Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-12-09
Sflefte0 Storm.
THECAPTAiN,S RETURN.

Il u "A
A long. low catch of fland, shelving down
gradually to the waters edge. covered with
shining shells, and glittering when the sun
snone on il. with white sand left there by
the reeeding sea-wayes, as they crept softly
and insidiously upward, or sung IN the
summer sun their monotonous chant, tos-
sing their white, crisp waves Joyously In
the morning sunshine, or dashing with re-
sistless fury, when hunted by the sweep
ing hurricane, up, up, till they lashed them
selves into snowy foam on the rocky pro-
lection of Eagle Crag. which stood, when
the water was at low tide, mile and half
from shore.
Upon the top of this point, known to the
villagers by the name of Eagle Crag, stood
q cottage, a veritable little nest, in fairy
like proportions, around which q garden
bloomed and blossomed like a paradise in
q desert.
..where shall 1 build little cage to hold
Won till / come back?' asked brown and
looked on the bright face OF the newly
made Mrs. Danforth, with all q lovers
fondness shining in his honest face and
fearless eyes, Transforming the hard lines
of his weather-bronzed face into positive
tenderness.
..At the Eagle Crag.' answered Robina
Danforth, usually known among her ac-
quaintances by the pet name of ROBIN"
.In that bleak place p said John, in his
astonishment why, birdie, you would
die of home-sickLess In a week"
20 Johnl please" coaxed the little wo-
man, who, practical and housewifely to the
last degree, hid beneath it all vein of ro-
nance, none the less stong or being hid
der. I'm my lonely life before you found
me. John, a silly little thing as Iam"-here
the lustrous eyes grew brighter before
you, with your experience. and wisdom,
and noble mauliness. took me to be your
foolish little wife, and actually stopped to
fall in love with me, a mere school girl,
used TO long so for home, dear. Next to
the longing for father and mother and q
sister to love and care for me, this other
longing for home was the strongest; and
after saw you John, here bright blush
stained the clear brow of her sunburnt
cheek-'I used TO think if the longing
should over grow to be reality, and the
little home, whose picture grew brighter
every time mused upon it, should ever be
mine-ours, mean" with another little
blush) chow happy, how very happy !
should be. | saw the place where it should
stand, this little home of ours, on a high
point overlooking the ocean, where we
could watch the white ships sail along the
CLASSY water or ride fearlessly upon the
bounding waves ] saw the roses and Jas
mine twine tenaerly their wealth of bloom
around the little porch, and / have heard 9
thousand times the hum of bees sad song
of bros, that darted in and out among the
vines and blossoms.
Wines and blossomsr' burst forth hon
est John, in his anazement; ''littIe woman
are you crazy? should like to see the vine
or blossom that would flourish within halt
league of Eagle Crag, the most arid, bar
rem waste conceivable
20 john is this true?" was all she said
bat the smothered sigh attested the depth
of ner disappointment.
John made no-reply; but, stimulated by
the sound OF that half-smothered sigh, and
the glimpse of ghstening tears twinkline
hastily from the curling, brown lashes, fel
to studying wave and means; and the result
was tn pretty cottage, set ON the topmos
point of Eagle Crag, while vines and flow.
ers hourished and grew in the artificial
soil spread over the small inelosure which
defined the boundary of mis- purchase.
Perched up there, like a mountain bird.
nest, one could See from the perch. which
was on the north size, the village, with the
fshermen's cottages, the long, winding
steep road, whose tortuous descent of two
miles must be traversed ere one could gair
the village: while from the west and sostl
one looked upon the sea from heigh
which almost made the gaze giddy.
Roses and climbing plants adorned th,
trellises; beds of crimson verbenas, purpl,
pensies, and snow-white daises made tn.
little garden redolent of perfume.
By the second summer, SO well domestic
ated had the flowers become that they fair
ly ran wild and defied all boundaries; pur
pie pansies and golden nasturtiums ESCAPED
by the underground passage they haG
found together, nodded boldly from tn,
walk, and looked with disdain upon thei
meek sisters, who tamely submitted to b,
hemmed in by borders OF green box; and
trailing convolvulus ran perfectly lawless
Haunting their scentless blossoms befor,
YOU in the most unlocked for places; peep
ing through the garden palings, claspin,
with their clinging tendrils the stone doc
step, running races with the jasmine, whicl
Quietly plodded on toward the top of tn
porch-in fact, setting all law and order q
defiance in the most rebellious manner
bat also in way that would have don
Johns heart good to see.
But alas. John had been gone thes
many days on voyage to the China Sea
bearing with him, to keep his heart warm
the memory of q sunny face, which smilet
goodbye with fearful eyes one bnghtsum
mer morning. standing at the garden gate
Meanwh hile, inside the cottage su wen
on with the order, and neatness, and re
cularly, which rivaled that OF the clock OF
the mantel, which seemed to take deligh
in tickling the minutes and striking tn
hours. to such bustling, cheerful littl
mistress
Little Hans, the poor, half-starved, for
lorn German boy, whom Robin had takel
to milk the COW and hoe the flower garden
and run of errands to the village, grey
bright and cheerful under the influence o
her armies; while his face, grown wile
and fuller every day, till it resembled moth
ING so much as one Of nis own CAREFUL,
tended sun-fowers, bore witness to he
marvellous skill in cooking.
Mother Danforth-a good sort OF womal
In melancholy way, who was much glvel
to frequently siehings and complaining
whose most rfulrecreation was q funel
nj now and then, and to walk up to Eagl
Crag to inspect, after the time honore
fashion of mothers-i -in-law. the doings of 1t
little mistress-was fain to confess that eve
to her critical eye the household manage
ment was perfect