right"
He grasped her left arm, and, smil-
ne at him as If his mere presence