The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-07-20

so fiercely against the shore as they
did that autumn But my darling
ship weathered every storm. and he
came back to me at last, and we were
married. and he left the sea and settled
down in pretty little place some
miles from home, but pear enough for
Prue and Olive to ride over every day
or two. and become an amateur far
raising wonderful squashos
and turnips for our own use. and prid-
ing himself on the rare fruit Of the
orchard.
There was but one drawback to nv
happiness and that was the little blue
boat-a cunning thing he had made
and painted himself, with my name on
the side in gilt letters, and with cush-
toned seats and elegant oars. When
ever / went to the river side and saw
it dancing on the water, my heart
sunk; and yet Captain Marshall had
made the boat for me, and had many
merry Jest about asserting his au-
thority, and compelling me to be
rowel up and down the river in lit
until / was cured of my folly. Some
times, too, he used to coax me to go
with him until l cried to think | did
not dare.
1t was standing joke with Prue
and Olive, who often made the captain
row them miles up the stream when
they came to see us; but into the boat
/ never vent, and never had been
when a year was past and little baby
lay upon my arm, a second Kitty Mar
shall--a girl with my yellow hair, but
with her fathers splendid Spanish
eyes
/ was very, very happy. had new
er been SO happy in all my life. When
the child was old enough to be carried
out into the air, we used to take it
with us on our old country rambles,
and the little thing loved the blue sky
aud fresh breeze already.
"She will love the sea too, for she
is sailors daughter" said Captain
tain Marshall; and l always dreading
the time when he should take our lit
tie pet out upon the river in the little
blue boat. he never did it, though,
81 had right to say what should be
done with my own baby" he said; and
the child grew to be four years old
without having once had either row or
sail
Then, when she WAS little toddling
thing, she used to run to the wa
ter's edge, and try as best she could
to get into the boat, and once came
near drowning. Over and over again
/ said:
Il Wish the blue boat had never
been made. l wish you would burn it,
or sell it. I'm sure it will be the
death Of some one l love yet"
l said this, almost GROSSLY, one morn
ing, and the captain turned toward
me with his own kind smile.
vexes YOU, he said IN break it up
to-day, Kitty, though, Lord love you,
if our time is come we'll go, boat or
no boat, my dear"
And /, thinking of the child, mad
for the water as ever sailor was, could
not help thanking him joyfully, though
| knew he was fond OF his boat, and
would miss it, too.
I'll do it when / come home TO-
night" he said, with sigh; and
though / wished 1t could be done that
morning, l said nothing; only kissed
him again, and thanked him, and he
went away, kissing his hand to us
the child and las we stood on the
porch to watch him,
We were to be all alone that day.
Our servant had grown tired OF coun-
try quarters, and deserted, and the
captain was going mp to town to en-
gage another. l had my household
work to do, and left little Kitty on the
porch, after making her promise not
to leave it. The child thus far was
generally obedient, and | was quite
easy about her. Yet | only left her a
few minutes at time Always when
came back she sat where l had left
her, playing with her doll.
AT last L took my sewing, and sat
down beside her. The day was warm,
and / was weary. Without intending
it, | fell asleep. do not know how
long | slept, but when l started awake
the child was gone. Her doll lay on
the floor, her little picture-book be-
side it. On step below was her little
round hat, but where was she ? l ran
into the house, calling her, and heard
no answer. ran through the garden
still no little voice replied TO my
scream of kitty Kitty
AT last l made my way to the river
bank, straining my eyes to see the
little blue boat. There it lay, dane
ing merrily on the siivery water; but
Kitty was not near it. Perhaps she
was under those purling rpples
That was the sick fear that smote my
heart. Perhaps had no childl
Then, as l wrung my hands III ter
ror, / heard faint, far-olf cry of
Mammal Mamma" and followed
the sound around the curve of the
path, saw my darling
There was little rock which stood
some distance from the shore, and
which at low tide reared its brown
breast above the water. Then you
could reach it by stepping stones, but
at high tide it was quite hidden. The
tide was rising now; the stepping