Show THE SWIMMING BOY he was wae not exactly what would be ailed a handsome boy indeed be dida 4 look at all as if he be were a story hero his hie yellow curie curle which had bad once been his mot bere pride were out close oft aft now ani and his bia nose was wag undeniably freckled but he be was a sturdy well wall built boy and hlis hie frank face possessed a pair of most steadfast blue eyes and it was this pair of very steadfast blue elfee which caused the young man who wrote stories to stop when they bey ran plump into each other in the turn ot of the little country lane and look down at him then the be young man asked where ure you going swimming replied the boy promptly and smiling emiling up at the other pleasantly repeated the young man as ae he be looked doubtfully over the email small person before him Doon your mother know thai P yes yea air answered anew ered the boy aall ing more than ever then he admed As it if to relieve the others ignorance ayou see im the boy who swims J ah jjr said aid the he young man you arear are are eyou you the boy who then the light of a new interest came into his hia own eyes behind his bis glashe gla afee and be went on coaxingly gilt it je Is atolli early and plenty of time to go this afternoon come tell me all about it I 1 want to know you jou know why you are the boy who ewla why are you not dot the boy who runs or or rides ride or plays playa ball you know cause I 1 swim beat I 1 guess said eaid the other then the young moo man led lea the way to a shadier spot than where they were standing and having made themselves bem selves comfortable he produced a couple of oranges ant anil while they ate them hem the boy who swims told the inquisitive young man about himself you see said be when we are at home borne we live right on the river ban kandour bank and our back porch bangs out over it cause the river has out the bank away some there ive got two brothers brot bere younger than I 1 am ami too pm im conand too and becan we can all swim mumma mamma taught us u yee yea air mamma not papa abbe has haa a little harness i hat bat fits abou arou around od our waists and ay ad cheats with a loog long strap to it and ana whenever we have a birthday that makes make us five years old it if it Is in the summer time she ebe puts puis it on and lowers us ua into the river then we paddle around for a while and she takes taken us out she does that every day and then after awhile we know bow to swim itis it is a funny way to learn it the young man thought it 16 was and a very nice way too 96 yes yee and then ben you see eee as soon as we do waro maro mamma doe suli worry about up being near the river when hes busy some of her friends say any they would at 19 live near the river for anything it if they were in her place but she likes it and ana so eo do we well one day there was a man who wanted to teach his wife to swim and he be came out to the river one evening while we were at supper anu took look her in right below our house and pretty soon I 1 heard some one dreaming wre aming dreadful for help and I 1 ran ut and there was the poor jady dron iov mud aud her husband who could nit n it swim much himself trying try ing to save gave her so I 1 ran down bod ad pulled ff my coat 1 I bad lots of fire crackers in my pocket and they might get wet you beet secand and swam out to them tuen I 1 got her loose from him some way and towed her into the bank until she could stand up and then the mn began to holler boiler too and I 1 went back for him he was worse than his alle but I 1 got him to lu at last anu won the people came running down to us and crowded around and said a lot of 0 funny things about me being a hero but I 1 told them they UDden understand tand there anything big in that and then after mamma had hugged bugged me and cried som and they were all gone I 1 went back mino anu got noy y coat cause I 1 wanted to see it my fire crackers were all right somehow from that evening they ave all called me the boy who swims salme just as it if it was wag my name then the young men man who wrote stories did a funny thing beasker he asked the boy if he be would mind shaking hands with him the boy looked at him with wide open eyes at this odd question but he belu out his own brown little nand as gladly and frankly as aa he had talked to him bis newfound new DOW found friend thank you the young man said with a queer look in his eyes and a lew few minutes later the boy who swim oad nad disappeared dle appeared around the little bend in the shady green lane jane oo on hla big way to the swimming poo whistling and happy and of the good orange he had just had but the young man who wrote stories turned thoughtfully and pur setd his bis way with a warm feeling to in we uearl and from that day to this I 1 really taink duink he is more proud of 0 bit acquaintance with the boy who than anyone else he knows little men and women |