The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1906-10-26

should be- seeing things. but when
he saw the mermaid emerge from the
water he became very much alarmed
about himself
by Joye, I didn't get away from
the city a day too soon. he said. his
eyes bullying and the cold sweat stand.
ing out on his forehead "Thc doc.
tor has been warning me for months
that u / did not break away from
business and take good rest / was
liable TO go to pieces all OF 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 pinchcd
himself to see u he really were awake
Yes, he seemed to be- awake az right
and the mermaid seemed very real
indeed. lying there not 20 feet from
him.
Perkins had only been down to the
seaside two days when this queer cX.
poricnce came 10 him lie had risen
early 10 enjoy the bracing morning
air and ho had sought q secluded
nook around the bend whore he had
pcrchcd himself on q bowldor lght
ed his fayorlto Pipe and proceeded
TO commune with Nature Ia one OF her
most delightful moods
This will make a now man NJ me.
he said to himself THE fact is I
have neglected this vacation business
too closely All work and no play
makes Jack q dun boy. there's no
mistake about H. Who knows but u
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 I
have to marry and gCt up an cstab.
llshment some time
II was Just az this instant that Per
klnH caught a glance Of the figure OF
young girl In the water some dis.
lance out She was a very pretty girl,
too. and Perkins could not but no.
tlce the witness Of her rounded
arms and as they swept the water.
and the perfection Of her chisolcd
neck. The sun put CLINT Of gold into
her masses Of auburn hair and seemed
TO surround II with a halo
She seemed TO be- laboring under
some difficulty. although the sweep
OF her arms bespoke OF the practlccd
swimmer. Yet she seemed to be max
ing awful hard work Of IL and little
progress. Tho shore shelyed on rath
or abruptly at this point. and pres
emily great wave rolled In, caught
her on It's crest and landed her In
the shallow water almost at Perkins
feet As she lay there broathlosa and
almost unconscious. her thin bathing
waist clinglng to the curves OF her
form. Perkins could not but note that
nature had been lavish In its gifts
10 her. Tho bust. which would have
been the despair Of "A sculptor, was
surmountcd by face OF rare pcrfcc
tlon and sweetness
Then. as the wave rocoded and the
lower portion OF her form was "a
vcalod. Perkins gave a gasp-and thct
came to him the doubts ag to his owl
powers OF perception, For from IA,
waist down her body was that OF 0
great fish splashed with spots o
brilliant color and sparkling will
dashos OF silver and gold-the Who'll,
ending with a regular lsh's tail.
As he sat spcllbound. wondering
what had happened to him-fearfu
even OF his own reason. the mormalC
opened her eyes and they met his
and such wonderful brown eyes wer,
they and 30 full Of intelligence ant
goodness and OF promise, that IN,
thought flashed across his mind tina
Il was no wonder that men had beer
lured TO death and TO Hades by sucl
as she-as told In classic tradition ant
story.
Then she spoke.
"oh. slr." she said, please help m,
out OF the water"
In an instant Perkins HAD wadct
In. and gathering the mermaid In hi
arms, no carried her TO a soft, dr.!
spot In the sand Then overcome
with wonder and doubts he had re
tired to his bowlder and given ven
10 the doubts and apprehenslons will
which this story oTens.
In the meantime the mermaid wa
involved IN the most Wohutllul hcllt
OF contortlons. which appeared TO b.
to no avail Presently, she turne,
once more to Perkins with naminl
cheeks and said;
"oh. please, SIR will you help M
get II ono
Perkins now was sure that he wa
headed directly for the asylum, bu
he could not resist the appeal, AM
leaped TO the side OF the strugglinl
mermaid.
Get what on % he asked, thlckly
why. this terrible thing I'm kooke
up In. The hooks have got twisted
and ! cant undo them"
She Indicated a place along the lin
where the maiden seemed to leay
on and the mermaid to begin an
Perkins saw that there was a sor
Of concealed hook which was twiste
so Il would not slip out Of the eye
lie loosened II In a minute, as he di
several others. when, lo and behold
Hs.gr.rF of sF.V