Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-05-20
MISCELLANEOUS.
UNDER THE SEA.


They were scrambling down the rocks
a gay chattering procession pretty Kat,
with her Captain; DIR. Gray, supportin,
his invalid wife Helen, Isabel, Tom, ant
their midshipman cousin; l. st of ali
Esther Vane-alone. 1t seemed to he
morbid fancy that it should be so. Hence
forward she must be alone always alone
The little guide trotted on in advance
ms round ten-year old fase wearing thC
vacant look so strangely common to tha
part of the Maine coast, with its gIor,on,
scenery. There the ocean is considered ,
vast depot of herring and "porpy-oil.
anu the mountains untoward obstacles il
the way OF primitive husbandry. "Blast
,em, wish they was fat" the native,
say as their plOws encounter the handler,
at the base; and if they look aloft at ali
IL is to calculate the perches of "medde1
land which might be made to occupv the
same area, if they were out of the way.
inc party felt on the eve of great things
M1avlng arrived only the day before
W nfounl HeWport, with its wonderful reach
OF sapphire sea, the bluffs. the lakes in
their settings of dark blue hill, were still
10 them the images of things not seen
rms, their first excursion thev had deoi.
Gated TO the Grotto," or "DeviI's Oven -
as the coast people term ft-a sort of sinh.
marine cave, unveiled and accessible q,
low tide only and great wonder in its
folIn 90 grew sleeper. Carefully they
,-wed its windings, step by step, sure
rooted Kate accepting the help she didn't
need for that pleasure in being guided
and watched. And now the little guide
pauses, and with little freckled fore
finger points round projection of rock.
3 All crowd to the spot. All there it is
The cave of the mermaids A shrek of
from the party at the sight
Beneath the low browed arch the rocky
floor rises, terrace after terrace, till in its
highest recess it meets the roof above. A
floor for the nereids to dance upon floor
of pink coralline, cleaning here and there
through pools of emerald water left by
the retreating tide. And each of these
tiny lakelets seemed brimming with flowers
the flowers OF ocean-green whorls,
like chestnut-burs; anemones, with their
dahlia bloom; brown and rosy moses
among whose tendrils bright fish darted
and played, and snails of vivid orange
clustered; broad leaves of brilliant dye
swaying and undulating with the motion
OF the pool minute specks of life flash
ing every iridescent hue. No earthly
garden was ever SO gorgeous The rocky
shelves were dimpled with hollows-soft-
ly, exquisitely curved. No fancy of the
old classic days seemed too fantastic or
too fair for the sLot. The Imagination
instir ctively kindled into pictures, and
saw the seanymphs sporting in the foam
bold tritons winding their shells; mer-
mai6s playing at hide and-seek mixes and
mocking water-sprites peeping from the
basins-all dream land and wonderland
opening, and the common earth put aside
and far away.
With cries of delight, the party made
their way down, and scattered through
the cave. There was room for an army.
1t was hard to realize that with the re-
turning tide the space must fill, the gate
way close, and leave no resting-place for
human foot.
"You said the tide was going down,
didn't you, little boy?"
aye ah''
"You're sureg"
Yeah"
0. "That's NICE" cried Isabel. "Then we
can stay as long as we like. oh! do
somebody come here and see this"
She was lying with her face almost
touching the anemones. Nobody re-
spOnded to her call each had found some
other point of interest. Tom had fished
up sea urchin and was exhibiting it.
Kate and the Captain, in q niche of their
own, at safe whispering distance, were
absorbed in each other Esther had
climbed to the topmost ledge, and was
sitting there alone. For the first time in
six weary months sensation of pleasure
had come to her, and she was con cious
OF but one longing-that they would all
go away aud leave her to realize it. With
some Vaeue hope, she got out color box
and portfolio, and began to sketch. At
least 1t kept people off and furnished an
excuse for silence.
And 80 an hour or more passed by. She
heard, as in dread, the chatter of the
others, their questions to the little guide,
his short, jerky replies The pools were
all explored; the urchins and anemones
had been tickled with parasols, and made
to shut and open and shut again; the
young people began to sigh for further
worries to conquer, and Mrs. Gray to con-
slider IL very damp
sia+' Little boy, isn't there something else
near by which we should like to see|
''H'" Gitess So"
well, what lsrit9 Tell US, please,7
T" "Tnere's the Heads, guess
"Ohl low far off is thatY A mile, did
you say? That's not far. Papa, the boy
say $ there's place called the Heads, only
mile away, and we want TO go and see
+. it., Can'twe go9o You know the way
don't you, little boyY"
eye an" '3-i
: 81 think this place is very damp
sighed Mrs. Gray. 81 should really be
glad to go somewhere and feel the sun
shine again. begin 10 have creeping
chiils. Suppose we let the boy show us
1.-THE way to this other place, father"
"Very well Get your things together
. girls Come, Esther, we're going"
> Esther reused herself as from a dream
AasOh, MIR. Grayi must l goP I'm in the
middle of a sketch, you see. Couldn't
you leave me here quietly, and pick me
up as YOU come backS should like il SO
much"
"Well--I don't know. The tide is going
Out, the boy says; there won't be any
trouble of that kind. Are you sure YOU
wont be- chilled or lonelyY"
On quite sure"
~ Promise me that If you are, you will
60 TO the cottage at the bend and warm
Yourself or SIT on the rocks in the sun
Wei. look for you in ono place or thC
.lotner Good by my dear" ..a4
Good.by, sir"