Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1912-03-01

with a look of dread and by clinglng
closer to him.
I'VE were bathing" the man continu-
ed. "The waves were running high.
and we had been advised not to go |
in. The beach was shelving and the
undertow strong. Both good swim !
mers. we delighted in buffeting the |
huge rollers. and when women and
children were dancing in the shallow
foam or a few clinging to the rope
squatting to let an expended breaker
sprinkle their shoulders. we walked
hand in hand out to meet the advanc-
ing monsters, at first turning sidewise
to let them pass us, then jumping
above them and at last diving under
them. In this way we got beyond
their white names and swan. now
buoyed up toward the sky and now
lowered toward the bottom of sand.
"Oh. the exhilaration of sporting on
the monsters backs! They were our
playfellows. tossing us like friendly
giants, whose laugh is a roar. We
swan side by side on our chests. on
our sides. on our backs, under the sur
face Why should we fear our enor-
nous comrades? When they threw us
UP we knew that they would break
our fall when we came down. as q
strong man will catch child.
But, when looked and saw that We
were drifting, suddenly l became con
scious that the pillows would not help
us back. 1t was than that their merci-
less nature first struck me. We stop
ped our play and struck out for the
shore But we gained nothing against
the current setting seward. Then
you, darling. became frightened.
strove to encourage you. l assisted
you with one arm. while l swan with
the other. When we rose upon wave
we could see that our danger was
known to those on the beach. The
bathing master had plunged in and was
coming for us, while others were try
ing to launch IA boat. But the bathing
master could not reach us. Now and
again, despite my support, you sank
beneath the surface; then all grew
black
He ceased, while the two chung tC
each other as if they were again sink
ing under their playfellows. whose
merciless nature they had not under
stood TIL their own welfare came in
conflict with their inorganic force.
But you were saved at last?" gasp
ed, shuddering. THE boat reached yol
and took you in!'
There was no reply. The couple
passed on, moving in that same undu
latiug motion with which they had ap
preached. watched them till the.
turned to ascend the cemetery hill
Then the moon seemed to so under
black cloud and
1t was near dawn when felt shak
and something hot pouring down N.
throat. Then | knew that l was beini
chafed. l was lifted up, rugs We're pu
about me. and was placed in som
sort of conveyance, for | heard tn
sound of wheels and felt a jolting
Now and again liquor was poure
down my throat till the vehicle STOP
ped and ! was carried into a warn
room, and hot water bags We're place.
baaiue me. Then opened my eyes Gn
saw that was at home.
KS soon as was able to talk wa
asked how and why had collapsed OF
tho road. Had | been struck. had
felt illness coming on?
1t is difficult for me to explain thai
shrinking from giving the true caus
Z Of MY breakdown. Was it "A dread o
being considered insane? Did | fea
| irG hr =,
% nervous weakness Was il n dislike t
| talk about my frightful experience? Al
4 these causes were mingled. The onl
reason | gave was that | had bee
J. walking on the road and supposed
T. must have received a stroke.
a But a physician declared he csul'
r not find that any portion Of my phys
: zeal makeup had given way. The onl
J. danger had incurred was that o
:. freezing. My dog had gone home with
:, out me and barked at the door. NJ
e brother, hearing him, had got up to lie
!. me in, supposing that l had left M
J. night key at home. When he Opene
t the door the dog ran away, barking
D now and again running back to th
house, then starting on. My brother
@ realizing that the dog was trying t
: persuade him to follow, put on his Goa
o aud hat and was conducted to me
lying on the road. l was nearly frozen
Il Within few hours after my arriva
= at home was as well as ever-that is
t. bodily. Mentally | had received
Ii shock Those about me. seeing that
II did not wish to be questioned abou
/ the cause of my trouble. refrained.
$ One day heard that the bodies of
:. young man and IL young woman wit
+ had been drowned during the previou
Il season had been recovered. They hat
been thrown in a sort of cove during
II storm and were found so tightly locke,
in each others arms that they wer
G separated with difficulty. They wer
taken to the cemetery on the hill ant
s buried there
h One would suppose that would nov
o say something about my meeting a
). midnight. The discovery only drew nj
e ne tighter within myself. Not for tn,
e world would | be pointed out as tn
o man whose brains had suddenly givel
way and had supposed he had met wit
p supernatural experience. | rattle