Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-10-19
THE "MARGARET ANN.v

II We had but known, If we had but known
THE "MARGARET ANN.,'
:" am sure it is going to be a fearful
night" sighed Mrs. Whitnall. "It was
rough at midday but"
Rough at midday Why, mother,
you called it rough the other evening,
when there was hardly enough wind to
blow out the fishing boats"
1t was Alex who had interrupted, the
eldest a brave, fearless lad of thirteen.
We stood on again, in silence.
"Oh, dear, l wish we could have tea,
mammar' said impatient Gerty, p-es-
emily. Is it of any use to wait
longer ?''
'Well-yes; perhaps we had better
have tea," replied Mrs. Whitnall.
Please to ring, Dorothy"
It was surprising how dark the room
had become, and how long we must
have stood watching the sky and sea.
i had to grope M way to the bell. The
landlady answered it herself, Mrs.
James, bringing in the candles.
With the curtains drawn, and the
room bright, we sat round the tea-tab BILE,
and forgot the sea. All at once, when
there happened to be minutes still
ness from tongues, every mouth being
full of bread and butter and shrimps, a
sound like rushing, wailing moan
swept past the windows, shaking the
house to its foundation. Mrs. Whitnall
dropped the teapot and looked up with
scared face.
"Was that the wind p
Of course it was the wind. She need
not have asked it.
What night it is going to bel'
Alex went behind the curtains to
look out. Little Ethel was running,
tco, but told her to come back, and
not throw down the heads and tails of
the shrimps.
1t is nothing but land wind,
mother" said Alex, in his wisdom.
:. The sea is not bit rougher than it
was BEFORE"
"Just bark That's the drum of the
circus" bewailed Frederick. And
poor papa not to have come back to
take us!''
- The drums could certainly be heard,
and for the first time in our remem.
brance. But we were quieter tonight
than usual, and the wind set this way.
Children feel disappointmenls keenly,
and the shrimps seemed to lose their
flavor.
Mrs. Whitnau chose the one hundred
and seventh Psalm for reading that
night thought / knew why-and
then the childlen went to bed, Alex
sadly wanted to sit up, to be ..in at the
landing" but his mother would not let
him. When got down stairs after see.
tn the Effin
Ethel, she was standing in the bay
window behind the curtain, calculatins
the possibility, or not, Of her husbands
coming IN. But that we were inexpe
arienced land-women, we should have
known that there had been no chanc,
OF 1t for hours past. The Margaret AM
could not have lived in such a sea.
> - : Dorothy, just come and look at i
now.''
There could be no mistake that i
had turned out wild night; for tina
matter, though, it had been wild after
noon. Gusts OF wind shook the panes
the black clouds had given place t
lurld ones; the sea rose higher an,
roared aloft. She stood with her hand
tightly clasped.
!. Dorothy, l am getting faint witt
lear.
Nay, try and not do that, Mrs
WhItnau. Gods mercy is over all. Re
member what you read tonight"
The singular thing is, why the
should not have returned in the aftel
noon, as agreed upon," said she. 81
: was not too rough then.''
.ffa.s Not too rough in the eally part {
. / 1t, Mrs. w Whitnall."
lit almost seemed to us watching ther
that we could see the air moying-mo,
ing as last as the clouds. The wave
tossed~as 1t they wanted to meet j
She looked very pale, poor wife; and
IRafelt all kinds of terrible doubts myse]
! accidents happen on the sea SO CO.
stantly. Why, why did Robert Whitna
consent to go?-he who did not lii
the sea Was he safe ?-would he
safe 2-and come home to US ever AGAR
Shall 1 get your work, Mrs. VIII
nall 2"
ef;a "Oh, Dorothy, 1 have no heart
work tonight l''
It was the first time we had left Lo
= don in three years. Mr.. Whitnall cou
On not afford the expense of a holid
every autumn. Two weeks had gone
IS. slnce we came, and we were to stay ty
weeks more. 1t was great enjoyme
Tor all OF US. The very day of our {
rival, Mr.. Whitnall chanced to MAJ
the acquaintance of Captain San
formerly commander in the mercha
navy: He lived in pretty cottage VII
AZ hlgher up, and was most intellige
man, with bright generous temp,
Mr.. Whitnall had taken a great liki
% Ito him. Captain Sand possessed bo
the Margaret Ann. He called it a yacI
but l think it must have been t
smallest yacht in the world. A lit
cQckleshell of thing it was, with
white sail, and the supreme delight
= :. !. IS the captains heart.
This same morning after breakfa
81 while | was hearing Kate practice
.'sf e J, though nothing Of player mysel
could superintend that, and Kate v
willfully careless-I saw the Captain a
% Mr.. Whitnall walking about outside
the strip of grass. Presently the lat
persuaded him to go out for sail.
laughed a little Robert had SO resist
being persuaded before. They Intend
to be home in the afternoon. As
dinner, he said, when his wife gu
toned him, the Captain was going
take some bread and cheese and be
,and he could have some cold meat W
rlI. his tea. We laughed again after he +,
gone at the idea of Roberts eating
board the yacht-he, who would be
sick on the smoothest lake.
Well they went. It was about b
.n9 past ten when we watched the pre
little cockle-shell sail swiftly across
as4 sea and disappear in the distance.
.sess1
sE