Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-06
MY WATER SPRITE-


rowing on the little lake around which .
all the hotels were conferred, | passed
a girl in another boat. who looked at .
me for a moment scutinizingly and .
seemed about TO bow to me. But since
did not remember ever having seen .
her before and supposed she was mis- /
taking me for some one else l gave her /
no encouragement. In other words, /
treated her as a stranger. Since we
faced each other as We receded we
did not pass out of each others sight
for some time. and | could see on her
features the sensitiveness of a girl who
has spoken TO the wrong man.
1t is not to be expected that such an
incident as this occurring TO one who
has nothing to do but enjoy himself
would pass out of mind / must meet
that girl and learn whether it was she
or | who had made a mistake. ] had
not seen her at my hotel: therefore |
assumed that she was stopping at some
of the others. There were more than
half a dozen hotels in the vicinity, and
l feared that TO find a person whose
summer residents would be like look
ing for a needle in haystack.
But what trouble will man not take
in an adventure of this kind. especially
when he has nothing else to do? l
made the rounds of the hotels. begin
ming in the morning. when the guests
first come out on the porch to sun
themselves, spending some time on
each porch looking for my water sprite.
as called her. but luck was not with
me. and at the end of the first day l
had not seen her.
| spent four days of two weeks va
cation going the rounds Of the hotels.
instead of devoting myself to such
summer sports as were at hand. look
ing for girl in whom / could have no
interest except that she had supposed
she was passing some one she knew.
In the evening of the fourth day |
went to a dance at one of the hotels,
and as / was sailing around in the
waltz there suddenly appeared over
the shoulder of her partner the face of
my water sprite.
Dreading to lose her, ! would have
been glad to drop the girl with whom
was dancing and keep my object in
sight. but l had just begun TO dance,
and experience with my partner had
taught me that she would keep the
/ floor as long as the music lasted And
( she did. 1t was fully ten minutes be-
| fore was released. and then she said
! she must go out on to the porch for
/ some cool air What could | do? |
/ proved myself a gentleman. wishing all
| the while that l was boor BY the
time the girl was ready for the next
>dance-with another partner. thank
heaven-nearly half an hour had pass
ed Then it was too late. | hunted
everywhere for my water sprite. but
did not find her. If the girl had been
dancing with had known my feelings
toward her for OBTAINING me l would
have had another adventure on my
hands not so attractive as the first.
The next morning. passing the land
ing of one of the hotels. ! saw the girl
| sought. in a charming rowing cos
tune, step into a boat and pull out
into the lake l Immediately made ap-
gagged. The girl | wished TO follow
could see me wildly running about try
ing 70 get a boat. and. though was
not near enough to see. fancied there
was an amused smile on her face
Then she disappeared behind an island,
and l ground my teeth.
Several times after this 7 met her.
and every time it was my misfortune
to be so situated that could not reach
her showed so much temper over
my disappointments that at last. when
! was suffering under one of them. her
face broke into pleasant smile. There
is nothing Il girl likes so we'll as to
be chased, and, instead of helping the
chaser to reach her. she will throw
obstacles in his way.
| learned enough of the girl who
knew me and whom did not know
to be assured that she was devoted to
boating. Indeed. had seen her on
the water, shooting along like the
sprite for which | bad named her
So / resolved TO spend n day on the
lake in boat trusting II would give
me an opportunity TO catch her. l
hired a boat at o'clock in the morn
Ing and. taking a luncheon resolved
not to come off the water till dinner
time in the evening.
| had not been out long before my
girl passed me just as she had done at
our first meeting For "a moment we
looked at each other. surprised: then.
with a tantalizing smile on her lips.
she gave two or three vigorous strokes
that carried her away from me.
She had an advantage Of me in this.
To follow her was obliged to turn.
and. not being a skilled oarsman. in
stead Of backing water with one oar
and giving way with the other. made
considerable curve. After had
turned ! had another disadvantage In
having my back to the girl. while she
had her face TO me. was Obliged To
stop rowing for moment to see where
she was and saw her short distance
away resting on her oars
Thinking that she had decided to
grant me an Interview, L puneu iVi
her. and when thought had reached
the point where / had seen her / stop