The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-01-27
A YACHTSMAN'S ROMANCE.

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 Cowes,
| and shattered hearts to Ryde. Gentlemen
who were, in popular parlance, about
..done ups were enjoying themselves
with an hilarity. that might have betokcn-
ed the zenith of worldly prosperity and
commercial success, in different crafts be-
longing to the pleasure fleet WHICH covers
| he English Channel with animation dur
ing the months Of July, August and Sep
| TENDER. or all social phenomena there is
| none more curious than that thus stated by
distinguish novelist: I" How is it that
men whom in their palmy days have seen
hacgard, careworn, and detected by the
simple fact that tLey are utterly and ire
trievably ruined, suddenly become the
most light hearted and jolliest of man.
kind 90 The explanation probably is reac,
| tion-reacton from the suspense of ankle
ty to the certainty of despair. Or possibly
the philanthropists who propose to them
| selves the extinction of impecuniosity at a
moderate profit Of eighty per cent might
| consider that the true raison d'etre was to
he found in the fact that these volatible
human wrecks are blest with expectations
in the background, and usually have a
reversionary interests more Or less availa-
bic.
The scene is Ryde pier. and the hour
about $50 P. NJ. A pretty spot, and by
no means an unfavorable hour for visiting
it, Like Melrose, Ryde Pier and the view
which it presents may be visited with sig
nal propriety by the pale moonlight or in
The pale twilight. The eternal promenade
on the pier head, the perpetual acconpan-
iment of brilliant music and interminable
scandal, the ceaseless tide of demonstra-
tive tlirtation-these things are pleasant
enough per sc, but they have, no doubt, a
tendency to become monotonous. 1t is a
very different thing Ryde Pier after dim
ner. You can secure society without crowd
and company without effort. You may
mediate solus, or soltts cum solus you may
hrt. And the prospect is not without its
charms. There is the Solent in the squad
ron of dainty craft, there sails furled. still
and motionless at anchor, the lamps fixed
to their masiheads reflected itself with a
ouivering motion in the tide below; and
The whole effect being that of a marine
illumination A little father on, and you
can see the line of light on the mainland
and distinctly trace the terraces of South
sea and Portsmouth. If you turn round
you will see full in your face the little
town of Ryde alive with gas, and the win
dows of the Victoria Yacht Club all aglow.
Then, probably, to enhance the sentiment
of the moment, the strains of music steal
upon you; and were it not that you are
seasonably reminded of contingent rhue
matte palms. you might be tempted to lapse
into poetic revere.
Mr.. Jim. Lawlesse, to address him at
once by his familiar title, was scarcely a
gentleman of a poetic temperament, yet
from the prolonged intentness of his gaze
upon the waters, as he lnunged across the
railin of the pier. and the fact that hr
had suffered his cigar to become exten,
guished in his hand, he might, far all one
could have told to the contrary, been med
itating sonnet to his mistress eyebrow.
or be specializing deeply on the philosophy
of the unconditional OF that little yacht
yonder-the one nearest the shore, with
its tiny light twinklng from amid its rig
gng-the Sea Fan was her name-Mr. Jim
Lawlesse was temporary proprietor. Jim's
| friends were in the habit of saying that,
having made the land too hot for him, he
| had taken to the waters; and there may
| have been reasons which rendered st.
James street slightly too public place
for our hero. So Mr.. Lawlesse accepted
an invitation from an old college friend to
| 90 on a yachting trip in the Sea Fan. But
| the Sea Fans owner had been called away,
and Mr. Lawlesse was the man in possess
| sion pro tenn. A boat containing gentle
man and two ladies pulled to the pier. and
| Mr.. Lawlesse's attention was aroused
| The party had come from the Petrol about
mile OUT, and consisted of the proprietor
of the Petrol, Sir Iledworth Dare, and his
two daughters, who stood to each other III
relation of step-sisters, as Sir Hedworth
had married twice, Edith and Kate. When
Mr.. Lawlessc went up to the two as they
landed, it was pretty obvious that Sir He'd
worth Dare would have been quite as well
pleased had that gentleman not chosen 10
present himself: for the baronet regarded
Mr.. Lawlesse as a detrimental, and had II
wholesome and parental horror of the
class.
"Ah! Lawlesse; thouht it was Moon
ington," said Sir Hedworth; "said he
would he here to meet us.
The Hon. Sam bloomington was eldest
|
ateIy smitten with Miss Kate Dare. Sir
uedworrh-so said Ryde society-was bent
upon the matt CHI. The Hon. Sam was GER
taiuly a catch-so said the ladies'; Moon
ington was an ass-so somewhat abrupt
ly) said the gentleman in general, and MIR.
Lawlesse in particular.
Sim, however, was not to be taken aback
hy this very tepid welcome, and walked
down the.
g Are you going to the ball to night, Mr..
Lawlesse?" asked Kate Dare. 1t happen
ed to be within few hours of the COM
mencement of the Yacht Club ball.
OF course Mr.. Law!esse vas going: and
so was Moonieton. That gentleman had
just joined them: and SD til y al weie.-
"And so we shall all meet a Gain present.