Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-10-26

1sAtP sl'1s ~ a. passing Ddi tttAtc way
out, and, people said, seemed about to
send boat ashore. Ere Charles went
TO the door, he held out the miniature,
and asked, May see il often again,
mother ?s'
Keep tits your own, Charley
here" passing riband through the loop
at It's top" hang it round your neck
As bis mother secured it, he once more
felt her tears dropping fas, on his head,
and looking up into her face, he stole
bis arms round her.
Go, now, mothers darlings,- as hand
in hand they left her humble threshold ;
" bat, Charley, do not stray out far on
the sands F: it will be a spring tide,
fear, and the breeze comes fresh from
the sea"
Still hand IN hand they proceeded on
their walk, Billy unusually communica-
tive, and Charles unusually silent In
deed the younger boy remarked his
brothers taciturnity, and taxed him with
it. They met groups OF their former
playmates in the village street whom the
child wished to Join but Charles, chuck
ing him closer TO his side, passed them
by, knitting his brow and holding up his
head. On the shingles appeared other
groups, and the young misanfhrope would
not descend to the waters edge until he
had proceeded several hundred yards a.
bove their position.
1t was beautiful spring day The
breeze dashed the waves into a sportive
fury. Sun and cloud light and shade.
alternated their effects over the wide bo-
som of the sea, streaking il with gold and
pea green, with dark purple or deep
blue. Now distant sail was a white
speck on the horizon, now spot of dark
dotting clear sky. The three-master,
of which little Billy had spoken, lay-to,
about mile from shore. Charles knew
her to be an East Indiaman. His broth
er urged him TO approach her as closely
as the sands permitted. Still wrapt up
in his own thoughts and feelings, Charles
silently stepped down theshingles, look
ing jealousy around to note if they were
alone.
Behind him, as he began to move to-
wards the waves, was a low line of cliff,
forming at particular point, a iutting
platform, from the outward edge ofwhich
the continuation of the cliff swept, like
a buttress, TO the shingles. Before him
stretched the strand, TO nearly the dis
lance of half mile, where it was met
By an irregular circle of black rocks.
closely wedged together, and enclosing
the last patch of sand visible even at
low tide. Charles had not intended 10
approach this spot but as he walked in
an obliqe direction from it, some strag-
Cling boys appeared coming against him,
and he hastily led his little charge to the
convenient screen of the tall rocks.
The tide had for some time been com
ing in. Often before, however, Charles
had veutured farther out, when II was
more advanced, and returned to shore
with only wet feet and asplashing The
rocks could not at any point be easily
scaled. so high and broad was their bar
rier nor did they admit of egress into
the sandy area they girded, save par
tlcular spot, sea-ward, where, some feet
from their base, appeared narrow ifs
sure, still difficult of access. Charles
therefore walked round them until he
gained this opening then, assisting his
little brother TO climb up to it, the two
boys soon stood upon a projection inside
the rocky belt, and turned their faces
towards the sea.
They could perceive, by hustle on
the deck of the Indiaman, now so near
to them, that boat would soon be low
cred from her side. They looked out,
much interested, until the boat lightly
touched the tossing waves near the yes
sells PROV, and became strongly manned,
as if to putt of for shore. Still, how
ever, the men rested on their oars, and
seemed waiting for some other person TO
descend. And, in a mood that sympa-
thized with the scene, Charles continu-
ed to watch the boat, dancing TO and fro,
and some times almost jumping out of
the water for the breeze grew sitter,
and the waves rougher. Half an hour
he stood motionless, disregarding, for
the first time in his life, the prattie of
the little boy at his side At last the in
dividual for whom the boat waited, clad
in blue and white, and gold lace. to Bill
Tvs great delight. jumped in amongst his
men, stood up, at their head, pointed TO
shore, and was rapidly rowed towards it
For some time the near roar of waters
had been ringing in Charles's ear, but he
made light of the warning for he conf
IDENTIFY argued from experience, whene-
yer his thoughts reverted 10 the matter,
tilat there was SItEt fiiG&S ~ Tt
turn TO the shingles with scarce a wet
shoe. But he did not reckon that the
spot of sand, along with which he now
stood enclosed, was much higher than
the outer sands which stretched the bases
of the rocks He did not reckon that
the tide, at certain period Of lis fiow-
after turning near point of land, usual
Iy ran with almost the rapIdity of a
mill stream, against the right hand seq
ment of the barrier, and then, directed
by its curve, inundated. in trice, the
previously opened space between it and
the shingles. Above all he did not re-
member what his mother had limited at
parting for indeed, her omen proved
true it was spring-tide-
The ships boat, still seen at distance.
glanced athwart the patch of sea reveal
ed through the fssure at which the boys
looked out. More alive, after its disap-
pearance. to the unusual noise of the
waters, Charley took his brothers hand