The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-01
A SHARK
STORY
By SADIE OLCOTT

A number of women over afternoon
tea cups were talking about marriage
and how trifling may be the cause OF
two persons meeting-marrying and
spending their lives absolutely depend
ent upon each other for comfort, hap
piness and, even in rare cases, exist
ence Some of the present ladies'
narrated stories of wonderful happen
ings. A demure little woman listened
attentively without comment to all
that was said. Finally one of those
who had told of happenings that could
take place only In the most lurid pic
ture plays asked her if there was not
something worth hearing in her first
meeting with her husband.
IL have been married only a few
weeks said the little lady. There
was an episode connected with my
meeting my husband, but l hesitate to
tell it after the recital of the thrilling
experiences of the Others"
She was reminded that i'm story tell
ing it was not the happenings that
counted nowadays; the modern school
of high literature tabooed all that. The
object was to make a simple episode In
ordinary life interesting. The lady
upon this said that though the incident
that caused her to be united to her
husband for life was in itself very
tame, she would rely on its simplicity
to make 1t interesting.
my husband and met at a summer
hotel on the New Jersey coast. i have
spent the hot season on the seashore
ever since | was year old. When
was two years old my father took me
to the beach one day, being dressed
in tiny bathing suit 1t was not
long after a storm, and the waves were
rolling in savagely. My father waded
out up to his neck with me on his
shoulder, then set me on the crest Of
a wave and let me CO."
"Great heavensw exclaimed several
ladies at once.
"In that way" continued the demure
lady, 81 was taught to swim. When I
was four years old would dive OF a
dock In twenty feet Of water, and when
was ten l never swan inside the
capes. At twenty was considered the
best swimmer on the Jersey coast.
"You all remember the horror felt
by the sharks biting the legs OF a
boy and devouring man within a
short distance of land. Well, l was
at the Ocean House at that time and
In the midst Of the excitement. The
love Of danger is inherent within us
mortals, and l. though weak woman,
am no exception to this passion. /
was seized with desire to kill a
shark. Providing myself with a knife
used In cleaning fish, / had a very
sharp point and edge put on 1t and
made sheath for 1t in the waist of
. my bathing dress.
t Every morning went to the dock
, ready to take to the water and watch
5 ed for sharks. Several days passed
without my seeing one. Meanwhile
, the bathers were regaining their cour-
E age, and occasionally the good swim
mers would disport themselves in the
> water about the docks.
! ION the fifth morning of my watch
q l was sitting on the top Of one of the
= spiles used In the support of the dock,
looking down into the water, when /
saw double sight. One part was a
, man leisurely floating on his back,
the other shark moving slowly In
his direction. The man was uncon-
! scious of his danger, but 1t would be
useless for me to warn him.
Drawing my knife, / took It be-
: tween my teeth and dived headlong,
! striking the surface about ten yards
ahead Of the shark. l let myself 20
as low as l could, which think could
e not have been over seven or eight feet
and before beginning to rise shifted
e myself to my back and looked up. Di
t rectly above me was something white
: which l believed to be the belly Of the
= shark.
D Taking my knife In my right hand
I permitted myself to RISE or course
4 had posted myself as to the sharks
q methods Of attack and his vulnerable
q parts. l knew that l must approach
4 from beneath him and stab him in the
stomach. 1t was but few seconds
, before Twas near enough to see hin
, plainly, and l confess l was little
: teeny weeny bit staggered by his clip
. tically curved mouth"
3 At this point several Of the listener.
made EXPLANATIONS, and the speake
' paused and waited for quiet. When 4
! was restored she continued:
b THE great fish had not quite reache,
' point directly above me, and foun,
r 1t difficult to keep from rising In tim,
Q to reach this frightful mouth, wherea
needed to permit him to pass so tina
q l would come up directly under hi
4 stomach. If rose near his mouth b
II could easily take me into 1t. II strucl
1. his stomach he would have to back wa
/ ter to do so. Indeed in the latter cas-
l. would be perfectly safe.
a by wriggling l prevented mysel
a from rising before l had his whit
=. belly above me. Then. giving a kick
y l shot upward and with all my strengi
plunged my knife into the shark