Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-10-29
A Sea shore Incident.

preachers of the gospel at half the regular
price, relates for their edi6cation, as well
as that of others, the following sea-shore
incident:
Now that "life" at the watering places
is over for the season, and the returned
absentees, after several weeks spent in Set
ting things to rights, are entertaining their
enloyments at Rockaway, Newport, Nahant,
DC, We occasionally hear of summer in
cident worth repeating. A droll one &C.
Cured at marine resort, at the head of
Long Island sound, to couple orlhe forty
or fifty boarders in the hotel A newly
arrived gentleman and lady strolled away
one day in August to the long sand
beach far beyond the bath-house, to enjoy
the grander sweep of the waves rs it rolled
majestieally to the shore. The sublime
solitude Of the scene appeared to DC shared
only by Old Ocean and themselves, but
they were lovers just about to be married,
and wanted no other society than that of
each other. After walking till they had
became so warm that they looked wishfully
to the tempting Mater,. with its clean sandy
bed. and longed to lave in its cool transu
cent depths they decided to try bath.
They had no swimming rig with them, but
fortunately there was coy nook on either
side of a little rocky promon:ory which
proiectedinto the sound several rods beyond
the main margin The gentleman modestly
retired to the further side of this natural
screen, and the lady Invested herself of
her clothing without bit of fear that he
would incur her Diana-like Indignation;
his honor being above suspicion, and her
own being sans peur ct sans reproche.
Soon she heard him spalshing in the water
on the other side, and as there was no
harm in using their tongues, although
they must not use their eyes, cried out to
MIN cheerily as she rose like maid from
the wave. and they had quit social time
of it in spite of their separation. "Wasn't
it beautiful" Eyes. it was sglorious!'"
But, unfortunately for them, a small
bnt quick wi,ted and mischieyous boy
a sort Of marine Ike Darlington without
being seen himself, saw it all . He had
been fishing upon shell of rock, It tie
extreme end Of the promontory, and not
having very good luck, had fallen into a
sleep from which he was awakened by their
exclamations of delight. There are some
youthful minds to which the conception Of
a rogish trick or practical joke is as inevi-
table as lying. Unhapply, this lad was
one of them. From the point where he
lay he could, with only a slight movement
of the body, see the gentleman ON one side
Of the ledge, and the lady on the other:
and not far away from each. their respec-
tive heaps of garments. What jolly joke,
he thought 10 himself, it would be to 90
and hide their clothes; Or, still better. to.
change one pile for the other With him,
to devise was to execute, and he went fear
lessly about it, yet with great caution, lest
he be discovered and his fun spoiled. l.
Watching his opportunity, and taking adj
vantage of their absorption in what they
were doing, the little rogue managed by
consummate ability TO effect the ominous
exchange in the situation Of the unsuspect-
ing bathers' clothes; then stole away from
the scene. AS he ran behind sand hill,
his long shadow between her and the sink
ing sum- attracted the lady's notice, and in
some trcpidation, she fastened to don her
apparel. Fancy her "feelinks" on finding,
not her own clothes, but the hat, coat, vest
and other articles, IN extenso. Of the gentle,
man on the other side of the romontory
How could it have happened What was
to be done? Was that fearfully long shad-
dow some spirit Of the sea or shore, who
offended at her intrusion upon his solitude,
had resorted to this method of furnishing
her temerity? 1t were better to imagine
her situation than to attempt to describe it,
In the meantime, the gentleman, too, re-
paired to the shore to dress. SPECIFICS
astonIshment was depicted in his countc-
nance as it fell upon heap Of wom0ns
clothing. What in thunder, he muttered
to himself, does this mean?' Is the place
turned round, or am crazy?' In the
greatest perplexity he took up one article
of feminine apparel after another to the
number Of about thirty, Lifting one after
another drop again upon the rock where he
stood, with many half audible ejaculation
CT wonder. There was no doubt in his
mind as to whom the things belonged. but
low did they get there, and where were
his own clothing? With one arm akimbo,
he pressed his other hand upon his fore
head, little thinking that the mischievOuS
elf, who was the author of his embarrass-
ment, was laughing athim from behind the
sand hill.
After few moments of hesitation, the
gentleman shouted to his lady love the
awkward intelligence, and in return was
informed that his clothes lay at her feet
All that was to be done was TO exchange
the lots; but how, in the name of delicacy,
was that consummation, so devoutly wish
ed. to be effected? The sun was now down,
but it was not dark yet. Finally it was
arranged that the lady should venture into
the water, with her eyes seaward, while
the lover should exchange the clothe and
return to his side Of the. rocks. Unfortu
nately. just as he was about to cut around
TO the other side to perform that duty, he
caught sight of couple Of young ladies
not far off, and he felt compelled to retreat
precipitately to his place again. His dis
comfitted companion would have then come
out hastily and called to he ladies for their
help, but they were distant. and between
herself and them she saw boy passing
along To cut the story short the 'pecu-