Litchfield enquirer., 1873-11-27


 Where there are somber colors :"
 JEAN IEGzLow.
 ''Marthy there is squall comin'; an look at that yacht, will you. If there's . one aboard of her as has a mite O com mon sense he'll run her in here afore tin storm comes"
 Well, there ain't, then" said Martha sharply, flor they're turnin' her heae straight out to sea, look if they ain't.' .''
 And Abram. shading his eyes with hi hand, shook his head slowly. ''5othey be Marthy. so they be. Just fetch me my coat. I'll go down to the shore. There1 be boat wantin soon, I m afeard.'
 A slant of sunshine from under the edge of the ragged cloud silvered the sail' of the little yacht and lit up the anxious face of the watcher. "There it is now; and he looked up quickly, as shivering blast rustled the leaves over his head 'It does seem as if the Lord made some folks just to act foolish;" and hurryine down the cliff he got out his boat, threw in an extra coil of rope, and then stood by her watching the little vessel as now, feel ing the freshening breeze and seeing the white caps on the breakers, they changed her course and she came beating uI against the wind, her sails futtering, hel slender mast creaking and straining.
 'Land sakesi Better ha' stayed where she was eff they don't know the coast pret- ty we'll. Why on 0irth don't they reef that saill' And Abram, in kind of des. peration. watched the feeble efforts to get the yacht ready for the squall wLich, even to the most unpracticed eye, was close upon them.
 'FWhat now, Abram Watchin' that little craf out wonder? Likely to get g duckin' ef they run her in here now, ain'i they? Could ha' done it ten minutes ago." And the stalwart fisherman puffed away at his pipe, lounging on the side o1 the boat with his eyes fixed on the strain ing vessel.
 ''There she goes!'' as the blast veered suddenly and drove her straight against the low rocks. ''No, she's off-there, it's changed again-push off, Abram, I'll take an oar." And with their heads we'll bent to the driving rain, the two fisherman pulled steadily towards the dangerous rocks where they could still discern the dim outline of mast and spars.
 But the fog came down thicker and thicker, and the wind changed from point to point, now in their faces, now behind them, till-knoWing the coast as they did they were at a loss as to their wherea- bouts.
 'Lay to, Ben, till the fog lifts. We're fighting in the dark now" And with anx- ious eyes peering through the gloom, and ears strained to catch the faintest sound above the whistling of the wind, and the dash of the waves, they rested on their oars.
 Suddenly Abram frightened his grasp. Y, Steady now, Ben, pull to wind ard
 They rowed in silence for some min- utes, the oars sounding muffled in the thick darkness that encompassed them.
 '1 thought we was right on her that time. heered thud an shiver like, an I thought she'd struck
 Ben Lawson was listening intently-
 ''Lay of, Abram, there's the waves on Black Rock"
 IVY .MeplAtha e Lord t. hslg gis ssaar ear; hail came from somewhere on their right.
 ''Ay,ay, mates.
 ''Abram, where's the yacht?''
 'The Lord knows"
 The fog thined little and another boat came up along side.
 ''She's round the point by now. There's a big swell on where she struck
 'But them as was aboard of her?" said Abram, anxiously.
 '"There's an undertow to-day, mates, spoke an old fisherman in one of the boats, ''as nd draw the yacht herself, ef she only struck the bottom"
 A murmur came from the boats, and the mems faces blanched. Abram broke the awed silence
 "Mates, s'pose you round the point, an Ben an me we'll keep this side O Black Rock. The wind is changed point ol two, an the fog Il lift soon; and mebbe we'll find some on 'em."
 'Ay, ay, Abram. Pull away, lads, , and the men bent to their oars, and the boats shot forward under the firm, steady strokes, vanishing like specters in the terrible white gloom.
 "Now, Ben, you an mes got the worst, but keep clear Q the rock an we'll wealth CT it yet. Pull to wind'a my lad, and we'll come to somethin' sure."
 The cloud lifted little as they came nearer, showing the jagged line ove, which the rising tide broke sullenly. There's no use lookin' for 'e1h here, = and Ben Lawson pointed to the line ot foam circling treacherons Black Rock. "What with the tide an the undertow, they're lost sure" Abram shook his head gravely, but presently his cheeks flushed Pull in Ben, pull in close, there's somethin' on the rocks, and leaping out on one not yet covered by the water, he stopped over a bundle. "Ben, it's a child!" he cried excitedly, and carefully loosening the shawl, he lifted the little one in his arms. .'She's tainted, pool dear, leastways she's cold an limp like but her heart beats yet, we'll save her any how. Now pull. Ben," he added as he took his place in the stern, ''pull just as hard as ever you did, and Marthy Il hey her all right in no time"
 But 1t did take time to bring the child back to consciousness, for her soul had wandered so near the confines of another world that it seemed sorely 10th to return to this but Martha's nursing was at last rewarded by the little one opening hel eyes; and looking from one to another, and then around the room, she said qui. etly-"I like this place.
 "You do, dear?" said Abram, his face shining with his great delight, "Well, Tn mighty glad Q that now"
 "Who are you?" asked the child, grave. ly, fixing her eyes on his without the slightest look of fear.
 "Oh! I'm Uncle Abram," holding and smiling re-assurihgly.
 "Oh!-and, turning to Martha, ''you're Aunt Abram-verY well." and, closing her eyes she dropped asleep.
 Pretty dear," and Abram lifted on. little hand tenderly, ''how old is she Mar thy. do you thinkS''
 '''Bout five, guess; leastways she ha. a locket round her neck, with somethin bout JJth birthday on it. But ain't ther, none of 'em found yet?''
 Abram shook his head. 'sThe yacht ashore round the point, but there ain't . human critter dead or alive been found yet; mebbe the tide will wash 'em ashor, when it's flood again."
 But it never did, and though the. watched it closely, the sea gave no clu, to the resting place of those its strong arms had gathered and now held so close ly. From the chid's story it appeared that she had been asleep when the vesse struck, and so knew nothing of what hat happened. For some days she talked o ''her papa," who would .'come for her,