The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1871-09-16
A SMUGGLER FOR ONCE.

the gate of my little garden, gloomily
thinking over the badness of trade. |
was what they call Ill our parts a
'Jouster, that is, | kept horse and
cart, and went about the country joust-
ing or selling fish
For several weeks there had been
nothing doing indeed, so bad sea-
son had not been known for years, and
my wife Mary, the old horse and my
self were getting unpleasantly near
starvation. / could have borne this if
[ had to bear it alone but Mary had
been valuable servant in the parson's
family, and not used to roughing it,
and it cut me to the heart to see how
thin and pale she was getting for want
of the necessaries of life, which | did
not know how to get. Poor girl weak
as she was, she was the bravest of the
two. Many a time, when / was almost
in despair, Der loving arms would be
thrown around my neck. and she would
bid me cheer up and bear my troubles
like man; and / have answered that
If | could bear them as patiently as a
woman it would be better still
While standing at the gate, puzzling
myself what to try that [ hadn't tried
already, | saw Tom Davies, a cousin of
mine, coming along the lane, looking
as sleek and comfortable as a we'll
groomed horse. It had always been a
mystery to me how Tom lived, for, let
trade be ever so bad, he never seemed
to suffer, but was we'll clothed, and
looked jolly and happy
He was always civil; but as he stop
ped now to give me the time of day, he
noticed how queer [ looked. Though
I'm not given to talking of my troubles,
bis sympathy loosened my tongue, and
told him how there wasn't morsel of
bread in the cupboard, and / didn't
know how to put any there.
He took a few whlffs of the short
pipe he was smoking, cycling me hard
the while, and then told me if | could
keep a secret, he thought he could put
me III the way of earning a trit1e. L
was ready to promise anything when [
| heard that, and when | assured him
that | would be as secret as the grave,
he babe me bring my old horse to Rid
er's Gave on the following night pune
tually at twelve. He would be there to
meet me; but [ was to ask no ques-
tions. There might be a trife of risk
III what [ should have to do, but moth
ing wrong; at least Tom saw no harm
IN it, though others might
It's smuggling - said [ to myself,
and [ thought of Mary, who would
sooner die that know me to do any
thing which was not just right | was
about to say no to Toms offer, but Ma
rvs wan face, rose mp before me, and
as | remembered how biting want was
dragging her down to her grave, | grew
desperate.
I'm your man Tom, risk or no
risk. I'll be there to my time, never
fear me-
He grasped the hand held ont, left
shilling IN 1t, an with a nod walked
on, leaving me with weight on my
conscience which had never rested on
it before. All that day and the next
could not meet Mary's eye without
feeling as if | was hiding a crime from
her.
When evening came | told her that ]
was wanted for little Job of moving
at the next village, and should not be
home till late. She never doubted the
tale, but smiled and kissed me when |
went away, leading old Bob by the
bride, and fancying that | had never
seen q darker night, nor heard the wind
moan 50 dismally before.
Riders Cave is situated in one of the
most lonely parts of the Cornish coast,
and there Is not a house within cou-
pie OF miles OF the spot. After riding
! cor about half an hour | came out OF
the lane on to the beach, and another
mile or so along the foot of the cliffs
brought me to the cave. As J rode in
to 1T | heard a voice say cautiously.
"All right, John, the boat VIII be here
directly. and | was not sorry to find
Tom Davies mounted on cob along
side of me.
Handing me flask with some brandy
IN it, he babe me take a nip: at the
same time telling me with no lit. glee
that the ''cOastIes were mapping and
we should do them Jolly
After waiting for some few minutes
We heard the regular click of oars in
the rowlocks, followed by the grating
OF a boats keel on the shingle.
We rode out, ana soon had several
parcels strapped on either side of The
horses; then with scarcely word
spoken We set off, Tom giving me in
structlons where to leave my load, and
adding that it would be as well to part
as soon as we got off the beach
Away we went, but only to find out
tirst-just as we quilted the shore
that the coast guardsmen were not nap
ping after all. Two of them sprang at
lis from behind a boulder, and clutched
at the horses brides; but the crea
lures swerved, and that saved us.
"Spur for your lifei' muttered Tom
IN my ear, at the same time riding his
staunch cob right at the men. I saw
one OF them roll over on the sand.
while the other jumped aside, shouting
to us to stop, but we never paused I'M
til we were some distance down the
lane leading from the beach. Then
Tom pulled up.
TO the right and ride hard. for they will
cut you of II they can where the lane
winds toward the coast. But give the
nag whip and spur, and you'll be there
before them. OF with you" And so
We parted
After Tom had left me 1 began to re
member how awkwardly close to the
shore the wlndlngs of the lane brought
1t, and how easy 1t would be for swift
runners to take a short cut across the
fields and come up with me. Bitterly
| repented being led into such dan
eerous affair; and telling myself with
clenched teeth that for Mary's sake
wouldn be taken, L rode ON more fu-
Il L