Rock Island Argus., 1911-10-16

: wonderful that a girl should see the
man she will marry than that mes
sages may be sent through the air
without even a wire TO conduct them ?"
Il never thought of that"
IF l were you. coming as you are
to a marriageable age. l would try
to get glimpse OF him"
"How?'
"Oh. ar II o'clock on Halloween
night start somewhere The first un-
married man you meet you will mar
ry."
Where shall I go?"
81 have 1t. Go out on the water.
have a small motorboat. which will
lend you. You can run it, can't you:"
Yes, ma'am.'
well, come here just before IL
o'clock The moon will be nearly full.
/ will start you out on the water. You
will pass but one persona man in
boat. He will be your husband"
The innocent creatures face beamed
with pleasure. She regarded what l
told her as proba BILE, as ! had myself
many years before considered 1t possi-
BILE that with a bit OF wedding cake
under my pillow l would see my own
future mate.
"He will be working at something"
1 continued. ''but l can't just tell you
what. You shall see for yourself"
"Oh. dearPA she gasped. putting ber
hand to her heart. DO you really
mean it?"
Come at half past TO-
The next afternoon / saw Ned, who
had just awakened from his days
slumber, and stopped to ask him how
many mackerel he had taken the night
before. He told me. and led the con-
versation about through various
themes till finally broke away from
what 1 was speaking of, saying:
by the bye. Ned. do you know that
tomorrow night is Halloween"
II didn't know it," he said.
"You don't believe In such things.
do your"
I'm not a child"
"well, child or no child, on Hallow-
cen the girl you are to marry will ap-
pear to you while you are working
with your nets"
He smiled with the look OF one who
took but little interest in the matter
Of Halloween. but would not be
averse to seeing a sweetheart
Remember" I added. moving on.
81 tell you your future wife will sail
past you tomorrow night"
Mermaid on a seashell?" he called
after me-
I gave him no reply. All was work
ing well for my plan. l only hoped
that the weather would be propitous.
for should 1T storm or the sea be bols-
ferrous all would be spoiled.
AS / expected, when Myra came to
me on Halloween she was as be-
comingIy dressed as her scanty ward
robe would admit. l had procured n
flower during the day, which ] put in
her hair. and replaced her tawdry wrap
with a white sweater. The. nights
are chill on Casco bay, even in sum-
mer. and in October they are cold. But
Myra had the warm blood of youth in
her veins. and ] knew a sweater
would keep her perfectly comfortable.
Fortunately there was no wind, and
the sky was covered only by broken
clouds that rendered the heavens more
beautiful, lighted. as they were. by
the moon.
took my charge down to a stony
beach. where, there being only a long.
low ocean swell, had moored it. She
got in, and as 7 pressed her hand at
starting | noticed that she was thrilled
with emotion. | pushed off the boat.
telling her TO steer for the north point
of Ragged island. / could myself see
Ned's boat between me and the point.
but Myra was so excited that she was
Oblivious to it. AS ! saw her sail out
into the moonlight / sent prayer after
her that she would find husband and
happiness.
OF her appearance 70 the fisherman
I learned afterward from himself.
II confess" he said that until ] got
to work setting my nets | thought Of
what you had told me. though / did
not dream of its coming 20 pass. but
as soon as / was busy | forgot all
about it. Then ! heard the explosions
Of motorboat. Boats are rare out
there except in summer. and / won
1ered who was coming. When the boat
came near me ] looked up. and there,
her face lighted by the moon. standing
with one hand on the tiller. was Myra
Crofts. I was taken fat aback.
"'Why. Myra,' ! exclaimed. what
brings you out here in the night all
alone"
she answered never a word. Just
ooking at me strangely out OF her
Eyes, as though moved by some deep
ceiling Her boat passed mine and,
urning. moved in the moons simmer
oward the narrow waterway between
n
{ go through and turn northward.
doubtless to the anchorage cove a 1T
le farther up"
II was Myra's faith that she had
een the man she was to marry that
brought success TO nv scheme. Ned
.Ould not resist her inpocent belief
rhe next spring he pair were married.
nd ! was much interested spectator