Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-30
.GRlll&y. sState{;ss;rllrlar1. i
' u From London Society,"
SECOND THOUGHTS.

found myself In 1t with an olu 1rlenu VINO
had been spending few daysw me TO
settle the details of trip together to the
Continent. --.a-..--.-.
Yes, certainly, it was theaperfection of
comfort. We had on dry fannels, and were
stretched, with good stiff glasses of grog
within easy reach, on the floor, each on a
thick rug doubled overa couple Of seamen's
chests showed up against the wall on ops
pOsite sides of the little pilots hut which
stands among the sandhiIls at the entrance
of Rakeston IhaTbor. A fire of drift coal
burnt cheerfully in small crucible-shaped
iron stove between US. There was Just
light enough to glance on Nick's red worst
ed stockings, and to show dimly the ghost
ly lines of the six lashed hammOcks which
hung side by side from the ceiling in the
smoke, which every now and then puffed
out and collected in blue haze among the
rafters, as some more violent gust than
usual threatened to carry the hut bodily
away. .#...F -.tI.. -...DFr
70 We had arranged plan some little time
before for a long nights duck-shootlng by
moonlight on the harbor; and, though the
weather looked ugly and uncertain, we
determined not to be beaten, and drove off
in the rain eight miles to our starting-place.
Thetide was unaccountably slow that day,
andit was an hour or more later than we
had calculated before there was water
enough for us to row down to the yachts
moofings, so we had plenty of timeto vict-
ual the garrison, and by the time we had
disposed of three eggs apiece, with CORES
bonding bacon, in the sanded parlor OF the
hospitable 'Lobster," we felt less irritated
with the universe, and had the satisfaction
of finding that the rain had stopped, and
the bitches, which, rose and fell with the
tide, were full. . ' ,-.
The sun came out, and the clouds rolled
away before q stiffening breeze, as we tack
ed down the Channel with the ebb at
spanking pace. A few seas over us only
added to the charms of glorious sail, and
my spirits, at least, were at their highest as
we cast anchor in deep pit well inside the
point, and set off both of us (little thinking
OF the evils in store for us), in opposite'di-
rections, to stalk lOtof curlews which we
had marked down on mud-bank quar-
ter of mile away. When we got back
again the sun was sinking, sulIen and red,
behind forests and mountains of dark pur-
pie cloud away over the harbor, and wehad
not made any Oflour arrangements for the
night, The Yacht was undecked. The in
oenious shelter which we had planned of
sails stretched over the boom and lashed
down to the bulwarks, existed as yet only
in our own imaginations, and few Nomin-
ous splashes of rain did not add to the
pleasantness of the prospect of night in
the open air. The first thing to be done
was to look after our supper, and almost be-
fore our potatoes were boiled 1t was pitch
dark, drenching with rain, and blowing a
gale. No lights are allowed on the point
after dark under heavy penalties, SO we ate
miserable meal of cold mutton and bread,
Il ,,,,,i ie,,IE aud cilanf in fhn loo OG thn
life boat house, shivering, Respondent and
wretched. There was something wrong
with Nick, too. Generally he was the most
lively, good natured fellow in the world,
ready tOfnake the best of everything, but
all to-day he had been irritable and un-
pleasant. He ran us aground like great
iubber three times on the way down, by
hauling on the jib sheet when he should
have let draw; missed aneasy shot at the
curlews, and swore at me for it; and as
shivered in the bitter northeast wind, which
grew wilder and louder every moment,
could not forget that ii he had put the helm
up instead of down, once in the race just
outside the point i should not have had a
big wave down the back OF my neck. More
over he had a ''sou' wester," and an oily
coatright down to his heels, and had only
stupid wide-awake and pea-jacket This
lHSG OIIblSc uOb UC lOISlNCus nlJ Dlllu
was made up that he might look out for
another travelling companion for the trip to
Switzerland next week, l would go to Nor
mandy alone. ... -.,.- ... -f....
Oh, the luxury of those dry fannels and
the charming warmth and comfort of that
exquisite pilot housel Harry, our boatman,
had found the key and lit the fire. We had
| boiled the kettle, had got up our dry things
/ from the yacht, and now, as | said before,
we lay on our rugs in the perfection OF
comfort. What pleasure it was to listen
to the shrek and rattle of the storm out
side, and then to put ones hand down and
find real warm, dry legs, and to take sip
of the luscious grOg. a". !. ."..i.
p, Ny heart was full, and yearned towards
Nick as he smoked away, gloomy and ST.
lent, emptying his tumbler and filling it up
again terribly stiff. We had none of us
spoken for some little time, when Harry
| got up, stretched himself, and threw on Q
| inmp of coal. Til fire blazed up brightly
! Nick's face was towards me, and he turned
| it away sharply. He was crying.
II doubt I'd better Just go down to the
YACHT sir, and see she ride alright. That's
unkind night, Lawkl there's rare bob
I berry out o. the Channel. The lights o. that
vessel out o. the middle's jumping about,
most as though she was out @ the open. !
never seed bigger sight o. sa.g That make
a mortal yelling" odj 10 ..ae,n-.'s1 lIia
The door opened, and flew back with a
| hang like cannon. The rain drove up the
hut; and the fire poured out stream ioi
| smoke which eddied round and round, and
I'endedi by trying to make its escape up my
nose. ..f ..,.sai. p, sr-rs.s,., ,7 yo.f.-.
TNick," I said, as soon as the sneezing fit
was over and we were alone, 'sNick, old
fellow, tell me what's the roWp There have
| been thinking you sulky and all sorts Of
things:Htell me" and 1 got up and put
! my hand on his shoulder. ';Poor old boy
what is it?i'9 r0I&l .gul jlrirtsl b..
TOhl leave, me alone. There's nothing
| the matter; only I'm fool. Well, if you
| must know, read that! shall be all right
soon. only got that this morning--read
IitI hts NV own, FAULT know Pm an ASST
~ took the letter he held out, and he twist
edIup his mouth and tried to whistle, ."Pm
aflpat" "but it was a failure, and he added,
1 in la-l0Wef tone: 9nDI)trG eNI f-i u1y2 81
"a zone can't pull up ten years. fancy Of
| that sort, Jack, without shaking the soil q
1 Sit. Thank you for making me let the cat
bol1t: I'm all the better for it. Good nightp'
AR was sorry nioresorry than could say,
| fofhim, He was the oldest friend had got
we had slept in the same chamber at VIM
| chester, and rowed in the same boats at Ok
1 ford aud could not bear to see him so cut
,pup, II could have done almost anything for
l Observation-Disclosures wish him any
other answer than the one read by the
icireliRht now. 1t was this: 33!.' 9eR ~
La @MYDEAR BARNARDl-Yo on must think
mora of the subject meHtioned'in your let
tar II do NOT sneak Offhand or unadVised-