Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-08-25
EVENING STAR.
THE sMUaGLER's CAVE.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.

| bf CHARLES DICKENS.
| We had devoted the morning before INV
wedding day to the arrangements of those
| troublesome delightful, endless little affairs
| which tho world says must be set in order on
| such occasions; and late in the afternoon, we
walked down, Charlotte and myself, to take a
| last bachelor and maid peep at the home
| which, next day, was to be ours in partner
ship The front of our house was quaker-like
In point OF neatness and humility But enter /.
IL IS not hard toidisplay good taste when the
banker books put no veto on the choice gems
| of furniture which gave the finishing touch to
the whole. Then pass through, and bestow a
glance upon our living rooms, looking down
upon that greatest of luxuries, a terraced gar
| den, commanding the country-and not a lit
| tie Of that country mine already,-the farm
which my father had given me, to keep me
| quiet and contented at home For the closing
perspective Of our view, there was the sea.
ike bright blue rampant rising before US
White sailed vessels, or self-wiIled steamers,
| fitted to and fro for our amusement
We tripped down the terrace steps and of
course looked in upon the little artificial grot-
| to 20 the right, which had caused to be lined
| throughout with foreign shells and glittering
| spars Charlotte and went laughin civ along
| tho straight gravel walk, fianked on each side
with a regiment Of dahlias that led us to the
| little gate, opening to give US admission to my
| fathers own pleasure ground and orchard.
The dear old man was ejOiced to receive US
| A daughter was what he SO long had wished
for. We hardly knew whether to smile or to
weep for joy, as We all sat together on the
| same rustic bsnch, overshadOwed by the tulip
| tree, which some one said my father had him
| self brought from North America But of the
| means by which lie came possessed Of many
| of his choicest treasures he never breathed q
| syllable to me. His father, L very we'll knew,
was nothing more than a homely farmer, cul-
| tiyating no great extent Of not too pEod uctive
| sea- land.
Charlotte half whispered, half said aloud
| that she had 10 fear now that Richard Leroy,
| her boisterous admirer, would dare to attemp pt
his reported threat to carry her off to the con-
| tinent in his cutter Richards name made nv
| father frown, so We said no mora; we Iapsed
| again into that dreamy state Of silent enjoy
ment, which was the best expression Of our
happiness
| our portion Of the English coast there are
| many things that are we'll understood rather
| than clearly and distinctly expressed and no
one had ever enlightened ny ignorance My
father was on speaking terms with him, that
was all courteous, but distant; half timid,
half mysterious He discouraged my childish
intimacy with Richard, yet he did not 60 so
| far as to forbid it. Once, when urged him
| to allow me to accompany young Leroy in his
boat, to fish in the channel one calm and
| bright summer morning, ne peremptorily an
| swered, No. L do not wish you to be a
| smuggler." But then, he instantly checked
himself, and wards was more anxious and
| kind to me than ever. Still Richard and
| continued playfellows until We grew up, and
| both admired Charlotte. He would have made
| q formal proposal for her hand if the marked
| discouragement of her family had not shut
| out every opportunity.
This touched his pride, and once made him
declare, in an off hand way, that ii would cost
| him but very little trouble to land such a.
| light cargo as that, some pleasant evening, in
France, or even Oh one of the Azore Islands,
| if orange groves and orange blossoms were
/ what my lady cared about 1t is wonderful
how far, and how swiftly, needless words do
fly whence once they are uttered Such
speeches did not close the breach, but, in
| stead, laid the first foundation for one of those
confirmed arrangements which village neigh
borhoods only know. The rcpugnance mani
Tested by Charlotte friends was partly caused
by the mystery which hung TO Richards am
pie means The choice WAS uuhesitatingly
made 10 my favor. In consequence, as a soIt
| of rejected candidate, Richard Leroy reall,
| did lie, among Us. under an unexpressed anC
indefinite ban, which was by no means likely
to be removed by the registering, scornful al
Of superiority with which he mostly spoke of
looked at, and treated Us.
Charlotte and 1 took leave of my father OF
| that gray September evening with the full
conviction that every blessing was in store fol
| US which affection and wealth had the power
to procure
1t was somewhat early TO leave; but my
| fathers plans required 1t. lie desired tha
we should be married, not at the church o.
the village where We all resided, but at on
distant a short wslk, in which he took pecu
liar interest-where he had selected the spo
for family burial place, and where he wishes
the family registers to be kept. 1t was q sc
cuded hamlet; ana my father had simpl.
| made the request that L would lodge for
| while at farm house there, in order that th
| wedding might be performed at the place b
fixed hls heart upon. My duty and my inter
| est were to obey.
"Good night, Charlotte" had not Ion
been uttered before l was fairly on the wa
to my temporary home. Oar village and il
| few scattered lights were soon left behind
and was then upon the open down, walkin
| on with n springy step. On one side wa
, spread the English Channel; and from tim
| to time could mark the appearance of tn
light at Cape Grinez, Oh the French coast op
| posite There it was, coming and going, en-
n flashing out and dying away, with mover
ceasing ooquetry. The cliff lay between m.
| path and tie sea. There was no danger; f.
although the moon was not up, il was brigt
l starlight 1 knew every inch Of tho way
Il
September, however, mists will rise; and,
l approached the valley, there came tae Of
| spring Of the pretty stream that ran throug
10 it, something like light cloud running on IL
, | ground before the wind.
On, and still Oh, cheerily. In few nil
v | utes more l should reach the farm, and the
to pass one more solitary night Is almost
n pleasurable delay, refinement in happines
All at once, however, the ground gave wa
!, | beneath me. 1 fastened to advance anOth
n step, but the ground quivered and sank.
/ grasped at the side OF the yawning .pitfai
r but grasped In vain. Down, down, down,
\ fell headlODg.
When my senses returned, could loo
=. about me |; the moon had risen, and was sniI
1 ing in at the treacherous hole through whiC
: 1 had fallen. A glance was only too sufhcie
| TO explain my position. Why had always
4 fooIishly refused to allow the farmer to me
me half way, and accompany me to his hou