The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-16

I OF his heart. devoted himself impromptu
TO all our English sports and pastimes
whenever he had the opportunity OF
Joining them; firmly persuaded that ne
could adopt our national amusements OF
the field. by an effort OF will precisely
as he had adopted our national CATERS
and our national white hat.
l nd seen him risk his limbs blndly at
n foX-hunt AID in n cricket-held: and.
soon afterward, l saw him risk his lfe,
Just AZ bllndly in the sea at Brighton.
We had mot there accidently, and were
bathing together. IL we had been en-
gagged In any exercise peculiar 70 my own
nation. ! should, OF course, have looked
after Pesca carefully; but, as foreigners
arc generally quite as well able TO take
care OF themselves IN the water as Eng
lishmen, II never occurred 10 mo that
the art OF swimming might merely add
one more 10 the list OF manly exercises
which the Professor believed that he
could learn impromptu. Soon after we
had both struck out from shore, / stop-
ped. finding my friend did not gain on
me, and turned round 10 look for him.
TO my horror and amusement. saw
nothing between me and the beach but
two lttlc white arms which struggled
for an instant above the surface OF the
water. and then disappeared from view.
When j dived for him, the poor little
man was lying quietly colled up at the
bottom. in a hollow OF shingle, looking
by many degrees smaller than had ever
seen -.4rn look before. During the few
minutes that elapsed while was taking
him in, the air revived him, and he as
cended the steps OF the machine with nv
assistance With the-partIal recovery
or h.s animation came the return OF his
r'.' de'veinr on tho surfNcf 80
swimming As soon as his chattering
49,. ''e+'u ttt n'l4' spcon, He sIii.4vu va
cantly, and said he thought II must have
been the Cramp.
When he had thoroughly recovered
himself and had Joined me on the beach.
his warm Southern nature broke through
all artificial English restraints I'm a mo-
ment He overwhelmed me with the
widest expressions OF affectlon-exclaim-
ed passionhtely. In his exaggerated Ital-
ian way, that he would hold HIS life
henceforth, at my disposal-and declared
that he should never be happy again. un-
I'll he had found an opportunity of prov
ing his gratitude by rendering me some
service which | might remember. on my
side. TO the end OF my days
! did my best To stop the torrent OF his
tears and protestations. by persisting I'm
treating the whole adventure as a good
subject for a joke; and succeeded at last,
as | imagined. In lessening Pesca's over
Wheiinlng sense or obligation 10 me. Lit
tie did think then--little did | think af-
terward when our pleasant holiday had
drawn to an end-that the opportunity of
serving me for which my grateful com
panion so ardently longed was soon TO
come; that he was eagerly to seize IL on
the instant; and that, by so doing, he was
To turn the whole current OF my exist
ehce into new channel and to alter me
TO myself almost past recognition
Yet. 30 II was. II had not dived for
PROFESSOR Pesca, when he lay under wa
ter on his shingle-bed, should. In all hu-
man probability, never have been con-
nected with tho story which these pages
Will relate-I should never. perhaps. have
heard even the name OF the woman. who
has lived In all my thoughts who has
possessed herself OF all my energies. who
has become the one guiding influence that
now directs the purpose OF my life.