Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-18

prosrated with the agonlzing sus- pense she had suffered. As for the little boy himself, he was not seriously the worse for his experience. The doc tor was with him and said that he would be as well as ever in few hours. A subscription for the mother and child had already been started among the first class passengers and would probably be made up to quite a good sum.
 But what is going to be done for the one who saved the little boys life?" l asked the man who was tell ing me the news. Mir Doremus, who Is cousin of Mrs. Van der Windt's. very full of fun and good natured.
 "A nice little pedestal labeled Our Hero will be built out of the ladies' admiration and given to him to pose on," said MT. Doremus. However, I must say for the gentleman-though I've only seen him dripping wet and shaking himself like big dog-he didn't give me the impression of being the sort of chap to say thank you for the perch"
 ''Of course he isn'tw said l. But do think it's shame if he's left out when subscriptions are going round. Of course he must be poor or he wouldn't be travelling in the steeraga. Something ought to be done to show him that the passengers admire his bravery - not anything fulsome, but something nice"
 'I guess you don't know the Amer ic;ln disposition yet as well as you will after you've wrestled with it on its native heath fer few months," re- marked MT. Doremus in his quaint way. That chap down in the steer age is an American, whatever else he may be, or I'll eat my best hat, and wouldn't for five cents be in the depu- tation to present him with the some thing not fulsome,. but nice on lit tie silver salver. I should expect him to give me the frosty mitt."
 This expression struck me as being so funny that I burst out laughing though I had to stop and think for second before I could quite see what Mir. Doremus really meant, but ] wouldn't forget my point in laugh.
 Perhaps it wouldn't do to offer money" I went on. Suppose we got up subscription to buy him second class passage for the rest of the way. That would show appreciation. wouldn't it."
 Ut would" replied MT. Doremus gravely. "and if you'll start the sub scription, Lady Betty, it'll go like wild, fire"
 Very well, then, I will" said I, though I'd rather some one else did it.'
 Tt wouldn't be so popular from any ,iher quarter. I'll help you. We'll go
 1ating around together and pass the
 ate. and if you like I'll do the talk &g."
 agreed to this, and if I'd thought about it at all should have supposed that Mrs. Ess Kay would be as pleased as Punch with such an ar rangement, because MT. Doremus, as a relative of Mrs. Van der Windt's, is the only man on board to whom she makes herself agreeable. It appears that he has started several fashions in New York. the most important be- ing to drive in some park they have there without hat. But probably if the truth were known he lost it, like the fox that tried to make his friends chop off their tails.
 Mrs. Ess Kay had gone to her state room soon after lunch, as the motion of the ship had given her headache. and I didn't happen to be near Sally Woodburn. So I said yes" to MT. Doremus on the impulse of the mo- ment without stopping to think wheth- CT I ought to ask permission first.
 We had great fun going about, for MT. Doremus was so witty and said such amusing things to the people he begged of that l could hardly speak for laughing, and every one else laugh ed too. I wished that he wouldn't put me forward always and say it was my idea and I had started the subscrip- tion. But he argued that must sac riice myself for the success of the charity just as l would at home if l had to work off damaged pincushions 1o r'd ri ot bazaar. Of course. not being out, I've never sold anything at bazaar, but Victoria is continually doing it in the season, and she makes quite q virtue of forcing perfect strangers to stand and deliver" as she calls it. This seemed much the same sort of thing to me, and so I felt nice and virtuous, too, as Vic does when she comes home with a new frock torn and stepped on and lies in bed late next day, with Thompson to brush her hair and me to read to her.
 People were very kind, and, though they laughed great deal, they gave so much that before we'd been half the rounds Mir Doremus said we had more than enough for our friend. He wanted to know if 1 would like to Init the nail on the head and settle mat ters at once by arranging with the purser for a second class cabin to be put at the hero's disposal l wanted him to do that part alone, but he pre- tended to be shy and said be had grown to depend so entirely on my CO., operation that he felt unequal to un- dertaking. any responsibility without it. He told the same story to the