The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-07-29
FLOUNDERING
BY F. LANCASTER.
'pyright, 1918, western Newspaper Union. J

TO nave q W1Stful look ana the Fancy
pleased him. But In an instant that
subtle something which rings through
our inmost life had flung out Its danger
signals. Miss Lou started into con-
sclousness.
II understand that the mullet were
so thick last night 1t was impossible to
founder in the gulf7" she said, catch
ing mental outposts.
who wants to founder in that
gulf?" said the man from up the coun-
try, springing to seat on the veranda
and facing Miss Lou with surprised
expression.
"Why anyone who wishes to 20
laundering" replied Miss Lou. politely.
$50, should have imagined" he re-
sponded dryly. "They could not find
much better place to founder In I'M
less 1t was Slough of Despond.' DO
many indulgei'
"0h, lot Of people,"
"What forT'
"For pleasure or profit; sometimes
both"
"0h, you mean bathing"
II suppose a good deal of bathing is
Enthusiastically"
Incidentally
"Why, yes. You are obliged to get
more or less wet IL you go houndering
In the gulf"
"That appears probable, especially
If the gulf happened TO have water In
It,"
A surge Of suppressed merriment
swept over the group upon the gallery.
Miss Lou adjusted her gold-rimmed
glasses and looked with ominous quie-
tude at the perplexed individual who
had been asking questions.
"Don't you know what q founder
Isl" she asked severely.
Certainly. It's an awkward effort
made to escape from an uncomfortable
situation"
"That may be true of the interior.
| On the coast, founder is thin, iiat
| fish that swims broadsides through the
water and has both of Its eyes on the
same side. The method of capturing
II by means Of spear is called 'foun-
dering'"
"0h And is 1t good sportf"
ut is about as hard work as dancing
and as big bore as theater."
IF II is no worse than that I should
like to try 1t. How is II done7'
"You dress yourself In clothes that
you expect never to use again, take
spear and basket, wade in with the
crowd and follow the torch bearer
Whenever you see a founders bed
stick your spear into IL. You will gen.
orally find that the founder is not
there when your spear is, but that
doesn't matter. II you do not slip up
and strangle yourself with salt water
or get stung by stingaree you may
declare that you have had perfectly
lovely time Sometimes within the
next two weeks you will begin to get
over t."
Rather more graphic than encour-
| aging. / should like to try It."
At this there was a hearty chorus:
Lets have fioundering party to-
night"
Miss Lou looked aghast. 'sThe idea,"
she CALCULATED.
"oh, yes; just this once, Miss Loul"
BY the time the details were decided
the incessant talker had dropped or
the gallery and disappeared.
"Hello, HALL" cried the tall clergy
man, looking up from his writing.
"Come in--glad to see you"
you should be. I'm bearer of
good tidings."
"AhT"
Invitation to fioundering party"
MY dear boy. never"
mo, Of course not. But you are
going this time, and so is Miss Lou"
Miss Louw
"Yes. It's chance In ten thousand.
Don't neglect It."
The fioundering party was In full
swing. The iron baskets filed with
heaps Of burning pins swayed ON the
ends Of their long poles and threw fam
| tastic effects over the drowsy waters.
Behind the line of lights came the
crescent of fiounderers, the holder spir-
Its thigh-deep In water, the tlmid ones
hugglng the shore. Laughter, repair.
| tee and song made the night gay In
deed An occasional shrlll scream or
heavy splash only tended to heighten
the merrlment. Well in the rear came
Miss Lou--uslng her spear as stan
| and her basket as ballast. She paused
frequently to adjust her glasses. The
whole situation was distinctly dis
tasteful to her.
IF ever get" a frightened fioun.
der shot from beneath Miss Louis SAN
daled feet, her spear flew out; her bas-
ket flew up. and the glasses, leaping
from her nose, swung widely at the
end Of their chain. Miss Lou set her
teeth hard on a scream and fioundered
vallantly, and her downfall would have
been inevitable had not strong arm
caught and steadled her.
| Ten miles away the red-eyed light
house on Cat island winked lazily at
his brother In Ship Island harbor. The
strong arm was still about her shoul.
ders and somewhere In the night above
her she could feel a pair of gray eyes
| upon her.
This is floundering party" she
said.
| "WelI--am / not fiounderinR-niser