The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-05-18
"Any luck " liz said.

How do thi ngs 60 with your
He. spoke to jared faced man ma
waterproof suit, who was smoking
| by the window, and who had nodded
to him.
"Good enough ashin'," replied Tom
["But dot-rot everything else. Nothin'
stirrin' l., the wleckin' line. faint
that we want tho poor critters to 60
ashore, you know, but we do like 'em
to git in danger, so't we ken git little
salvage. That's about the way it is
with me-"
"You shet up, Tom Peters," said
another man in sou-wcster. "Iou
will git blow before mornip' that will
blow the ruff off your head"
"If blow does come, and there is
any ship in danger, remember that !
make one of your boats crew, Tom
Peters" "
"Yaas. Yer too good man in a
boat not to like to hev yon," said
Tom.
"Areyou thirsty p said Somers T.
Naturally so. l generally am,"
said Tom.
: "Then have something to drink. l
never touch spirits, as you all know,
Give me some cigars, Mr.. Melton, and
give the boys whatever they call Tor,
ana put it in the bill. SO you think
there is q chance for storm, Billy
Francis ?"
eyes, + do, squire. Give me some
of that old peach, Dick, l reckon when
a man has got the rhcumatics in his
bones, as ! have, he knows when a
storm is coming on. Here's lookin
at ye'
Alton nodded round the party, and
walked out on the porch to smoke his
cigar. Then, for the first time, he saw
that change lad taken place. The
atmosphere seemed heavily laden, and
the sky was fast turnijg to dull,
leadcn hue. The breeze was rising,
too, in ftrul gusts, coming from the
sea. Alton was enough Of sailor to
understand the signs, and nc knew
that Billy Francis was right.
He sat there alone, smoking and
looking at the sky, and thinking Of the
time when he first met Nathalie. 1t
was year before, when he was sitting
in the shade ofa great rock, and saw
her rowing by, her bright hair floating
out behind her, uncontiued, and her
clear voice singing u merry song, lie
had loved her from that moment, and
was determined to make her his wife,
God willing. He had followed her from
that time, and the people along the
shore understood tina. his purpose in
coming now was to see and win her.
He was not at ease, for he feared
that her mistaken id of society would
make her decide against him, and he
knew THAT she haG an indomitable will,
and would never yield if she had fully
made up her mind. She had gone up
to her room, but he heard her in the
parlor of the light house; the old pi'
ano was opened, and she began to play
Not the finished songs which ladies in.
hict on suffering humanity now, but
tender, touching ballads, gentle and
gay. such as charm the heart and
make it softer,
Alton rose and went to the window,
where be could see her sitting by her.
self, singing III her sweet, low voice,
such q song as George Arnold might
have written in the days when he trod
these sands, and woke the echoes OF
the broken harp he left behind him.
for George Arnold will never more
touch the heart by his simple melodies
since the sods of the valley lie heavy
on his breast Alton did not 60 to
her, but sat in the shadow listening in
tently. Night came on, and the song
had ceased, but she sat at the instru-
ment, with her head upon her hands.
81 must not intrude upon her." he
| said. "Let her decide as she thinks
best. Fit goes against me, It will on
ly be another disappointment, and my
life is full Of them"
He rose and stole down toward the
beach against the gale which was now
roaring in from the sea, scattering the
spray before it. He stood upon ahigh
rock, looking out into the gathering
gloom. when brilliant light flashed
out across the water, and. was gone.
Then came low sound, like distant
thunder. That flash came from gun,
and he knew that ship was in the
ofling, in distress.
= He turned and ran back toward the
house, shouting to the men. On the
way he met Tom Peters, barchcaded,
inst as he had darted out at the first