Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-10-12

!: SHABBY 6ENTFfL

n1u HluIuSC0 u
for ten months, excepting holidays.
md never had l encountered 50 mucn
mischief. June was a hot month, ana
bv the tim / had completed the work
attending examinations l was too Dro-
ION down to get away for a change,
though my salary and my savings We're
go small that l could only afford n
months outing, anyway.
l was walking one evening on tne
beach drinking in the delicious salt sea
breeze when l met a man who noticed
me with more apparent interest than
usually received from strangers OF
the opposite sex. He brought Il PAIR
of fine brown eyes to bear upon me-
which caused me to lower mine, though
his gaze was perfectly respectful, even
d%eferential. My brief look at MN was
only sufficient to tell me that his race
was intellectual and his clothes WerS
shabby.
At a short distance from the shore
was n rock on which l would often go
after sunset, sink into a seat worm Dy
the water and enjoy the waves anu
the breeze. l went there n evening,
passing over the narrow strip Oh sanu
that led to it just as the full
was rising. For several nights had
been troubled with wakefulness, ana
now, lulled by the plash of the waves
and the sea breeze and the moonlight
on the water, l fell asleep.
l was awakened by a cold bath. The
tide had risen, and a wave higher than
the rest had completely covered the
lower half of my body. ] looked at the
water; it was all about me. l looked
up at the moon; it. stood on the meridi-
an. l turned my head; the breakers
were on the beach behind me. was
becoming terror stricken when | saw a
man on the shore making motions to
me. He called to me, telling me to re-
main where / was and he would go to
the inlet near by and fetch a boat. Ten
minutes later 1 was relieved to hear
the sound of oars and see a rowboat
rising and falling with the waves.
When it reached the rock and the oars
man turned his face to me, the moon
struck full upon it. He was the shah
by genteel man l had passed on the
beach.
There was every reason to suppose
that he had saved me from drowning,
for l could not swim, and since nearly
every one on shore had gone 70 bed It
is doubtful if my cries would have been
heard above the noise of the breakers.
Be this as it may, 1 had had a thrilling
introduction to my rescuer andadid not
require him to secure the good offices
of a mutual friend to make us ac-
quainted. RS
After that we spent many an hour to-
gether on the beach. l tried without
appearing to be inquisitiye ta discover
his occupation and social status, but
failed. Though he was nearly forty. he
did not seem to have taken hold OF a
career. He disliked money making, but
loved literature, art, science, all that
was ideal and intellectual. / asked
him what career he would choose if he
chose any, and he said he would prefer
that of a gentleman. l sighed, regret
ting that want of energy or purpose
had neutralized his excellent qualities.
I cannot think of my action in this
important episode in my life without
establishment. l had believed myself
the most practical woman. l had pitied
those women who had lost their heads
in losing their hearts, IND yet l not
only suffered myself to fall in love with
this man. who appeared to drift like a
ship without a rudder, but l permitted
him to make love to me. Shabby as he
was, no woman in her Senses would
have formed any other conclusion with
regard to him than that he made a
precarious living by his wits.
However. the result was the usual re-
suit Of infatuation. He said he had an
income of 5000 a year, and earned the
same. We passed from friends to low
ers and, after many misgivings ON my
mart. to betrothal. One thing he per-
shaded me to do that / considered posi-
lively rash-to be married quietly at
the seashore and return together. 1
consented under protest, and we were
married.
IN redCIluS tic otdtiOh W ~
the city my husband put me on a train
going in the opposite direction. I was
terror stricken. l had married a stran-
ger, and heaven only knew what ne
was going to do with me. He led me
into a private room in a parlor car. l
demanded to know what all this meant,
especially the unwarranted expense.
easy, sweetheart" he said In MS
usual careless way. Now that you
can't marry me for selfish purposes l
will confess. | am one of those multi
millionaires who have women thrown
at them by the thousands. ! went 10
the seashore incog. to get away 0
them. When / passed you on the beacn
1t suddenly struck me that you were
the woman | wanted to marry. The
night you went to sleep on the rock
was watching you, hoping that you
would give me an opportunity to rescue
YOU. In this sou were very obliging as
well as very stupid.
"NIy father started the business that
now and I have tripled 1t
s,noa b;a death. / have only one talent