The Columbian fountain., 1846-03-04
THE WATERWAYS ARMS.
A TALE OF DOVER.
By WARD f. WELD.

HlCITy CHTlStIndS was dL Alduu, Will itS JOyS
and festivities. The afternoon of the day
before was as mild and pleasant as though
winter was but q mere nominal matter. If
it was, the party at the Waterman's Arms
did not mean that Christmas eve should be
regarded as merely a name. The floor had
been scrubbed as deal floor never was be-
fore, and it seemed almost pity that the
snow white boards should be chalked all
over with representations Of mermaids, sal
lors, ships, and every thing else, even to
picture, large as life and full as feeling, Of
Arthur, Duke Of Wellington, Lord High
Admiralty Of the Cinque Ports to whom
the artist had given nose much like the
fue Of an anchor, and certainly not much
smaller. And there was Meg, bustling about
behind the bar, the most prominent Of all;
for the range Of pewter mugs, polished like
mirrors, reflected her person in dozen
spots at once. Her voice was everywhere,
and upon the whole, it was most admira-
bic scene Of confusion. Here were boughs
ofverdant trees, piles Of evergreens, poul-
try, baskets of cakes, lots Of chubby faced
children, all perfectly at home. The fix
ing overhead, promised to rival even the
floor in their decorations
Busted as all were, each found time to
address few kind words to Alice, who
had entered in company with the old man.
The latter leaned upon his staff, and slow
ly he turned his vacant eye from floor to
ceiling, till it rested upon some of the men
who were busy festooning the wall.
"Foolery !-foolery! | say!" he ex-
claimed, and struck the floor with his oaken
staff. 81 tell you, you are like children! !!
Stop this mummery and man the boat l
never knew Dover man to want telling
of his duty before; and here now's ship
in the offing with his main royal yard
cock-bill for pilot, and no boat off"
"Our boats are out" said one in re-
spectful tone. "Aye, aye" he mnttered,
sit wasn't SO once. remember once
had boy! 1t wasn't SO then-yes, yes, |
remember now;" and his voice became
choked with emotion. The allusion had
called the tear to Alice's cheek, which OBJ
serving, he gently laid his hand upon her
shoulder, and kindly said, "nay-cry not,
my daugAter-he'll come back surely he'll
stay no longer! Yes, now see-we are
to celebrate your wedding Pm getting
old; don't think hard of it, they are right,
let them dress the room-he deserves it."
Meg, with ready woman's wit, succeeded
in persuading the old man to enter another
room, and, uninterrupted, the preparations
were resumed
If Dover has brave boatmen, it has no less
beautiful women, and this evening, judging
by their smiling faces, happiness was theirs.
The fiddler drew his bow, and to the mer-
ry strain of &C Money musk" away they
went in the good old fashioned contradance,
Meg leading off with smile, grace, step
and partner, many younger belle might
have felt proud of. Oh, but it was glori-
Gus scene, and when many merry feet were
busy, the very panes Of glass, and pictures
on the wall, seemed to have become ami
mate TO join in the gala.
There was one sad one there. Poor
Alice, who could not persuade. the old man
to leave the house, and who now sat by his
side, her head resting upon her hand, and
her thoughts fixed on the loved and lost.
The last Christmas dance at the Water
mans Arms, how different was it to her.
Then she Twas the blithest Of the gay-he
was her partner, and as she dwelt upon his
memory, her tears fell thick and fast.
"Tush my daughter, this is no time for
tears! tell thee hell be here soon," and
then faint glimpse ofreason flashed across
his mind, and they wept in unison. Their
grief was theirs alone, for no one witnessed
it, SO absorbed were the others in their a.
musement.
"Holloa, here % cried sunburnt strang-
er, suddenly appearing in the open door.
+" Halloa, say! How's this : is MT it
enough for one to back and ill off your
harbor's mouth for half day, with signal
set for pilot, but he must pull ashore for
one, and find none short Of frolic, and all
hands at that ?"
Unobserved by Alice, the old man had
stole from her side, and advanced a few
PAGES, regarding the stranger. "Aye, aye"
said he, cit was MT so once. had a boy
then, and we said " Dover again Deal -
let these fool--he'H soon be here, and all
will be right then. He's the man for you !;
these. are children, ha hal" He would
have said more, but the stranger had sunk
into chair, and Alice was in swoon.
The dancers had stopped, and while
Al