| Show y yf f 1 i H A SOUVENIR It was two summers ago on the very crest of the Continental Divide in Yellows Yellowstone Yellowstone Yel Yel- lows tone Park W We e had stopped there thereto to admire a little lake that lay balanced across the mountain top In its position as the common source of the Columbia and Missouri rivers we had found one of the marvels of our trip and were tracing with infinite delight the divergent courses of the two Ji little streams II A A pond lily for a souvenir in ecstatic tones from one of the girls recalled recalled recalled re re- called us from our fanciful journey Following her enraptured gaze we discovered discovered discovered dis dis- covered a group of water lilies lifting their yellow heads out of the clear wat water r 1 of the lake a rod or so from the the edge 1 We had been traveling for three weeks and I think gallantry was rather on th the wane but after a somewhat disagreeable f pause I threw my bridle reins to one of the boys and dismounted Two lengths 1 of a broken rod fish-rod lay on the road b Fastening these together as well as I Ir r could I advanced cautiously down the trunk of a tree that had fallen from the hill side and lay with its lower end submerged submerged sub sub- t merged in the lake Half way to the flowers I came to the waterline on the log and could s see e my firm dry path merge into a slimy uncertain one below the surface From here with my improvised improvised improvised im im- gatherer flower-gatherer I hoped to reach the coveted lily My 1 first thrust moved the flower I must get my rod uY beyond it The crowd on the bank encouraged encouraged encouraged en en- me and I thrust again This time the flower moved and I reached out still further to draw it to me Already I saw the souvenir on the mantel inthe in the pretty Salt Lake parlor Slowly it was coming toward me and then O O. shades of disappointment In my eagerness eagerness eagerness eager eager- 1 ness I had pushed my foot into the i water below No sooner had it touched touched- J that shiny surface than it slipped I 1 1 tried in III vain to save myself but my my my-i effort only hurried me on I threw my j jarms arms out wildly about my head and the next moment felt the cool waters of the the lake roll over my shoulder and saw the pond lily within easy grasp R. R J F. F |
