Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1855-07-26
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ".
1t was now near the close Of the year. The
dim sun through all the brief day seemed
cEuging to the southern horizon. Ofiener it
was veiled IN clouds. The sea was almost
jet black. lnuumerable rolls and masses of
vapor lay on its cold bosom, and at nigh,
could hear the great waves chafe and boom
and below among the rocks.
One cloudy afternoon my aunt Deborah sent
me on an errand TO the house of the light
house keeper, Who was, almost, our nearest
neighbor. His wife was crony of my auni's S
and the journey, therefore, frequent one for
me. The lighthouse was situated at the end
o. long, narrow peninsula or beach, called
Cedar Point, which ran with southerly curve
directly into the sea, and formed the north
side of the little harbor. My grandfather's
house was at the head of the peninsula, and
midway between the lighthouse and the vii
lage, perhaps half mile from each. The
peninsula was rocky beach, only few rods
in width, and few feet above high water
mark that in extraordinary tides the sea swept
clean over it into the harbor, making an island
out of Cedar Point, and sometimes threaten
ing the safety of the lisht-house-keeper and
his family, It's only inhabitants.
The day had been lowering, but no, stormy
The wind, however, was rising, and as was
getting over the last stone wall which sepa-
rated my grandiather's English grass-ields
from the naked and pebbly beach, saw one
or two great fakes of snow in the air, and far
off over the water to the east, hung heavy
bank OF dark clouds. As walked along,
choosing, of course, the outside beach, skip
ping stone or two into the waves, and pok-
ing here and there among long heaps of sea-
weed for some of the innumerable treasures
which boys are always finding on the shore,
observed that the surf was running quite high,
and that the tide was on its flood. This null
titude of signs told even me that an easterly
storm was coming on, and that had no time
to lose, if | wished to escape ducking.
hurried along pretty briskly, yet without
alarm. | was as familiar with every foot of
the beach as with my own bed-chamber and
l had tramped on it with other half aquatic ur-
chins, the offspring of sailors and fishermen,
in storm and calm, summer and winter. at
morning and even at midnight. Indeed, it
was my earliest playground, and as cannot
remember the time when was unable to swim
Uhe tradition of the place being that every ma
tive child swims at birth,) feared drowning
about as much as does the pearl-diver of the
Indian seas.
Yet as neared the great white shaft-be-
loved of the mariner-which was 10 bound my
journey, | felt somehow childish and exut-
ant premonition OF adventure. II was now
clear that heavy blow was approaching, nay
had already come, and that all my strength
and courage might be tasked, il not exhausted,
in reaching my home The wind began TO
sweep across the narrow beach with consider
able force, and far out into the deep long lines
of whiie'breakers were taking the place of the
dark green breakers which Usually rolled 81
lentiy along the brine.
The gathering tumult of the elements seemed
In some way TO pass into my own frame
The truth, probably was, that for some weeks
| had been dropping for some kind of excite
ment, and that instinctively abandoned my.
self to the first that offered. AS picked my
way over the slippery pebbles OF the beach
and beheld all the stir and muster of earth
and sky, and ocean, felt my animal spirits
rise, and all my faculties exalted to their high.
est tension. Ny intellect was clear, my i'm.
agination vivid, and my courage invincible
Great exploits shadowed themselves before
me. became all at once a little hero in INV
own eyes; and my satinet jacket could hard.
ly bear, without ripping, the tremendous
thumps with which the climbing heart within
asserted its claims to wilder freedom. ]
ran through my whole life with thought
saw its vulgarity, its rudeness, its boorish
ness. hated 1t. Yet knew Of but one way
of escape, and that was barred. My grand
father! He who had, in an instant, like q
fash Of light, unveiled to me what was and
what he was he vas SO different from all
had known, so immeasurably superior 10 all
had conceived, he appeared TO me seated like
an antique immortal on the summit of an in
accessible mountain, cold, passionless, ant