Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-10-25

speak as one who has been caught II
the tolls Of the watery element Yor
have had what swimmers call scare
One who has suffered from fright II
the water will never get over It. Once
conscious of its terrible grip. one car
never be induced to trust it again."
"You are right" she said "rhe re
lentlessness of any inanimate force 1.
terrible. but 1t seems to me that the
power Of water Is the most terrible ol
all. How can people cross and recros:
the ocean? 1t would seem that one
ship being sucked down into the NAV
Of the monster would be enough to de
ter others from trusting themselves
upon its treacherous BOSOM"
Warrington was sure that the lady
had experienced some mishap TO give
her this dread of the water and was
curious to know the incident But he
was too well bred to ask direct ques
ton. Moreover. 1t occurred 10 him that
possibly II might have given her @
mental as well as a physical SHOCK
from which she had never recovered
~ have had" she went on. what
you call II scare. II gave me an incur
able dread Of water. but in itself II
gradually passed into comparative un
Importance There was that connected
with II which has affected my whole
life"
"Indeedw
| The word Indeed" Is an extremely
well bred expression and means moth
ing II doesn't trespass on any ones
feelings. asks no questions. invites con
tidence only II the confder Is minded
- give II and leaves him or her 10
proceed or turn the subject at will II
is one of the most useful words in the
English dictionary.
| When ] was girl WAS sitting one
evening on Il ru X viewing scene like
this. so enrapturcd that was uncon.
sciOuS OF the tide rising behind me.
was already cut Off when young man
not only warned me. but saved me-
Only fortunate circumstance enabled
us to get to the shore"
| She shuddered and continued:
mot for the world would | dwell on
that occurrence. 1t is Of what followed
that am going to speak. In novels
when young man saves girl from a
catastrophe they love and marry. In
my case romance was started that
was continuous, leaving me with old
age before me without single com.
panion. ! could never forget my res
cuer. but my rescuer apparently never
considered me In any other light than
rs one he had rescued. At any rate
he never sought me out. never came
| near me. had number of excellent
| offers, but my mind had become alb.
sorbed with one person. and would
yield to none other. And here am al
nearly fifty years Of age, desolate be,
cause man saved me from drowning
| would prefer that he had left me to
| have been engulfed."
After this burst Of confidence the
lady suddenly remembered that she
was giving It to a stranger. There
was Il momentary silence. at the end
Of which Warrington was about to
speak. when she forestalled him.
II dare say" she said, that you are
| surprised at my revealing to one
have never met before SO sacred an e1-
perience. Perhaps you will not be-
lieve me when tell you that till this
moment | have kept the secret in my
own bosom from every living soul
When came upon you just now this
scene brought back the incident Of my
| youth. and certain kindliness l saw
in your eye invited me for once to
open the fOodgates and permit the
long pent up waters to flow forth"
Madam" said Warrington. IL am
aware of that propensity engrafted In
humanity to confide. In this case you
could not have con6ded In person
/ UctISE CdlCuIdtcu " SOhoOAC y0o. ~ &C
said that misery loves company. You
and l, having been made miserable by
the same incident. should love each
others company for the rest Of our
lives"
"Indeedm said the lady, In her turn
using that convenient word.
Thirty years ago l saved q girl
from drowning Unfortunately l was
SO cursed sensitive that feared to
make any advance whatever lest she
should think l was presuming upon
my service at having saved her. l did
not see her again for some time after
we left the water, and when / met hel
on her face was a scowl."
He paused. and the two regarded
each other intently. Suddenly the
lady burst forth reproachfully:
why shouldn't she have scowled
Hadn't you ignored herr"
And so It was that lady, not recog
nizing the man who had condemned
her to spinsterhood. told him frankly
the story of her life. 1t was the be
ginning Of the end for both Of them
A romance that had endured for thirty
years was at last ended In realism
that Is to say. marriage.