Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-10-15

mermaid will be seen singing on a rock
ont in the bay. Some will laugh at the
tale others will 60 out in boats to test
its truth. Then. after week when
the controversy and excitement is at its
height. the mermaid viii proclaim her
! identity with Miss Gem Wheeler, of the
London and provincial halls, and or.
ganizer of the Black Pierrettes. How's
thai for an advertisement -
Gem was a strong swimmer or else
| the feat would have been impossible. AS
| ii was, she felt thoroughly spent when
! she at last reached her goal and clam
bered on to low point, standing bv it
self well out to sea.
Her heart beat quickly as she took
off her bathing cap and extrasied the
small parcel secured within. In tive
minutes the shiny, sealy costume it CON
tanned had been slipped over her bath
| ing dress. When she had unloosened her
golden shower of hair, Gem looked the
very presenUment of the fabulous mer-
maid as she sat in the faint moonlight.
| Combing her hair, the girl began to
sing. But not many minutes had passed
before she realized the first flaw in her
plan. She began to grow chilly. and. al.
though there were several boats in the
! bay, her silvery voice was not strong
enough to carry in their direction.
| At last it seemed to the shivering GIRL
| that one boat was lacking nearer to the
rock.
II must attract attention for one mo-
ment at any price!" she reflected, and,
suiting the action to the thought, she
U'+ered piercing shrek.
She waited for several SECONDS. and
oil l..
eally heading her way, she began again
! to sing.
! Presently voice that seemed vaguely
familiar hailed her out of the darkness,
All right Hold on, and I'll be there
in a moment" it shouted.
| The words We're barely uttered when
there vas . seraning and grinding, fol
lowed by a dreadful ripping sound, and
| the bottom of the boat was suddenly
stove in on the submerged reef
The man disappeared with the frag-
ments into the boiling wash of waters,
ITO reappear minute later, dark,
dripping mass. As the wave threw him
against the rock, he managed to pull
himself up into safety. Thus Gem saw
| his face for the first time. 1t was Tom
Eton
Both started at each other in astonish-
mcnt. Then Gem recovered her voice
How dare you!" she stormed.
/ Eton, in his turn, looked with be-
wildement at her spangled costume.
/ Il don't ask peoples permission to
save their lives!" he said sulkiIy Il
heard some one scream, saw something
white, and came on. / forgot these
sunken rocks"
Isn't it enough that you, a gentle
man busking for the fun, should ruin
my show, without trying to spoil my
advertisement? ?"
Eton passed his hand over mis- brow.
so that's how the land lies? - he said
softly Miss Wheeler. you're under a
wrong impression. I'm no moneyed man
of leisure; Pm a poor beggar of an out
of-work clerk, and | should be on the
streets if | hadn't started this job. But
would have gone away swear it.
Iif I'd the faintest suspicion / was in
liuring you! Will you believe me. and
shake hands 2"
His voice was so genuine that Gem
| impulsively put out her hand
They had barely completed their com
pact before they were startled by a flash
from the shore Something seemed to
cleave the water with terrible velocity
"What is it ?" shrieked Gem Are we
in danger?"
Very serious danger" said Elton
| gravely, realizing that it was useless to
disguise the truth. you've chosen
dangerous spot, They're practicing from
the fort and they're taking the glim-
mer of your dress for their mark
\ second shot plowed the water
Can you swim back the way you
Icame y shouted Eton
Gem looked behind her, and shook her
head, with a shudder. The tide had
risen rapidly.
Then she realized that Elton had taken
of his cloak and had wrapped it round
her, hiding her cleaning scales
There's one chance" he said III
shout. That may fetch them"
Gem dimly remembered that. in the
bills, her rival had been starred as the
Human Foghorn, but the puff did not
prepare her for the tremendous volume
of sound that issued from his lungs.
stop firing! Stop tiring!" he bel
lowed
The only answer was third shot.
that sent up fountain of water so near
to the shrinking couple that Gem tainted
from shock and fright.
When she opened her eyes she realized
that Elton had made good his boast, for
he and she We're safe in a boat, pulled
by friendly hands.
Both the PierTettes and the Toreadors
reaped a grand advertisement from their
adventure, but they shared it together
for they amalgamated their forces. And
the wedding of Tom Eton to Gem
Wheeler, which took place later. was
one of the events of the Saltsea season.
London Answers
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