Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1904 — When Love Hesitated [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

When Love Hesitated

By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

Jim Ferris, stroke on the Yale crew, twined his long brown legs tight around the post of the South Beach lookout and pulled his yellow duck hat viciously over his eyes. Then he shoved it back again and stared straight out to sea. *

It had been a direct cut, and he .hadn’t expected it of her. He wished that some foolhardy swimmer would go out beyond his depth or be seized with a cramp, so that he might go out after him and battle for life among the breakers, but instead it proved to be an aggravatingly dull day. The sea was smooth as glass, yet the bathers clung tenaciously to the ropes. He had always looked upon the self supporting men at college as fellows to be envied. They were always doing things. It took mettle, It took nerve, the sort of nerve he had felt the need of that very morning when he had

looked down to meet the eyes of Nell Standish changing from amazement to a certain contempt which he could not understand. Before her coming it had been a merry morning. Small boys had chased him joyously down the beach, and pretty girls and flirtatious young matrons had cast him approving glances. He had felt that the wages of a private life saver near a fashionable bathing pavilion were doubly paid, but now—

The tide came booming in and drove the bathers out of the surf, lunch gongs summoned dawdlers from the sand, and Ferris slipped down from his post and limped swiftly toward the bathing house. He had not realized till then how tightly he had clasped his legs around the post. His position had been an outward and visible sign of the inward but not spiritual storm that raged. Yes, It was going to be a little harder than he had thought. Then he squared his shoulders and threw up his head proudly. That afternoon he walked toward the end of the island sacred to cottagers. The beach was deserted by all save those who loved the sea for its own sake and not for the dress parade on its board walk. Suddenly there sprang at him a French bulldog, whose Intentions were clearly of the most friendly sort. Ofttimes had Ferris been welcomed in the same fashion, and he had a hard time keeping hia hands in his pockets as the dog tried again and again to reach them and bestow a welcoming caress. Something was also familiar to him in the slender, linen clad figure, screened by the big pongee umbrella, from whose side the dog had sprung at sight of him. That was why Ferris deliberately climbed the next flight of stairs leading to the board walk and made a circle around the figure. The dog stood at the foot of the steps, looking up at the man in a bewildered fashion, which clearly demanded an explanation. But it Just happened that the man was thinking moodily that the explanation was due from the other side, though of course he couldn’t explain this to a French bulldog. ***•*••

Evidently she had thought the matter over and repented of her rudeness, for that night when they came face to face in the hotel dining room she bowed to him, not with the old air of comradeship, but with a forced politeness that he felt almost as keenly as the morning cut He bowed gravely and crossed to his table, triiich was on the far side of the large room. Half an hour later he was at the desk in the office asking for bis bill. It was impossible that he should remain in the same bouse with her under the circumstances. He had once thought— But one may think many times on an Income of seven thousand a year. He turned abruptly, climbed the stairs and commenced to throw things Into his trunk and grip. Then be sat down on tbe edge of the bed and laughed at himself. It was all so absurd and childish. This was a fine beginning for a chap who bad his way to make. He waa hauling down hie colors at the first shot She would guess

exclusive. You were forever stumbling over the people you liked, let alone the people you didn’t like to meet

So he emptied bis trunk, hung up his garments and went down to tell the clerk he bad changed his mind. The proprietor of the hotel happened to be in the office, and he looked greatly relieved over Ferris’ decision. In fact, he had just been criticising his clerk for not offering a reduction to Mr. Ferris if it had been merely a question of price. Young college men who could swim and handle a sailboat and lead a cotillon were not to be permitted to leave his hotel without a strenuous effort to prevent such a catastrophe. And while this little comedy was being enacted Nell Standish was walking dutifully at her mother’s side on the ocean pathway, a picture of simplicity in embroidered white linen amid the elaborately gowned throng. “It certainly seems odd,” said Mrs. Standish, with a puzzled expression. Nell shrugged her shoulder impatiently. “It’s the eccentricity of wealth, not of genius. It used to hurt me when we were in London to hear young men criticised for their freakish tastes, but really I am beginning to feel there is some truth in the criticism. I presume he enjoys posing as a life saver, an amateur Greek strong man”— In spite of her hot anger she couldn’t forget how superbly strong he had looked perched on the observation tower in his bathing suit. “He had the grace not to wear his college colors, but I am amazed that Jim Ferris should want to pose before a lot of silly, chattering summer resorters.” ~

She spoke with as much scorn as if she were not one of the class which she was excoriating. The next morning she carefully avoided the observation post during bathing hours and sat on the other side of the pier. A certain bull pup, however, did not share her feeling and deliberately sneaked away from his mistress and planted himself at the foot of the little tower to distract the attention of Its occupant from the bathers who were risking their lives beyond the ropes. As the days went by Ferris became accustomed but not reconciled to her presence at South Beach. He might have felt better if his life had been a more active one, but the bathers were distressingly careful. An occasional dash after a frightened girl or the care of some careless nursemaid’s charge was the extent of his duties as a life saver.

Then came an August morning when the pongee parasol passed directly under his post The firm, tanned hand which showed beneath It clasped a large package of letters. Evidently Miss Standish’s mall had been a heavy one. She sat down on the sand within the range of Ferris’ vision and opened the mail which, he could see quite plainly now, had been forwarded from various points. “Probably letters that tagged her all over Europe,” he said to himself. “Women never know where they are going when they start on a journey and never go where you expect ’em to.” Her slim, firm hand was turning pages rapidly. She whirled upon her mother with a sudden, excited exclamation, and both women turned and looked at him. He felt himself flush even at this distance. Perhaps they know how curious he had felt about

their mail. He was a beastly cad. Suddenly the girl rose to her feet. She was coming directly toward him, with the French bulldog capering ahead. The open letter was still In her hand. Suddenly from the crowd bobbing shapelessly, aimlessly, in the whilecapped surf there'arose a cry. He realized on the instant that It was no small demand upon his ability and strength. The man was some distance beyond the ropes, and he went down for the second time before Ferris, swift runner that he was, could dash into the surf. A mighty breaker met the life saver, bnt he went through it like an arrow and struck out for the man, who was going down for the last time. The sea was like glass out here, and the man sank slowly. Ferris recognized at a glance that It was a case of cramps.

Ferris dived like a fish and came up to fight for his own life as well as the bather’s. There was only one way for it, and as he felt himself being dragged down he struck the man a mighty blow and then floated the inert body to the beach, where the crowd of hysterical women and children closed In upon him. He forced them apart and carried his silent burden up the beach. As he passed the observation post he saw Nell leaning against it, white to the lips and still holding the fluttering pages in her hand. * * * • * * *

That night her mother sent for him, and right bravely Nell met him in their little parlor. She gave him the letter to read. It was the one her brother had written telling of the wreck of the Ferris fortune and, Jim’s plucky determination to do the first thing that offered, tutoring some boys who were staying at South Beach. He handed back the letter, with a grave smile. “Yes, it’s true. I am tutoring the Douglas boys at their father's cottage on the lower beach, but I found I could pay mjf board by taking the life saving Job, and I have to count even the pennies now, you know.” „ Nell looked up at him shyly, then her eyes dropped before the blaze In his. “I—l thlfik I'd like to try my hand at —at—helping you, dearest”

THE PONGEE PARASOL PASSED DIRECTLY UNDER HIS POST.