The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-05-06
MY WATER
SPRITE
An Episode of a Sum-
mer Vacation
By F. A. mitchell


l took my summer outing in the
mountains, stopping at the Cliff House
had not been there three days when,
rowing on the little lake around which
all the hotels were centered, l 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, l
treated her as 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 constituencies 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. l must meet
that girl and learn whether it was she
or l who had made mistake. I had
not seen her at my hotel; therefore
assumed that she was stopping at some
of the others. There were more than
half dozen hotels in the vicinity, and
| feared that to find a person whose
name | did not know among so many
summer residents would be like look
ing for a needle in a haystack.
But what trouble will man not take
in an adventure of this kind, especially
when he has nothing else to do?
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
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 Il 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 dance at one Of the hotels.
and as l 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, l would have
been glad to drop the girl with whom
| was dancing and keep my object in
c4crhf htrt I hod f.te,t 10
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 a 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 charming rowing cos
tune. step into boat and pull out
into the lake. / Immediately made ap-
plication for boat, but all were en-
gagged. The girl | wished to follow
could see me wildly running about try
ing to get 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 | ground my teeth.
Several times after this 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 a pleasant smile There
is nothing a girl likes so well as to
be chased, and, instead of helping the
chaser to reach her, she will throw
obstacles in his way
7 learned enough of the girl who
knew me and whom l 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 l had named her.
So 1 resolved to spend a day on the
lake in boat. trusting it would give
me an opportunity to catch her. 1
hired a boat at 9 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 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 l was obliged to turn.
and. not being skilled oarsman, in
stead Of backing water with one oar
and giving way with the other. l made
a considerable curve. After | had
turned I had another disadvantage in
having my back to the girl, while she
had her face to me. / was obliged toI
stop rowing for a moment to see where