The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-06-27
From Dickins' Household Words.
A GaiIOp For Life.


Bengal, few weeks ago, when party Of u
were sitting in the shade Of clump of tree
beside the brook that rattles down from th
/ lake, with the unpFoBounceable name, on tn
big hills behind Trenadoc. Some of ou
party (they were from town, ana lately al
riyed) had been kaymaking in the field, whicl
is not quite as steep as the roof Of St. Paul's
but steep enough to tempt roll or two in th'
fresh, sweet hay; two had been fishing in tht
lake: while trio. lazy and romantic, haC
just been reading, with occasional intervals o
discussion, during which, it was wonderful
the number of bottles of porter they had man
aged to empty, out of the three dozen put tc
cool in the holloy.of the brook bank for the
amateur haymakers. BY a universal vote
we had lunched under the trees on all man
per Of eomestibles, including wonderful sal.
al Of cold turbot, for want Of a lobster. We
were very happy and very warm, except the
idlers. After luncheon some went to sleep
am afraid some smoked; but no one scold-
ed, and no one argued As the evening crept
on, the tide went down in the bay, and Cor
miles there was nothing to be seen bat a
desert of yellow sand-real yellow sand, where
Ariefs friends might have danced with pleas
urc. We watched the sea rcccding, until
only dim waggling line on the horizon told
us where the waters of Port Madoc were to
come from, at the turn of the tide,
Everybody seemed delic!9usly lazy; 40 one
could be called or eoaxcd into havmaEing
again. To halfofus, open air work was some
thingnew; othe other half, the rattle ofnew ar
rivals from town was wonderfully refreshing,
after the vegetation ofa Welsh village SO gos-
siping, with a little singing, little story-telI-
ing, and, ap afraid, a little flirting, the day
wore out, the moon rose up and presently,
up q hundred channels, before unseen, the
sea began to flow back, AMI sparkle below
us, as we sat on the turf on the hillside be-
side the rustling torrent.
At length the conversation turned on rides
across the sands, on the shores Of the Soway,
and the pcrils of Moreeombe Bay. One
quoted the adventure in "RcdgauntIet," an
ether of Sir Arthur WardoHr and Lowell in
the " .Anhquary;' third, the story of the
narrow escape of Madame D'Arblay, near H..
fracombc; but we were all piqucl with the
acutest curiosity, when Alfred Aubrey, the
msn, with n romantic, name.
said between the whifs Of genuine Manila,
81 once had a narrow escape myself cross |
ing the Dec, on Just such a night as this, on
" there was no moon; and can assure you
that galloping a race with time and tide is no
Joke"
"Comc," cried Carry Darling, the sclEclcct- |
ed dictatress of our al tresco parliament, ''that
will do; you have been talking nothing these
three days but fishing and politics; put down
your filthy 10 oacco, and tell us that-for you
owe us a story" SO Aubrey knowing that he .
hal a Napoleon in pctticoats to deal with,
began with fewer excuses than customary in
,ucL. eases, as follows
About twenty years ago, after fatiguing
London season, was stopping at the decay
ID port and bathing village of Parkgate, on
he Dee, opposite the equally dccavcd town
md castle Of Flint. 1t was curious place
o choose for amusement, for it had, and has,
10 recommendation except brackish water,
,lcasant scenery at high water, and excessive
lullncss. But to own the truth, was in
Owe, desperately in love, with one Of the
most charming, provoking little sylphs in
he world, who, after driving me half era
v in London, was staving on visit with
N uncle, Welsh parson at drcarv Park
ATE. Not that it was drcary to me when
aura was amiable; on fhe contrary, ]
rrotc to nay friends and described it as one
fthe most delightful watering places in Eng
and, and, bv so doing. lost forever the good
races and legacies of my Aunt Grumph, who
ravelled all the way from Brighton on my
escription. and only STAYED long enough to
hange horses. One sight Of the one street
{ tumble-down houses, in face of couple Of
iiles of sand and shingle at how water, was
nough. She never spoke TO me again, ex-
cpt to express her contempt for my opinion.
Our chief amusement was riding on the
and, and sometimes crossing to Flint at
Nv water. You know, of course, that for
ierly the Dee was a great commercial river,
18th important ports at Chester, Parkgate.
nj Flint; but,in the course of time, the banks
ave falcn in. Increasing the breadth at tn
xpense Of the debth: so that at Parlgate,
thence formerly the Irish packets sailed, the
sher-girls can walk over at low water, mere
' tueking up their petticoats in crossing the
hannel, down which the main channel Of
-esh water flows.
But althoug this broad expanse Of sand
ffords a firm footing, at low water, for the
hole way across, except just around Flint,
here there are several guicksands, when
he tide turns in certain states Of the wind,
he whole estuary Is covered with wonderful
aPidity; for the tide seems TO creep mp sub
channels, and yOu may find your
elf surrounded by salt water when You least