Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1906-11-01
The Mermaid
That lured Perkins,
~ CLAUDE MATsoN.

/ IcThinh nuu not Dccu uTinhink uuu
there really was no reason why he
should be seeing things" but when
he saw the mermaid emerge from the
water he became very much alarmed
about himself.
by Jove. I didn't get away from
the city day too soon." he said. his
eyes bullying and the cold sweat stand.
Ing out on his forehead. The doc
tor has been warning me for months
that II I did not break away from
business and take n good rest ] was
liable TO 60 to pieces all OF q sud.
den. guess he knew what he was
talking about and this Is the FIRST
symptom"
lie glanced at the vision which had
emerged from the sea and pinche6
Himself to see II he really were awake.
Yes. he seemed to be awake all right
and the mermaid seemed very real
indeed, lying there not 90 feet from
him.
Perkins had only been down to the
seaside two days when this queer ex.
perience came to him. He had risen
|. early TO enjoy the bracing morning
| air. and he had sought q secluded
nook around the bend where he had
perched himself on a bowlder. light.
ed his favorite pipe and proceeded
to commune with Nature In one Of her
most delightful moods.
This will make new man OF me"
he said to himself. THE fact Is
. have neglected this vacation business
too closely. All work and no play
makes Jack a dull boy: there's no
mistake about II. Who knows but II
drift about such places as this
will run across some fair maiden who
will stir my bachelor heart. ] sup
pose in the natural order OF things ]
have to marry and set up an estab.
lishment some time"
II was Just at this instant that Per
kins caught glance Of the figure OF
a young girl in the water some dis
lance out. She was very pretty girl.
too, and Perkins could not but no.
tice the witness Of her rounded
arms and as they swept the water.
and the perfection OF her chiseled
neck The sun put CLINT OF gold into
her masses OF auburn hair and seemed
to surround II with halo.
She seemed TO be labOring under
some difficulty. although the sweep
OF her arms bespoke OF the practiced
swimmer. Yet she seemed to be max.
ing awful hard work Of II and little
progress. The shore shelved off rath.
er abruptly ut this point, and pres
emily a great wave rolled In. caught
her on Its crest and landed her In
the shallow water almost at Perkins
feet. As she lay there breathless and
almost unconscious. her thin bathing
waist clinging to the curves Of her
form, Perkins could not but note that
nature had been lavish In Its gifts
to her. The bust, which would have
been the despair of sculptor, was
surmOunted by u face OF rare perfec.
ton and sweetness.
Then, as the wave receded and the
lower portion Of her form was re-
vealed. Perkins gave gasp-and then
came to him the doubts as to his own
powers Of perception. For from the
waist down her body was that OF .
great fish splashed with spots Of
brilliant color and sparkling with
dashes of silver and gold-the whole
ending with q regular fish's tall.
AS he sat spellbound, wondering
what had happened to him-fearful
even Of his own reason. the mermaid
opened her eyes and they met his
and such wonderful brown eyes were
they and SO full OF intelligence and
goodness and Of promise, that the
thought flashed across his mind that
It was no wonder that men had been
lured to death and to Hades by such
as she-as told In classic tradition and
story.
Then she spoke.
"oh. sir" she said, please help me
out of the water"
In an instant Perkins had waded
In. and gathering the mermaid In his
arms, he carried her to q soft, dry
spot In the sand. Then overcome
with wonder and doubts he had re-
tired to his bowlder and given vent
to the doubts and apprehensions with
which this story opens.
In the meantime the mermaid was
involved In the most wonderful series
Of contortions. which appeared to be
to no avail. Presently, she turned
once more to Perkins with flaming
cheeks and said:
"0h. please. sir, will you help me
get It off?"
Perkins now was sure that he was
headed directly for the asylum, but |
he could not resist the appeal, and
leaped to the side OF the struggling |
mermaid.
Get what Off" he asked, thickly.
why, this terrible thing I'm hooked |
up in. The hooks have got twisted,
and I can't undo them"
She indicated q place along the line |
where the maiden seemed to leave
OF and the mermaid to begin and |
Perkina saw that thara was a aort |