The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1902-10-25
The Girl With the Ssagresn
Eyes.
BY sHERWIN CODY.


Copyright 1902 BY Daily Story Pub. Coz
They found her floating In the calm
waters Of the bay, a child Of three
lashed to two spars. The hot sun
had dried her dress and warmed her
little body back to consciousness, and
now she was holding out her tiny
arms and cooling and calling In de-
light as II she loved the ocean as a
mother; and the ocean seemed to be
dandling her gently up and down with
infinite aiiectlon-the ocean that had
Just torn her from her parents arms.
and perhaps engulfed them in her
omniverous NAV.
Jack found her. "see them spars."
he shouted as he was pushing his
boat out There's a leddy's dress on
them spars. Let's have it,
He showed his dingy into the water
and leaped after at bound A mo
ment more and he was pulling out
toward the object he had seen, max.
ing the boat jump clean out Of the
water at every stroke
''Hey." he shouted. ITS a babby-
pretty little habby. And she's all
right, too. Hey. Mac. come out and
help me heave her in
The fact is, Jack was a triie fright
ened - the lace-trimmed dimity dress
and the golden hair, and the locket
that hung about the neck and the silk
stockings. and all the rest. At last
she held out her hand and said,
Mani" Jack took this as an invita-
tion 70 be friendly; so he bent over
and smiled at her When Mac came
they lifted her into Jacks dIngy and
from that moment the little leddy,"
as Jack always called her, and the
good-hearted. strong-limbed sixteen
year old asher boy we're the very best
Of friends.
They found the name Mabelle on
her clothing. but no one ever came
to Inquire for the lost child. and the
fisher folks were much too simple to
go searching for her father and
mother. or her distant relatives. She
was a strong and hearty child. thin
and 1.-THE, but firm-footed and as ac-
tive as a roe. Her fine clothes were
laid aside, and Mother Kipperly made
calico dress for her. IA which she
might have been seen running over
the sand barefootad to meet Jack when
be came home at night. or to bid
him good-by when he went out in the
early morning Jack never got
started so early that Mabelle was not
up and ready to see him on.
The child loved the boy, and the
boy loved the child Their mutual al
lection was notorious. When the lit
tie girl was sick. she wanted none to
rock her to sleep hut only Jack; and
vhen she was well. il was with Jack
best Of all that she liked to play. She
would leave the other children at any
time to take a walk around the cove
with him. and many a time he took
her alone with him in his boat. far
out beyond the bay When the water
was warm. he taught her to swim.
too. anf she could dart through the
tapping waves like a fish with a head
Of sunny hair Mother Kipperly, who
lover har too. called her the "mer-
maid"
Next to her love for Jack. MaheIie
loved the ocean. She would play by
il all day long. from early in the morn
ing till late at night When It was
calm and green and shiny. she danced
about on the sands. just wetting her
feet In the water. and shouting over
the softly roaring deep; and when the
ocean was wild and gray. or sullen
and muttering Mabelle wore a frown
on her face and was very wilful ana
raced wildly along the shore. as il
she were defying the big waves to
catch her and carry her on to The
mysterious green depths over which
on calm days she had gazed SO often.
Jack alone she liked 70 have near her
on such occasions. There was never
a time when she did not like to have
Jack with her, for Jack seemed to
understand and sympathize with all
her moods. and she with all Jacks
moods.
So ten years passed by. Mabelle