Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-09-22
By E. KINGLAND WILLIAMS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Up to a certain date / had always
beer skeptical of remarkable happen
ings. | was converted by an occur
renee which If told me by my most
trusted friend / would not have be-
lieved. And my conv ersion was the
more complete since the marvellous
episode turned the current of my whole
life and made husband and father of
bachelor. At any rate, don't care
to hear people sneer at improbabilities
or at persons who vouch for them.
was thirty years old and confirm
ad bachelor. In fact, considered my
self especially fitted for single life.
Whether or no was fitted to be mar
ried never occurred to me. Doubtless
If had thought of that side of the
proposition l should have considered
that If had chosen to marry | would
make Il model husband. But no mar
riage for mel Why should man give
mp his freedom to suffer the annoy
anccs of mutrimony?
But II doesn't make any difference
what II mans opinion Is of matrimony.
If he happens TO be struck by matri-
Iuenial lightning he succumbs Ike any
one else 1t was mt the seashore that
the bolt fell upon me, and forgot all
about my prenuptial prejudlces. In
iced, began to worry and fret and
fume for fear that matrimony would
be denied me, for there was just one
woman In the world l wished to mar
ry, and II didn't get her life would
no more be worth living.
was standing on the beach one
bright morning where the blue waves
were rolling in merrlly looking at the
bathers. A lady, young, rather pretty
and whose superb figure was shown to
advantage by becoming bathing suit,
walked leisurely down to the waters
edge and stood looking out upon the
s enc before her Each wave that
came up sent line of white frOth to
clasp her ankles. A breeze played with
Der skirt. Then she walked out to a
greater depth, Owed under an incom-
Ing wave and appeared beyond 1t
swimming like a dolphin.
watched for the lady when she
came out OF the ocean and saw her go
into o little cottage built up against
the dunes. The door closed behind
her, but her image had been left with
me. | saw her again the same even
ing supporting an old lady, doubtless
her mother, on the board walk. This
time | had n good view OF her face,
and melancholy resting upon 1t only
added TO my suddenly awakened inter
est Possibly any other expression
would have served the same purpose,
f." when II mans Imagination has
been klndled by the spark Of love any
trait the fair one possesses is either
thrilling or delightful and usually both.
! secured an Introduction to Miss
Hoarletta Chamberlln and was gra-
81 "sly accorded permission to call at
thu cottage. where she lived with her
mother and younger brother. Every
member OF the family seemed to be
under a melancholy induced by some
misfortune. The natural disposition
common to them all I Judged to be
genial and happy. But II at any time
any or all became exhilarated some
rloset skeleton would thrust itself in
upon their merrlmcnt and hush It,
Thinking to learn something about
them, questioned persons with whom
they were acquainted. But no one
knew them any better than l. When
the Chamberlins we're asked where
they hailed from they gave evasive an
swers, stating usually that at present
they were unsettled. or all the per-
sons with whom they became Intimate
during their sOjOurn at the seashore
not one could give any account Of
them.
For time this mystery put damp
er on my enthusiasm with regard to
Miss Chamberlin. But It was taking
one step forward to two backward |
was becoming rapidly enthralled and
soon got beyond any question Of expe-
diency Then, too. the seashore Is n
dangerous place for those who wish to
keep out Of loves whirlpool Though
the waters look cool and tempting,
there are sea pussies that are liable TO
whirl one beyond ones depth.
Miss Chamberlin and were stand
ing one moonlight night just above the
highest line Of foam when one Of these
pussles came up and carried up into a
boundless ocean Of torture-or was 1t
water fay that did the damage2 At
all events while we were looking at
the moons simmer on the water,
changing with the light clouds that
Hoated lazily over her face, something
took AWAY all my caution, and pour.
ed forth an unprecedented story Of
love.
Instead OF exciting pleasure / saw
under the moonlight shining full In
ner face the melancholy she usually
wore intensified.
~ have been wenk," she said. mo
woman can fail 10 see love before 1t IL
,Apressed should have repealed
you"
"WhyT ! asked, overwhelmed by q
yrlevOus disappointment.
HaE.