National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-01-26
HINCHCLIFF.

solitary street, steep, Struggling; one
end abuttlng on the beach at the head Of q
small wide bay, up which the sea tumbles
in great heavy rollers before southwcster-
' gale the OF or terminating at an an
cient. iyy-mantled church, some distance
80 a narrow prccipitous valley between t he
Wild fire clad hill>; few houses outlying
from the nam thoroughtare. dotted at in
teryals along the bottom of the valley by
the side OF the g.rgling trout-strcam that
babbles down its midst, or scattered here
and there along the seashore at its mouth
such Is the little fishing hamlet of Hinoh-
chIF 1t has hitherto escaped the proiana-
tiOn of the presence OF the ordinary cock
uey tourist. and naturally su; for to him il
would be absolutely devoid Of attractions
1t possesses no pier, no esplanadr; it boasts
but few shops One solitary butcher, who
kills twice a week, and OF course reserves
all his best ioints for the great house and
ST parson," who are even then compelled
to content themselves with what he may
chance to he provided with; the inevitable
yillagc'inn, with its >anded taproom, earth
euwlre mugs and home hrewed ale and
a couple OF shops, the ambition of one OF
which Is limited to ministering to the per
Sonal vanity OF its customers, while the
other aSpircs to the dignity of combining
almost every conceivable trade-these are
the sole facilities which llinchclitf offers to
WouId-he purchasers. 1t is doubtful, how
ever whether a more ambitious emporium
would meet with much success. The wants
o. the inhabitants are few and easily sup
nj 'rs r,,L Al -,
means of subsistence. There is hardly a
man in llnchc'itf who does not possess the
whole, or a share, OF a boat and the num-
her Of net; being made or repaired at the
doors Of the cottages, or spread to dry
nron the beach, together with certain
odor-" an ancient and fish like smell''-
which pcrvades the air, attest to the visitor
the nature of the sole industry OF the
place.
But at the tim Of our story the aspect
Of the scene is very different from that
which it presents in the breathless still
ness of a summer noon. The few hours of
DAYLIGHT are all but go,e, and the dusky
TINT OF evening is falling call her and more
gloomilv than it ordinarily does in the
short dismal day of mid -winter-upon all
around: upon the drenched and cheerless
village; upon the swollen tuIbid stream;
upon the bare and leatiess trees, through
whose straminc branches the wind shricks
and howls in its impotcnt wrath as il rushes
up the valley; upon the heaving and tur
bulent waves. The sky is hidden in pail
OF dun-colored clond, beneath which tloat-
mass Of light featherv scud, driving
swiftly before the gale; the sea breaking I
iur'usly upon the beach, is transformed .
INTO chaos of angry boisterous waves.
whose crests, cut off by the wind. roll on t
wards IN mass of foam while Just to lee
ward OF the mouth of the bay, an irregular
"he OF breakers, extending some distance
'u' to sea, marks the position Of that ter
INr OF the hom ward bound mariner, the
dreaded "Cat.''
lhc wind moans, and walls, and sbrieks,
me some soul in torment, as II dasEes IN
uante gusts through the quivering fir
'ee>' and rushes and rUars up the narrow
'ueet' and round the corner of the quaint
'n church, in all the Wild fury OF it, I'M
a'a'lIng rage. But. alas. upon the ocean
~ wrath Is no longer impotcnt. 1t is there
aoout to add another to its long list of vic
'lms. Dimly heard at first. the piteous
.ou'd OF the signal guns of some doomed
=. SCI Is becoming more omihously distinct
E, e. edch report. No help can reach her
'',in the shore, say the fishermen; IT would
4, Sn' er mad waste Of life to make the at I
,L,l'p' ,La with such sea as is running outside
- ne land with the reef under the lee of
at which should venture to risk it.
~ .he little crowd assembled uuon the
Iaenat hlnchclifi, hoping yet against hone
something-it knows not, daree not