Mower County transcript., 1871-08-10
PILOrED BY PROVIDENCE.
BY WIN. A. SIGOURNEY.

"Conlc, sistcrs-Eva and Ella-come on
board Of my Ship and we'll have jolly
sail this morning. III be captain, like
father, and show you how he sails thai,
great ship across the big occan Come,
girls, yet in-Eva, you shall be my mate,
and little Sis shall be steward"
The speaker was Il handsome, fair hair
cd, rosy-checkcd boy, with bright, laugh
ing blue eyes, about nine years old, who,
during his address, was busily engaged in
rigging tho mast and sail to a ships boat,
which Was made fast to the beach in one
of those secluded, picturcsqucs little coves,
or inlets, with which the southern shore
Of Long Island is SD plcntifnlly in,lcnted
The boys companions were two little
girls Of seven and five years, beautiful as
angels, and SO exactly like their brother
in every feature, that they seemed as per
feet copies "a but the long, sunny ring
lcts-of his exquisite features.
Eva, the elder gill, jumped lightly into
tho boat at her brothers ,irSt invitation.
and began assisting hin with the sail. But
little Ella, who was tngging along bas-
ket filled with pics. cakes and fruit, which
they had brought from beautiful cottag,
not lar OIL, for 81 little picnic dinner, hest
tated and held back in SILENCE till her
brother urged her again to get into the
boat, when she began TO argue with him
thus:
"Oh, Walter, don't It us go in the boat
to-day. There is SO much wind, and We
might be"
"You arc a little coward, Ella, to he
afraid" inlcrrupttd Il the young captain i'm
patiently. cit is the plcasantcst day we've
had in a month"; and it's so late in the sea
son, that if VIC don't go to-day, I'm sure We
shall not ret another chance this year
Come, Ei', don't b; frightened; jump
in."
"Oh, Tn not at all afraid, brother"
And, child - she wa', her checks Slowcd
for a few moments, viii, a deeper tint, At
the implied question "r h'rc'ura;,c hy her
b;utAer. "Ini not III the least afraid,
Walter. But, you know, mother has often
told us that VIC must net 80 in the boat
when it blows hard all Pm afraid Of, is
disobcying her"
"Thcn you may come into the boat
without fear, sister; for mother told me l
might sail to day, bot five minutes before
We left the house"
eyes, | know that, Waller; hut that
was three buurs ago. when it was quite
calm. II blows u great zeal harder now,
aud am sure n.othcr would not ike lis to
there is such high wind"
"Oh, nonsense, Ella; have been all
about the cove when ii blew great
deal harder than this. Mother, you
know, says anu the b:st sailor
along the coast, and just as well
able to judge whether the weather is fl; t.,
go on IL cruise rs she is Come, sister, VIC
can't get drowned, for the water is SO shall |
low now at ebb tide, and with this west
wind, that we could wade anywhere about
the cove"
Thus persuaded, she passed the basket
to her brother, and then clanbcring into
the boat herself, she took Il scat by the
side of Eva, in the stern sheets, and soon
the boat was ,ind r way.
IL was great clumsy thing-as ,rmts Of
her class usually are with II single Jug
sail of heavy cnn"aSs; nltu"rlh"r lily c,I
Cuh'Cd Tor a pleasure craft. Iiut Htl1c
Walter Howard managed her With con
skill for 81 young 4 commander,
and they had made several stretches across
the cove, when, as they were passing the
inlet that opened out seaward, EvA's eyes
rested upon the bright, blue waves of the
ocean far out beyond the discolored water
along the coast, and clapping rcr hands
with sudden cCStacv OF infantiIc JOY, she
exclaimed:
"Oh, Walter, Walter! Let us 20 out
there and sail on that beautiful blue
ocean! Won't it be grand! So much prct
tier than this dirty little cove, with the
bare sand banks all around u.s."
Walter spr;tng to his feet, and, gazing
out into the Citing, his bright eyes lit up
with the enthusiasm caught from his sis-
ter $ words, and he instantly replied:
''Wc'n go out there, and htvca splendid
sail-just like the great ships aud stranl-
boats that we sec yondCr.'
"Oh, don't &" out there, Waltcr!" inter
lily. "Don't 60, Walter! Mother will be
angry with us
"Mothcr will do no such thing. She
will be proud Of us to think VIC have been
out on tho hig ocean all ,tlonc. l can very
easily come back with the tide that'll
soon be setting ill.," And without further
argument the rash boy put his helm up,
castd up the sheet, and away out through
the iulct towarl the line of blue water
outside, went the boat, hurried along he.
tore the strong breeze, which, a,dct, to
The strength OF the last quarter cbh tide,
bore her away at II speed lhl, soon sunk
The sand ridge t." a. ~ re- nnc along the
margin Of the " iur "ra an. atl the little,
whit" cottages, with tho green blinds. u
10 10y h"',h';s lottc,i with bright green
spots. The cnloreC watcr-wEich appeared
from the cove only like narrow strip
di>i<ting the white surf from the drcp
azure Of the ocean beyond
into broad belt Of several miles in
width. But with tho fine breeze and
strong outset of the tide, the boat sped
on. while TIL" novelty Of tn, ir posi- ion.
ami the natural excitchcnt induced BY it.
caused the time and space to fly past un.
needed hy the young voyagcrs, and Il
sudden dread came upon them, as having