The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-08-12
a struggle for victory between myself
and the cavalry captain.

| turned tnem OVer III uy mihu 90
waded through the clover tops and
crossed the long meadow below the
house. 1t was sunny, dreamy August
day. The elms along the road dropped
their branches listlessly to the heat, and
the sun shone like silver shield. The
captain had gone flashing and l had
taken the opportunity to ask the little
school mistress to 60 rowing with me.
She asseuted, for it was her half holiday;
and so we rowed leisurely around the
point to the beach, where, incredible as
it may seem, she had actually called
me dear.
"Auut Mary" said I, when I reach,
ed the door, ~ want basket"
"What for?" she asked.
No one ever laid down proposition
to Aunt Mary that she did not reply by
asking either (which" or what fcr"'
It was weakness she had.
This time I laughed in her face.
"Well," she said snappishly, "the
only one I know of that amt in use,
Uncle Hezkiah's got down to the cove,
clammin. That ones in use tew."
1 turned and rummagcd succcssively
the barn, the corn crib, in the fruitless
search for something that would answer
my purpose.
1 had offended Aunt Mary by not
answering her question, and she would
give me no assistance. Finally, after
nearly an hours delay, as last resort
1 siezed the water pail and started down
to the beech.
When + arrived at the spot l had
left 1 looked up and down the shore
but could see nothing but my hat,
which, propelled by some unseen power,
was slowly and laboriously travelling
Up the beach. The boat was gone. l
recovered my tile, and in so doing, lib
Grated our ugly .csYhiSc, on whose &C.
count had already been put to SO
much trouble. But where was Miss
Gardner? Was she playing q trick !!
Had the cavalry captain made coup
d etat in my absence, and carried her
off? Neither of these things seemed
likely, but where was she?
ran along the sand and mounted a
great rock which jutted out into the
water. In a great deal of distress, l
shaded my eyes with my hand and
gazed earnestly far and near over the
sleepy shining sea All! could that be
her? Yes; for in a moment more could
distinguish the waving of the handker-
chief. There could be no one with Eer
and it needed but little reflection to
convince me that the school mistress
was alone in that boat and was drifting
out to sea.
Still I was puzzled to know if it was
that she had let herself float helplessly
away from the shore without making an
effort to save herself for | knew that
Miss Garduer was almost as good a sail
or as I. However, there she was, at
all events; and I ran up and down the
shore several times in state of semidls'
traction. There was not another boat
in thirty miles, and every second of delay
separated me farther from my life. Al
that moment l knew how much I lovet
her.
At last, in utter desperation I threw
off my coat and boots, and waded int
the water. l had been an exellen
swimmer from boyhood, and with 81
smooth sea and the tide running on
l felt hopeful Of gaining the boat.
swan steadily on until was tired
and then turned over on my back 6
rest. 1t seemed an age before l reach
ed the school mistress and became S
thoroughly exhausted and was severn
times on the point of letting myseI
sink, in despair. Then the thought o
sharks came over me, and [ becam
seized with wild panic, and | swain a
though swimming for my life, as d
last I really was. I had gone SO ia
from shore that to return was imposs
BILE, and 1 knew that the only chanc
for my own salvation was to reach tn
boat.
As neared it I saw the poor littl
II