Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1913-10-23
TRAINING A BUMP"
BY JOHN PHILIP ORTIZ.

Where are the ~life-savers!"
II wasn't at the s%eashore, but at
quiet inland lake fronting a big sum
mer hotel. There were forty or fifty
guests in bathing when the shouts AND
struggles Of a young man who had
been too ~venturesome suddenly at
tracted attention.
OF the people in the water not more
than half could swim. OF the hall
that could every n hesitated. There
is more peril in seeking to rescue a
drowning man than rushing into a
burning building. A drowning man
grapples you. He fights you. lie pulls
you down. And, too, the alarm al
ways comes SO suddenly that its ma
ture Is not comprehended fora mo-
ment.
The lookers-on were screaming and
shouting, but no one In the water 60
ing to the rescue. Then a girl who
had Just donned her bathing suit came
| running along the beach and plunged
In and swan for the sinking man.
She went through the water like a
power-boat and the watchers called to
each other:
That's the Waverly girl. She will
save him!"
When she had brought the man into
shallower water there was help
enough extended, and his unconscious
body was soon at the hotel and under
the care of the doctors. The Waverly
girl was cheered, but she seemed rath-
er more Disguised than pleased. She
had saved the life Of Alger Montague,
and Alger was the son of his widowed
mother and a pet. He was twenty
three years old; he had that tired
feeling" He was also bored with life.
He went about with a weary air and
announced that there were so many
"gurls" after him that "weally, doncher
know it gave him a pain!
Miss Beatrice Waverly was also at
the hotel. Her mother was also a
widow. An introduction had come
about there was one who wished
it hadn't. That n was young Alger.
Miss Beatrice sized him up at once.
She had no use for his kind. Half
a day after the introduction he found
her in a shady nook reading q book.
"Ah, there, Miss Waverly, won't
you throw aside your book and enter
tain a fellah!"
Il think am more interested in
the book was the freezing reply.
But what's a fellah to do. ye
know"
You might sit on the shore 81 the
lake and lick %pebbles!"
Some fellahs would take that as a
cut" he said. trying to laugh, but |
sha'n't. / fawncy hat We are going
TO like each other, doncher know"
mo, / don't know any such thing!"
she retorted; and she closed her book
and left him.
All a bluff" he chuckled, as he
looked after her. She just wants me
to think she's coy. oh. the gurls-the
gurls!"
And it was this young mans life
that Miss Beatrice had saved. 1t
wouldn't have come about but for his
playing the fool with another young
lady. He had boasted to her that he
could swim across the lake, and when
asked to make his word good he had
padded III beyond the safety line
and got a cramp and been brought
ashore almost dead.
You don't like him." said Mrs.
Waverly to her daughter. but let him
down easy"
Hes a young man that needs TAX
ing down a few pegs!" answered
Beatrice. But let some one else do
If he's spoiled it's his mothers
fault, but I'm not going to tell her So"
OF 'course, after the ~life-saving came
the thanks. Miss Beatrice lodged the
saved young man. because she had an
object In view. In a day or two, how
ever, she let him discover" her half
a mile from the hotel and his mother.
She was skipping clamshells on the
of the water when he came
up with extended hand.
Bal George, but doncher knaw I've
been looking everywhere for you,"
No. | didn't know it," she replied.
1T was fierce of you-weally it was.
How did you yer come to do it,"
Because l didn't know who 1t
"Oh, you cawn't make me believe
WEAKLY cawn't!"
III l had known it was you |
wouldn't have moved a hand or FOOT"
Lard bless mel"
MIR. Montague sit down here a mo-
nent, will you? Now, then, what
part Of England were you born in?"
why. me deah gurl-!"
That's enough of that"
But i wasn't born in England at
But why do you ape the ways OF
Lard bless me. but"
Give me a plain answer"
Well. the jolly fcllahs at my club
10 Il, and"
And 8 you play the brninless fool
because some one else does!"
WEAKLY, Miss--I-I-"
ssA~s x.- N.In- a.