Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-10-27

sea water. My aunt had charge of us
girls and considered herself response
BILE for us. She used to sit on the beach
watching us.
I was wading one day In water up
to my waist. wore a little gold
cross about my neck and had lost 1t.
While looking for It'll could have seen
It on the bottom-I went down into
deep water.
/ had been swimming n good deal
and was tired. They say that swim
ming is the hardest exercise one can
take. At any rate. In trying TO swim
back to shallow water | found that |
didn't move ut all got frightened.
| and this made matters worse The
tide was settling down to the south
and was moving me with it-not far.
but proximity makes little difference
when one Is powerless. called to my
aunt, but she did not hear me or was
not aware OF my condition. for she
made no move to help or call on any
one to help me.
What an awful thing IL Is to be in
danger Of drowning and see some one
looking at you. thinking that you are
enjoying yourself.
But there was one Of more expe-
rience In such matters who did see
me- Near by was pier extending
out into the ocean, and on that pier
was a man. He was standing over
deep water some twenty feet above
| the surface He was in shirt waist
costume saw him jump feet fore
most and swim for me. l went down
before he reached me- but only for
moment. | felt his hand under my
arm. We rose to the surface. and q
| few strokes carried us to shallow wa
| ter.
One would suppose that my first feel
ings would be gratitude to the man
who had helped me. Singularly enough,
what l thought about was my lost
cross, a little gold trinket not worth
So. AS soon as got my breath said:
''Oh. my crossI l fear 1 shall never
see 1t again.
your cross?"
"Yes. dropped 1t near here. was
looking for 1t when stepped beyond
my depth"
He cast his eye about him and, sud
denly thrusting his hand down for
an object glistening in the sunlight,
picked up my cross and handed it to
me-
1t was impossible for me. dressed as
the man was. to tell to what class he
belonged. He might be boatman or
a fisherman or follow any calling per-
tanning to the water. He certainly
swan like a duck. l hesitated a mo-
ment about offering him money for
having helped me out Of deep water.
but finally as we walked UP on to the
beach | said. IF you will call at the
Arlington hotel shall have something
for you"
Eat what hour?" he asked.
"WelI, say directly after luncheon" I"
He took of his hat to me and walked
away, doubtless to get on dry clothes.
After luncheon l went to my room
for a rest. which greatly needed !
was falling into doze when waiter
raped at the door and said that a
man was below who said had asked
him to call. went to my trunk.
where / kept my money. took out a
ten dollar bill and told the waiter to
give 1t to the man below. The waiter
went downstairs. but soon returned
with the bill.
HE says 1t isn't enough. miss"
was rather taken aback; but, going
again to my trunk. l got out another
ten dollar bill and sent 1t with the
first. But the waiter came back. as be-
fore, with the message. mot enough.
kept sending additional bills until ]
had sent $50. but they all came back
with the same message. At last. Ftold
the waiter to ask the man what would
satisfy him. The reply came back:
The little gold Cross"
My surprise at this was greater than
before. The man had declined $50
and asked for gold cross which. as !
have said. was not worth s.. i had
no especial attachment TO the trinket.
so handed 1t TO the waiter and told
him to give 1t to the man below.
l may have been stupid about 1t. but
couldn't understand the matter at
all. Why man who would take re-
ward for saving "A life. should decline
a substantial one for a girls ornament
couldn't imagine. But / was very
tired and went to sleep thinking about
1t.
Well. / didn't see the man any more
on the beach. nor anywhere else for
that matter. One evening we went
over to the Bellevue for the dance
there. One of the girls said that a
yachting party Of young men were to
be there. and we all got our prettiest
costumes. When we reached the Belle
rue the hop was in full swing but
the yachtsmen had not appeared
Presently they came in.
We'll. / declare" I exclaimed. turn
ing red as a beet on seeing one Of them
/ there. 'if that isn't the man who took
my cross as a reward for saving me-"
That" said a lady standing near.
"is the yachts owner; he's a triple mil
Iionaire"
He saw me and came right up TO
me. tried TO slip away. for my
cheeks were flaming. but be was too
spry for me. Holding out my cross.
ha eoFd.