The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1875-05-21


had been too Insignificant Of size to make
much commotion where IL plunged into
the sea--slready a mass Of foam from
the Atlantic, every ninth wave heaving
up against the face Of the rock, TO fall
back chaos Of foam.
At length the birds began 10 cease
uttering their wild, defiant cries, and to
settle down upon the lodges and green
patches Of heritage about the rocks,
when, not seeing Fred, lazily watched
the gulls dropping back to their resting
places. but, as IL unable TO forget the
insulting intrusion upon their domain,
every now and then bursting forth again
into wild, petulant, inharmonious cries,
that echoed from rock to rock.
From time to time l looked in the
direction Fred would take in his return,
but troubled myself very little respect
ing his non-appearance, supposing that
he was peering into some crack or chasm
as he passed over the rugged path he
would have TO Chamber.
But at last, as he did not come, set
off to join him, my curiosity being ex-
cited by the supposition that he had
made some discovery which / ought to
share.
Active almost as goat in those days,
was not long in scrambling over block
after block Of granite, leaping the riffs,
now descending TO climb again some
steep escarpment, till at length I reached
the spot where Fred had stood to heave
off the stone.
Breathless with my exertions, ! sat
down to fan my heated face with my
cap, and began with divided attention
TO look out at the uninterrupted view
before me, as, seated on the summit of
the promontory, I had the sea in front,
and lashing itself into foam on either
side.
But my attention was divided, for l
was wondering how Fred could have got
back without my having seen him. A
descent was impossible, for the sides of
the point formed a frightful precipice,
with only here and there riffs and shelves
peopled by the birds; and, after peering
about for while, and then coming to
the conclusion that he had hid some
where in one Of the clefts that l had
passed on the way, I began slowly to
retrace my steps.
All at once l came to standstill, for
a horrid thought had flashed through my
brain, and shudder ran through me as
l stood gazing wildly about.
"Suppose he has tumbledw / thought.
And, with my tongue feeling parched
and dry within my mouth, scrambled
hastily back to where l had last seen
him.
"Fredl" / shouted over and over
again, till what seemed to be like the
faint wall Of a sea-bird came from far
beneath, when, on lying down and peer
ing over the edge of one gray mass
which projected out above the sea, /
could see Fred's cap lying some thirty
feet below, and on shouting again there
came up once more the faint cry had
previously heard.
Five and twenty years after, the same
strange, cold shudder seems to course
through my veins as recall the scene
the bare, piled up granite, the simmer
ing sea rejecting the July sun, the heat
radiating from the sun-beaten rocks amid
which l lay; and again ringing in my
ears and thrilling each nerve, the strange,
wild, feeble cry from far below, a cry
tina. I knew must have come from my
companion.
To be of any service to him was out of
the question; but, shouting some words
of encouragement, l began to scramble
back the way came, till / could COM
mand view of the sides of the promon-
tory, when, to my horror, about sixty
feet down, and apparently clinging to
portion of the rock which sank sheer,
without break, to the sea, could plainly
make out poor Fred; when, in the hope
less misery Of the moment, sank down
crying upon the heated stones.
But was up again the next moment,
climbing and stumbling along until
was once more upon the grassy cliff, when,
throwing off my jacket and cap. and
kicking away my boots set set off at a
sharp run for the village, needless of the
stones cutting my feet, careless of the
perspiration streaming down my neck,
or my breath tearing and painting from
my breast, so long as could obtain help
for Fred, while as often as the thought |
of his peril came upon me more strongly |
than usual, gave sort Of sobbing cry,
and dashed on.
1t was quite a mile down TO the vii |
lage, which lay in a cove by the shore;
but fortunately it was not busy time,
and plenty of the blue-shirted fishermen
were idling about in the sun, and ready |
TO get ropes and to start off back with
me TO my schoolfellow's assistance. |
must have given them very incoherent
description of poor Fred's condition,
from my agitation; but they learned
enough to make them hurry along, rope
in hand, till, seeing that ! could not
keep up, two of the men took me be-
tween them, half carrying me along, for
| found the ascent hard work after my
late exertions, the way being of the most
steep and toilsome.
At last we reached the spot from which
| had been able to see Fred and could
not help shuddering as ! pointed to the
place, making sure that he must have
fallen; but no, he was still there, and
encouraged by this, the men hurried
over the rough blocks, vying one with
another in their efforts to get above
where the poor boy hung.
Now, then" cried one of the men,
as we reached the place, GLOVER away
L