New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-07-07
WOMAN'S WEAKNESS,
BY MARY soWEs.

cistionl
This is seashore story and Illus
trates the fact that woman is
stronger in her weakness than in her
strength.
Marcia Worthington was the crack
swimmer of the season at Cranes
Beach. She would walk into the wa
ter gracefully, skip over the first two
or three waves, take the next one or
two against her side, then, diving I'M
der big roller, swim out like a dol
phin
What splendid thing" those who
lined the beach said, for a woman
to be able to do such thing!!''
Rodney Temple was at Cranes Beach
that summer for the express purpose
of proposing to Miss Worthington.
He, too, was a swimmer, and many
were the excursions beyond the ropes
made by the two in company
That's the way for a girl to get a
husband" said a fat woman on the
overlooking pavilion. I'm going to
have my daughters learn to swim. Do
you see that timid girl over there
watching them with tears in her eyes:
She's Sally Jones. She's dead gone on
Temple, but what can she do? She
gets an occasional dance with him in
the evening or a game of tennis in the
afternoon, but the hub around which
his wheel revolves is a couple Of hours
In the morning when he can swim out
on the bouncing waves with Marcia
Worthington. Sallie hasn't ghost of
show"
But if there We're tears in Sallie's
eyes there We're schemes in her head
While she was looking at the two
symmetrical figures sporting in the
sunlight she was revolving a plan.
There wasn't much hope of success in
it, and there was some danger. 1t re-
quired peculiar kind of pluck-that
kind which one would require at jump
ing from a fifth story window into
net held by people over a stone side
walk. Sallie was not plucky, but she
would rather die than see Temple and
Miss Worthington spooning out in deep
make fight for him.
g The next mail carried an order to
the city for a bathing suit. and one
morning Sallie appeared on the beach
arrayed in it.
"Why, Miss JONES' said one, 81
thought you never bathed!''
why, Miss JONES'" said another,
you're not going in! Be careful
Don't let go the rope
Poor Sallie ran this gantlet with
heavy heart. She knew what she was
going to try to do, but didn't know if
she would have the courage at the
critical moment or if it would be of
any avail if she had. Just then Tenn
pie came down to the beach and stood
looking out over the ocean like an
Apollo. A timid voice beside him re-
called him to his surroundings "Mr.
Temple, would you mind helping me
to the raft when you go out this morn
ing?''
mind it? I'd be delighted. Why,
how-how becoming a bathing suit is
to your
Then came Miss Worthington, look
ing for all the world like Diana tread
ing the sand.
miss Jones is going out with us this
morning said Temple
The eyes Of the two girls met. Mar
cha knew that some game was intend
ed; Sallie knew that 1t would be block
od If nnccihlo Top,r1n xr,oc @1,o a~y-
stupid one Of the three. AS they walk
ed down to the water Sallie remarked
almost inaudibly that she was going
only to the raft, anchored some forty
yards out for diving purposes. Temple
and Sallie started first, and when be-
yond their depth Temple passed over
the short space remaining swimming
with one hand and supporting Sallie
with the other Just as he got her
on to the raft a graceful mermaid with
a yard and half Of hair shining be-
hind her swan past It was Marcia
There was no one besides Sallie on
the raft, and Temple didn't like to
leave her there; she looked so frail,
so frightened. He would have remain
ed, but she babe him go. ENJOY your
SWIM" she said in sad voice.
But you'll be washed off,
No; I'll hold on tight"
He followed the mermaid, swan
about with her for awhile and was
floating on his back looking up at the
heavens when he heard a scream
Turning over on his chest, he saw the
people on the shore pointing with hor-
rified looks to the raft. Like a mighty
sturgeon he made a couple Of dozen
long strokes and as he neared the
raft saw Sallie's head emerge from
the depths. She went down again, but
he dived for her, brought her up and
supported her to shallow water There
she lay in his arms, pale, helpless, un-
conscious.
Poor little girlr' he said in his
heart, and mighty interest arose in