Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-09-10

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airy Press.)
! DR.. Hargraves, retired and said to
be wealthy, had more or less bust
ness to do with certain safe deposit
company. He thus came to know
young Austen Parker. There came
to be a social as we'll as business
side, and after a time Mr.. Parker
was caller at the house.
DR.. Hargraves was widower and
in poor health The Light Of his eve
and the JOY of his heart was his
daughter May. A sister oversaw the
house, but the doctor used to say
that his daughter oversaw him. The
friendship between them was almost
selfish. Miss Mays handsome face
attracted many, but she received
them all as callers until Mr.. Parker
came. In his case, after bit, the
father thought he detected more than
usual interest, and he was secretly
pleased. He knew that his ailment
must carry him off at the end Of a few
years, and he hoped the daughters
future would be settled before the
dark day came.
The doctor and his daughter were
at the Harbor hotel when Mr. Parker
and his mother arrived It was sim
ply chance that brought them to-
gether there, and all were pleased
over it.
A week has passed very pleasantly
when one day the doctor, Miss May
and Mr.. Austen were on the long
whorf below the hotel to sit In the
band house and enjoy the cool breeze.
There were women and children about,
and here and there man was lazely
fishing. OF a sudden woman
screamed out. Her boy of. five had
climbed the railing and fallen into
the water There were shouts and
screams from others, and a hubub all
along the wharf.
The accident occurred within thirty
feet of the band stand. Mr.. Parker
reached the railing in four or five
bounds, tore off his coat and kicked
off his shoes, and was on the point Of
leaping the rail into the water when
he suddenly halted and stepped back.
t'You can get him-you can get
him." urged the doctor as he came
up. There's his hat-there he rises!"
ooh, go-g go." called Miss May
to the man who stood wringing his
hands and his face pale as the dead.
Il can't" they heard him say.
chairman, are you going to leave
the boy to drown?" cried the doctor
in establishment and Indignation.
Mr.. Parker advanced to the railing,
looked over at the child struggling
in the water and then threw up his
hands with a groan and retreated.
He even picked up the things he had
cast off and almost ran from the
wharf. @
Splash. Splash! Splash! Three
men leaped the railing, one after
another and. as the little lad was
sinking for the third time. he was
rescued, ard there were tears. cheers
and shouts Of congratulation. The
doctor and his daughter returned to
their seats and sat for a long time
without word between them. Then
the girl asked in a hesitating way:
"Was it because Mr.. Parker can't
SWIM
"He could have got the boy and
hung to Spite until boat came
Heavens, but if had been in his
place."
"Then-then what allied him? He
seemed to be frightened"
.'He was!" was the grim reply.
Father, you can't mean"
s'But do, dear. You have only to
hear what the people around us are
saying. Too bad. feel sorry for
him. He and his mother will have to
go today"
A hundred people on the wharf
had words of praise for the three men,
and words Of censure for the one. 1t
is such times that men curse in their
Threats and women refused to forgive
A man is either recorded as hero or
a coward. If hero, it is forgotten in
day; if coward, not for years, if
ever.
Mr.. Parker hurried straight to the
hotel. People who saw him in his
flight looked and wondered Mrs.
Parker had not come out The son
burst into her room and flung him
self down and covered his face with
his hands and wept.
What is it?" she asked as she