The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-01-30
A REVELATION FROM THE SEA.

81 may write to you, Alice, mayn't ?"
Alice shook her head. "Better not"
she said "much better not" Still
the denial was faint.
"But I shall write" said the young
man warmly; st is all the comfort I
have. don't ask you to write me, but
[ will write to you, and -"
"He would be angry" said Alice.
shaking her head; 'no, you really
mustn't"
''AlI right, said the sailor, with
warm sunny smile "to your sister
then-all right, I know you'll go and
ask her for a letter sometimes. Good
by, darling-One kiss.
The kiss was given hurriedly and sur
reptitiousIy, and the sailor sprang from
the landing-sta into a boat that was
waiting alongside, and presently the
oars were flashing in the sunshine as
she made rapidly for a bark lying in
the stream. Alice stood and watched
the receding boat, watched it till it
reached the ship and was hauled up on
the davits. Presently the cherry song
of the sailors was heard over the water,
the clink of the windlass, as they hauled
the anchor home. Then she shook out
her sails and departed. A shore-boat,
howev, 4 had put off from the ship at
the very list moment, and came slowly
against the tide towards the land. 1t
reached the landing-stage, and a wiz
ened elderly man landed and came up
the stairs.
"Well, Alice" he said, "well,
you've waited long time for Dicky-
good girl, good Now, my birdie, we'll
go home to our little cage"
Alice sighed and put her hand in his
arm, and they went off, he with. a
springy shambling gait, meant to be
sprightly and juvenile she with Glow
ifeless step that yet kept pace with
him.
Richard Toft, the ship-owner, who
had just landed, was seventy years old
or more, and he had married Alice Gra-
ham, who was only nineteen. But then
loft was the richest man in the port of
Melford Regis, and everybody said she
had done well for herself. There had
been some silly love-passages between
her and William Black, the son of
widow Black, of WOodbine Cottage, but
he was only q mate in one of Richard s
ships, and could never have made a
home for her, to say nothing of the
misery of marrying a sailor, and being
a widow, as it were, for four years out
of five. Now it wasn't in the course of
nature that Dicky Toft should live for
ever; and then, if she played her cards
well, what happy woman she might
be She would have to play her cards,
mind you, for she was a poor girl when
she married, and Dicky mad kept all his
money at his own disposal but then
what fool like an old fool and o pretty
girl, like Alice, ought to be able to wind
him ronnd her little finger.
I -c--I
proud of his wife, and with good cause,
for she was one of the prettiest girls in
Melford. To be sure, after her mar
rage she seemed to fade a little, whilst
| Dicky seemed to grow youpg and green
again, and responded to all the raiIery
of which he was the subject as archly
and wickedly as any griZzled old mon
| key on a perch.
| Nothing was too good for Alice In Mr..
/ Toft's opinion. He bought her shawls
from the Indies, beautiful muslins and
silks that would stand on end he gave
| her jewels too, and decked her out with
/ chains and trinkets and earrings. till
she grew ashamed of her splendor.
By and by, Willie Black came home
! from long voyage, and one of the first
| to welcome him and invite him to his
| house was Mr.. loft, the ship-owner.
| He had heard all about this little love
affair, but he had such confidence in his
wife-she was such a jewel, so devoted
to him-he was anxious that his rival
should see how completely she had for
| gotten.
''You brought him yourself" said
| Alice IN her own heart, looking rather
| hardly at her husband, as he toiled ur
the steep hill that led to their house,
painting and shaking, but refusing to
| acknowledge that he was tired. SCI
had schooled myself to be content. and
with your own hand you shattered all
my good resolves.
s'Let us stay here for a moment, >
said Mr.. Toft, " and admire this pleas
ant view. Oh, I'm not tired-no, no
not at all but see the ship standing
ont TO sea. She's q capital sailor, eh
all, yes.