The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-05-24
MY WATER
SPRITE
An Episode of a Sum-
mer Vacation
By F. A. mitchell


I had not been there three days when.
rowing on the little lake around which
all the hotels were centered. 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 fog some one else ! gave her
no encouragement. In other words, l
treated her as stranger. Since we
faced each other as we receded we
did not pass ont of each others sight
for some time, and ] could see on her
features the sensitiveness of girl who
has spoken 10 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
4 half dozen hotels in the vicinity, and
| l feared that to tiud 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 be 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 a 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 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, / would have
been glad to drop the girl with whom
l 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 l was released, and then she SAID
she must go out on to the porch fol
some cool air. What could | do?
proved myself a gentleman. wishing al
the while that l was a boor By the
time the girl was ready for the mex
: dance-with another partner. thank
heaven-nearly half an hour had pass
, ed Then il was too late. | hunted
: everywhere for my water sprite, bu
Z did not find her. If the girl | had beer
O dancing with had known my feeling
), toward her for OBTAINING me ] woult
). have had another adventure on N,
f hands not so attractive as the first
5, The next morning. passing the land
l. ing of one of the hotels. | saw the gil
= / sought. in a charming rowing COS
tune. step into a boat and pull on
, into the lake l Immediately made al
! plication for a boat, but all were eT
gagged The girl | wished TO follo'
;. could see me wildly running about TT!
! ing to get q boat, and. though wa
e not near enough TO see. fancied theI
q. was an amused smile on her fac
lg Then she disappeared behind an islam,
~ and l ground my teeth.
ne Several times after this | met he
s. and every time it was my misfortur
~ to be so situated that could not reaC
u
81 my disappointments that at last, whC
= l was suffering under one of them, b.
- face broke into a pleasant smile. The
~ is nothing n girl likes so we'll as
Inv be chased. and. instead of helping q
hv chaser to reach her, she viii thro
i'll obstacles in his way.
r learned enough of the girl w
Id knew me and whom I did not kno
nc to be assured that she was devoted
boating. Indeed, had seen her
the water. shooting along like q
sprite for which I had named h,
So l resolved to spend n day on {
'rd lake in boat trusting it would 81
ual me an opportunity to catch her
IN hired boat at 8 o'clock in the moi
Ing and, taking a luncheon. Fesolv
not to come off the water till dinr
time in the evening.
as l had not been out long before I
81 girl passed me just as she had done
INK our first meeting For a moment
e." looked at each other, surprised; thu
with a tantalizing smile on her Ii
. she gave two or three vigorous stroll
that carried her away from me-
She had an advantage of me in IL
- To follow her l was obliged to tn
e& and. not being a skilled oarsman,
80 stead of backing water with one
ISL and giving way with the other m;
a# considerable curve After |
/, q turned had another disadvantage