The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-10-07
Quick
Conversion
b. F. A. mitchell

gust Tor my vacation. am what II
called a new woman-that is, 1 have
departed from the ways Of those won.
en- who sit and hold their hands, wait
ing for some man to come and marry
them.
Until that summer, when I went
to the seacoast, thought that had
no romance ip my nature. was ex-
tremely practical and had no sympa-
thy with any one who was anything
else than practical. felt quite COM
petent to make my own living and
scorned to relinquish the work to any
man.
Nevertheless in all our natures there
fs the germ Of romance. first discov.
cred this germ in me on. that visit to
the seashore, and, having discovered
1t, it grew up like mushroom.
One evening I went down to the
beach to plan some school work, for I
was a teacher, and walked over q mar.
row strip Of sand to some rocks a cou-
pie Of hundred feet from the shore.
Arrived there, found a convenient
natural seat and began my planning.
The moon was full, and presently I.
saw a glimmer of light on the watery
horizon. Then the bright upper edge
OF the moon showed itself, and lastly
the round disk stood upon the ocean.
It was at this moment that l became
conscious Of the germ of romance
within me. forgot my work and
drank in the beautiful scene-the SHIN
mer on the water, the gilded wave
crests. The starry heavens seemed to
invite me to their infinite depths; the
splash Of the waves lulled me.
For long while sat enraptured by
the beautiful scene. The sounds on
the shore, babel Of voices, dance
music In the hotels, an occasional burst
Of laughter, formed a pleasing back
ground for the ocean, the moon, the
heavens. Gradually the sounds be-
came confused, the splash Of waves
sank into rustic, and l fell into a
slumber
This birth of romance within me, the
first romantic fervor ever experienc.
ed, was followed by an awakening of
another kind. Something cold struck
my ankles, and, starting up, l saw q
wave receding from my feet. All
about me was the ocean. looked to-
ward the beach and saw that the strip
Of sand over which l had reached the
rock had disappeared. and the water
there, 40 far as could see, was as
deep as that before me.
This second awakening that I have
spoken Of was not from slumber; It
was the coming Of sense Of weak
ness. There must be an inherent feel.
ing of dependence lying dormant in
the breast Of every woman however
she scorns the stronger sex. At any
rate. the first mental impulse that
came to me on looking over those mer-
come and rescue me.
I could not swim a stroke. There
was no boat. not even q stick Of tim
Der, near me. The sounds on the shore
had ceased, the lights in the hotels
were few. MY voice was not strong
enough to make myself heard, for I
must have been quarter of mile
from the houses lining the beach, and
the waves. now stronger with the flood
tide, would drown my voice.
oh, how longed for mana strong
man, brave man-to rescue me!
I had spoken at women's gather
ings. stating that there was no situa-
ton woman might enter upon that
she could not extricate herself without
mans help If she would only use her
brains. What use was my brain in
those watery surroundings? The few
square yards Of rock on which stood
would soon be covered. Next would
be washed of it by the force Of the
waves and at last lingering agony,
ended by death.
From one Of the houses on the shore
emerged spark. 1t was a lighted
cigar. I had always hated tobacco, but
now would give worlds if that cigar
would bring the man who smoked it
to save me. called, but my voice
did not reach him. He walked away;
then turned and came slowly in my d.
rection.
took off my white petticoat and
waved it as signal Of distress. He
saw it and came running toward me.
At the verge he stopped and looked
about him, evidently for boat. See-
ing none, he threw off his coat and
vest, for there was no time to waste.
Then, divestiEg himself Of his shoes,
he walked toward me till the water
was up to his chin; then began to
swim. When he reached me I wound
my arms about him so tightly that,
strong as he was, he found difficulty
in loosening them. Then putting an
arm under one Of mine he drew me
into the water and swan with me to
the shore.
This task was difficult one, for so
frightened was I that I kept clutching
him and impeding his movements. At
last, in order to save both Of US from
drowning, he struck me on the fore
head with his clinched fist to stun me.
He only partly succeeded in rendering
me unconscious, but I was thankful
for the blow, for it made me oblivious
to the danger. I remained passive,