The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-07-07

boat pcrhDps fifteen feet out Then,
with an mir OF determination, he grasp
cd the oars He let one OF them fall
lightly into the water and pulled very
hard. The result was that he lifted the
oar just above the girls ear and turned
half pint Of water down the back Of
her neck. She smiled. but her smile
seemed TO lack spontancity. He took
ding at the other oar and deposited
another half pint IN her lap. These
little irregularities made him nervous
and embarrassed, 10 that at the next
stroke be missed the water altogether.
and the oar swung around and struck
her on the side Of the head with great
force. About this time be lost his bal
ance, fell backward and was about to
disappear In the brlny depths when the
girl opportunely grasped bis feet and
restored him 10 equilibrium. Then she
thrust her sleeves above her elbows.
seized the oars and rowed the boat to
the pier.
After that adventure felt pretty
sure the girl had conceived d real lik.
ing for John. or course ! hadn't the
remotest Idea why. | imagined that
after the boating incident the girl
would cease her efforts to make John
happy, She didn't. 10 | knew It was
no mere tiIrtatlon.
The more saw Of the Castle girl the
better ! liked her. She was very ver-
satIle and correspondingly popular.
She played golf and tennis. rode bl-
cycle. understood sailing a yacht and
wns quite at home as chauffeur.
Then. again. her stock OF miscellaneous
Information was truly wonderful.
Senator Blenkins was at the hotel that
summer. He Is for tariff revision.
The girl discussed reciprocity and the
reduction of duties with him. She
said she thought the Dingley tariff act
the most ubiquitous piece Of legislation
that had ever furnished a statute book.
After BlenkIns went away Ex-Governor
Whitmyer ran down for week. Whit
myer is stand patter. SO was the
Castle girl--lhat week. She said only
an enemy OF his country would con
slider lowering duty on anything.
This shows what an adaptable, com
paulonable glrl she was. She could
discuss any mans hobby lntelligentiy.
whether II happened to be amateur
photography. postage stamps or golf.
Now. Johns hobby was military
bands. Before he moved to the city
be was solo cornetist In the Beaming-
top brass baud. He enjoyed an enyia-
BILE reputation In that part OF the state
II relieved his mind great deal TO In
dulge In "reminiscences Of that de-
iightful period and to discuss bands In
general. Well. among other things. the
girl knew all about bands. and she
would spend an hour at time dis
cusslng with him the career OF the
late T.. s. Gilmore and the relative
merits OF Arbuckle and Jules Levy.
Once, recollect, she was interrupted
In the midst Of one of these conversa-
tIons by young lawyer who had heard
that she was omniscient and wanted 10
know II she could state the rule In
Shelley's case. She could and did, She
said perhaps he would like to know
whether beasts taken Ievant and cou-
chant In wlthernam could be repleyied.
He said he wouldn't trouble her for
that and went away.
Meantime Johns condition grew
steadily worse. He even fell into the
rhyming habit. and he would sit on
the hotel piazza long after sensible
people were in bed, dreaming Of heroic
deeds. Although he did not say so d.
rcctly, know from chance remarks he
made that he rather hoped the Castle
girl would go beyond her depth some
time while bathing so that he could
save her life.
Toward the end OF the first week
John and the girl CHANGED to be In the
surf at the, same time. John Is q
splendid swimmer. His style of swim
ming is what youths In country places
all dog paddle.
When first saw John that morning
,e was swimming vallantly toward the
living float. which is anchored short
distance from shore. After he had
AIKEN about a dozen strokes he became
lred, He tired quite easily. So he
topped swimming and stood on the
,ottom He. had made slight miscal-
ulatlon as to the depth, and the wa
er reached above his eyes. He began
o shout that he was drowning and
legged piteously for help The Castle
fri heard him, and SO did three or
our others, who started to aid him
The Castle girl called them back. She
wan out to him and towed him into |
hellow water
John explained that there was a pc
ullar undercurrent In that place which |
nst wound around fellows legs like
rope and held him fast. OF course
ven the most powerful swimmer
Vould succumb to 1t.
We were leaving Henslow on Satur-
ay morning. Friday afternoon John
Did me he had made up his mind to
ropose to the Castle girl. He wanted
~ advice as to the best style to adopt
ONE doubt existed in his mind as to
1hether 1t would be wisest to use
Iunt hravltv n,otonhor or corafuI1v l.