Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-09-06
A YACHTSMAN'S ROMANCE.

The London season was over, and con-
siderable number Of its late celebrities
were collected in various pleasant spots
closely contiguous to the waters of the
Solent. Blighted beings had repaired to
Cowcs, and shattered hearts to Ryde.
Gentlemen who were, in popular parlance,
about " done up" were enjoying themselves
with an hilarity, that might have betokened
the zenith of worldly prosperity and COM
mercial success, in different crafts belong
ing to the pleasure fleet which covers the
English Channel with animation during
the months of July, August, and Septem-
ber. OF all social phenomena there is none
probably more curious than that thus
stated by distinguished novelist How
is it that men whom in their palmy days
| have seen haggard, careworn, and defect
ed by the simple fact that they are utterly
and irretrievably ruined, suddenly become
the most light hearted and jolliest Of man
kind W The explanation probably is re-
action reaction from the suspense OF
anxiety to the certainty of despair. Or
possibly the philanthropists who propose
to themselves the extinction of impecunos
ity at a modest profit Of eighty per cent.
might consider that the true rdison detrt
was to be found in the fact that these
volatile human wrecks are blest with ex.
pectations in the background, and usually
have reversionary interest more or less
available. . UltcHf
The scene is Ryde Pier, and the houI
about 7:30 p. M. A pretty spot, and by
no means an unfavorable hour for visiting
it, Like Melrose, Ryde Pier and the view
which it represents may be visited witt
signal proprety by the pale moonlight o.
in the pale twilight. The eternal promen
ade on the pierhead, the perpetual accom-
paniment of brilliant music and intermin
able scandal, the careless tide of demon
strative firtation-these things are pleasan
enough per Sc, but they have, no doubt,
f tendency to become monotonous. 1t is
very different thing, Ryde Pier after din
ner. You can secure society withou
crowd and company without effort. Yo'
may mediate SOlt,s, or sofas cum s0td yo'
may airt. And the prospect is not with
out its charm. There in the Solent is tn
squadron Of dainty craft, their sails furled
still and motionless at anchor, the lam
liked to their mastheads rejecting itse
with quivering motion in the tide below
and the whole effect being that Of ma
nne illumination. A little further on, an
i you can see the line Of light on the mair
4 land and distinctly trace the terraces
Southsea and Portsmouth. II you tur
round you will see full in your face th
little town of Ryde alive with gas, and tn
windows Of the Victoria Yacht Club a
j aglow. Then. probably, to enhance II
4 sentiment Of the moment, the strains
music steal upon you; and were 1t nj
that you are seasonably reminded OF COZ
ungent rheumatic pains, you might
tempted to lapse into poetic reyerie.
Mr.. Jim Lawlesse, TO address him
once by his familiar title, was scarcely
gentleman Of poetic temperament, y
rom the prolonged intentness Of his ga
upon the waters, as he lounged across Il
ralllngs Of the pier, and the fact that
nad suffered his cigar to become exit
guished in his hand, he might, for all OF
could have told to the contrary, be-
meditating sonnet to bis mistress ey
brow, or be speculating deeply on Z
philosophy Of the unconditional. OF th
little yacht yonder--the one nearest Z
shore, with its tiny light twinkling fro
and Its rigging--the Sea. Fan was b
name-Mr. Jim Lawlesse was tempora
proprietor. Jim's friends we're 10 I
hablt Of saying that, having made the la
100 hot for him, he had taken TO t
waters; and there may have been reaso