The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-07-08
GETTING
A SHOCK

By M. QUAD

James Brice, whose father was q for
list In the suburbs Of smart little city,
was as bright a talker as you would
find among a hundred youths. Then
a high wind blew a shade tree down
on him while he was hurrying along
the streets. No bones were broken.
and he was not badly bruised, but
from the hour of that accident he be-
gan to stammer. The doctors said he
had received nervous shock and that
IL he ever recovered from 1t 1t would
be from another nervous shock.
At the age of eighteen he went to
work for and resided In the family of
an uncle who lived on q farm. There
were only four in the family, and the
stammering would not be noticed nor
criticised.
Miss Bessie Williams, a maid of If
teen years, climbed an apple tree one
day in her fathers back yard. Bes-
sic had attained the height of third
branch when her hold gave way and
she fell down with a kerplunk. After
she had been revived and found very
much alive 1t was noticed that she
stammered-
After two or three years, in which
the girls ailment got no better, she
was sent to live for awhile with her
aunt in the country and was told to
hope for a shock. 1t transpired,
strangely enough, that the two STAN
merers found an aunt and an uncle
living within a quarter of a mile of
each other. They soon struck up an
acquaintance.
Did James Brice and Bessie Williams
fall In lover For sure they did.
A good sized river flowed within half
mile of the country homes Of the
two unfortunates. Young Mr.. Brice
bought boat, and they often went
rowing or fishing. After few lessons
in management Miss Williams learned
how to use the oars and often went out
by herself. A mile below the little
landing there were a dam and a saw
mill. This dam was not a point of
danger except when the spring rains
had brought about freshet.
1t was a day in April and the rains
had been almost steady for a week
; when the sun came out soft and warm
and Miss Williams aunt said to her:
you have been moping around the
house so long that 1t will do you good
to get out Why don't you 60 a-fish-
ing? You have lines and poles and can
dig your own bait. 1t is an ideal day
for fishing. If James should come
| over / will tell him where you have
| gone, and he win join you"
Less than an hour later the girl was
seeking to lure the big fish Of the
stream to swallow her bait She fish
ed from the bank for awhile, being a
little frightened by the high waters
which rushed on to the dam, but after
half an hours patient work without
getting so much as a nibble she threw
down her pole and decided to take a
row.
The river was bringing down logs
and brushwood, and 1t was half
sunken log which brought about the
accident The boat struck It with such
a shock that it nearly upset, and it
was during this excitement that both
oars went overheard and were lost. It
was In midstream, and what was the
girl to do? There was nothing but to
scream for help, and for a time her
screams seemed useless. Then James
Brice came running. There was no
other boat, and for a moment he had
no hope of rescue. Then, sure that the
girl must float down and over the dam,
he threw of coat and vest pulled of
his boots and plunged in to swim to her
boat He did not notice that the oars
were gone, but thought her strength
had given out
He reached the boat to hear her say:
"You idiot you'll Why didn't you run
along the bank until you found an
empty boatf Now we shall both 60
over the damn
James did not notice that she was
speaking as plainly as anybody could.
nor did she notice the improvement In
his pronunciation as he replied:
II thought you stu had the oars.
Well, we'll have to go over together,
and there may be one chance in ten
for us. Let us keep as cool as we can.
The men at the sawmill will put out a
boat below the dam"
There were FIVE minutes more before
the boat reached the dam. Clinging to
the side Of the boat, James looked into
her eyes, and Bessie returned his look.
Not another word was spoken. With
a rush the boat went over the dam.
and those who were looking on from
the shore never expected it to reappear
except in fragments. But Providence
willed it otherwise. 1t was partly
smashed when it came to the surface
again, and beside it foated two human
figures, to be rescued Eve minutes
later. They had come safely through
the peril and had received the shock
the doctors had talked about and they
had hoped for. 1t was two days before
they met again. and then the young
man said:
Bessie, why did you call me an
idiotT"
Because you are one" she replied.
''You ought to have known the oars
were gone"
You don't stammer any more" he
said.
Nor you"
Nor did they. The shock had shock
ed the shock. In two weeks they had
entirely recovered from their impedi-
ment OF speech and were talking Of
! what? Well. there is generally an en-
gagement before marriage, you know.