Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-09-23
Barred Under the Waves.

.f,tr ron soJorNSERs At fHF SEA.
They were scrambling down the rocks, q
gay, chattering procession--pretty Kate with
her Captain; DR.. Gray, supporting his in
valid wife; Helen, Isabel, Tom, and their
midshhman cousin; last Of all, Esther vane
alone. It seemed to her morbid fancy
right that it should be so Henceforward
she must he alone-always.
The little guide trotted on in advance
his round, ten-year-old face wearing the va
cant look so strangely common 20 that part
Of the Maine coast, with its glorious scenery.
There the ocean is considered simply vast
depot of herrings and "porgyoil." and the
mountains rs untoward obstacles in the way
of primitive husbandry. Blast 'em, | wish
they was fat the natives say, as their
ploughs encounter the bouders at the base
and if they look aloft at all, it is to calculate
the perches of medder land which might
be made to occupy the same area, If they
were out Of the way.
The party felt on the eve Of great things.
Having arrived only the day before, Mount
Newport. with its wonderful reach of sapphire
sea- the bluffs. the lakes in their settings of
dark-hue hill, were still to them the images
of things not seen. This, their first excur-
sion. they had dedicated to the Grotto," or
" Devils Oven." as the coast people term it
IA sort of submarine cave, unveiled and ac-
cessibe at low tide only, and great wonder
in its way
The path grew sleeper Carefully they
followed its windings, step by step, sure
footed Kate accepting the help she didn't
need. for that pleasure in being guided and
watched And now the little guide pauses,
and with frccllled forefnger points round
a projection Of rock. All crowd to the spot.
All there it is The cave of the mermaidsl !
a shrek of mingled surprise and enchant-
ment bursts from the party at the sight.
Beneath the low-browed arch the rocky
floor rises, terrace after terrace, till in its
highest recess it meets the roof above. A
floor for the nereids to dance upon floor
of pink coralline, cleaning here and there
through pools of emerald water left by the
rctreating tide. And each of these tiny lake
lets seemed brimming with fiowers-the
flowers of ocean-green whorls, like chest
nut-bus anemones, with their dahlia bloom;
brown and rosy mosses, among whose ten
drils bright fish darted and played, and
snails of vivid orange clustered; broad leaves
of brilliant dye swaying and undulating with
the motion Of the pool-minute specks of
life flashing every eridescent hue. No earthly
shelves were dimpled with hollows--softly,
exquisitely curved No fancy of the old
classic days seemed too fantastic or too fair
for the spot. The imagination instinctively
kindled into pictures, and saw the sea-nymphs
sporting in the foam; bold tritons winding
their shells; mermaids playing at hide-and-
seek; mikes and mocking waterspirites
peeping from the basins-all dreamland and
wonderland opening, and the common earth
put aside and far away.
With cries of delight, the party made their
way down, and scattered through the cave.
There was room for an army. 1t was hard
to realize that with the returning tide the
space must fill. the gateway close, and leave
no resting-place for human feet.
You said the tide was going down, didn't
you, little boy?"
yeah"
You're sure ?'
Yeah"
That's nice" cried Isabel "Then we
can stay as long as we like Oh. do some
body come here and see this"
She was lying with her face almost touch
ing the anemones. Nobody responded to her
call-each had found some other point of in
terest. Tom had fished up a sea-urchin, and
was exhibiting it. Kate and the Captain, in
a niche Of their own, at safe whispering dis
tance, were absorbed in each other. Esther
had climed TO the topmost ledge, and was
sitting there alone. For the first time in six
weary months, a sensation of pleasure had
come to her, and she was conscious of but
one longing-that they would all go away
and leave her to realize it. With some vague
hope, she got out color-box and portfolio, and
began to sketch. At least, it kept people off,
and furnished an excuse for silence.
And so an hour or more passed by. She
heard, as in a dream, the chatter of the
others, their questions to the little guide, his
short, jerky replies. The pools were all ex-
plored; the urchins and anemones had been
tickled with parasols, and made TO shut and
open and shut again the young people began
to sigh for further worlds to conquer, and
Mrs Gray TO consider it very damp.
Little boy, isn't there something else
near by which we should like TO see?"
Guess So"
"Well, what is it? Tell us, please"
There's the Heads, guess"
"Oh how far off is that ? A mile, did you
say That's not far. Papa, the boy says
there's place called the Heads, only mile
away, and we want to go and see it. Can't
we gog You know the way don't you lit
tie boy?"
Yeah"
81 think his place is very damp" sighed
Mrs Gray 81 should really be glad TO go
somewhere and feel the sunshine again. |
begin to have creeping chills. Suppose we
let the boy show us the way to this other
place, father"
VERY we'll Get your things together,
girls Come Esther, we're going"
Esther reused herself as from a dream,
so Mr.. Gray must go I'm in the mid
die of a SKETCH you see. Couldn't you leave
me here quietly, and pick me up as you come
backY ! should like it so much"
Well don't know. The tide is going
out the boy says there won't be any trouble
Of that kind. Are you sure you won't be
chilled or lonely?"
"Ohl quite sure
Promise me that if you are, you will go
10 the cottage at the bend and warm your
self, or sit on the rocks in the sun. Wen
look foryou in one place or the other. Good
by, my dear"
"Good-by, sir"
"And, o Esther you must have some
lunch, You'll be starved before we come
back" cried careful Helen.
So she and Tom and basket made their
way upward, and deposit Of sandwiches
and port-wine was left in convenient ere
vice within reach.
"Good-by, dear. hope the sketch will
be lovely" And they were gone-up the
clif-side-Alrs. Gray last, leaning upon her
husbands arm.
Poor child" she said, " il makes my heart
ache so see her look so sad Didn't you no
tice how she was longing to have us 90, and
TO be aloneY"
And the very worst thing for her She