The Democratic advocate., 1908-01-31
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, JANUARY 81. 1908
The Little Water Boy
By Julia HEMPsTEAD BULL

~>>>>-s-s->s-s-s->
''Do you think" inquired the little boy
wistfully, ''that you IL have time to come
down to the Stump Hole and see me swim
some day, pretty soon?' said thought
should.
"To-morrow, maybe?' with growing
animation.
perhaps
Then the flood gates of his eloquence
were unloosed.
"Tm getting so I can swim pretty good
now. Oh, not really, truly swim much,
you know, but [ can keep off the bottom
when I paddle hard. For while l can.
I'm getting so now 1 amt bit afraid to
90 out where it's pretty deep-up clear to
my stomach. Yes You know, there $
the Mud Hole; that S deeper. Lots ofboys
go there, cause they think it's more fun.
That farther, though; clear down to the
other road. And then there's the Horse
Hole; that's deeper than the Mud Hole.
That an awful long ways-way out to the
stone quarry. Gee, but it s deep out there!
Most as deep as the Sand Pit. Course, the
Sand Pit, that's the deepest. Men and
big fellows, theygo to thesand pit. l Iwouldn' t
want to go to the Sand Pit-not till Ilearn
better. Gee, I'd be scared You see
the edges slope down awful sudden.
"I'd rather go to the Stump Hole.
That's where I swim. Les he comes to
the Stump Hole, too, but it's mostly to
watch us, kids. When he wants to swim
he goes to the Sand Pit. You know that
stump right at the edge of the Stump Hole ?
I'm going to jump off from that didn't t
ever jump from it yet. I'm going to land
on my stomach"
"Won't it knock your breath out p [
asked.
"Nol 'Tain't that far up. Dean, he
jumps off. He lands on his stomach. He
said Gee, that feels funny Dean, he
jumps off sometimes and turns fipfop
right in the air. Turns fipfop right in
the air, and comes down on his back
Reminiscent silence by the little boy.
Then:
II tell you, you want to keep moving
around when you're down in the Stump
Hole; if you don't the minnies bite you !
Gee! You re sitting there quiet, and first
thing you know you feel something nibble !
And you think it's real big fish. But
it ain t; it. s just the minnies. They aren't
a bit afraid; keep still minute, and they
come right at you He paused, then he
said: "There ain't any step at the
Stump Hole any more. Did 1 tell you what
a step-off isY' | was little doubtful
about it.
''Well, you see, STEP off-that where
it gets deep all of a sudden. You'll be
walking along real careful, and all at once
your foot goes way down deep, and you re
way down in the water before you know
it. Gee p
"What became of the step-off?" I
asked with interest
"Don't know. Sand washed into it,
maybe"
"I don't s'pose l do swim very good
yet" he went on with regretful honesty.
"Someway, don't seem to know quite
how to make my arms go back, I just pad
die, dog-fashion I don have to hold my
nose with my hand any more, though,
when I go under water" he added, bright
ening. 81 can just put my head under,
and not choke bit. Oh. sometimes [
choke. Sometimes I kind of forget, and
breathe before I get clear up But can
hear under water. Why today I had my
head under water, aud one of the boys yelled,
and I heard him p
The boy gave himself up to an ecstasy
of recollection. ''It's fun to play alliga-
tor" he said presently. "Do you know
how?" had to confess my ignorance.
"Well, you see, one fellow dives, and
he has to stay under water and catch another
fellow, and he has to stay under water, too
so you see, they both have to dive at
once-and one fellow, he tries to keep out
of the way. It's deep enough to play alliga-
tor down at the Stump Hole. Only you
scrape your knees on the bottom some.
But that don't hurt. | dived once. My
head went right into the gravel. 1t didn't
hurt, though-just felt kind of mashy, and
then all slipped away"
The little boy yawned. He was very
little boy. Presently he came and stood
by my side rubbing his eyes.
'Tm afraid it will be rainy day to-mor-
row. said.
His face fell for an instant. Then he
said optimistically, ooh, well, that won't
make any difference. l can go swimming
anyhow. I'll take the umbrella along to
keep my clothes dry, and I dom care if it
does rain on my skin. He put his arms
around my neck and gave me an affection
ate hug.
81 guess I'll go to bed now," he said
watched him march sturdily off upstairs,
whistling.
And tomorrow 1 am surely going down
to the Stump Hole to see the little boy
swim.