Litchfield enquirer., 1876-08-31
FROM THE PURPLE ISLAND.
BY LUCY ELLA GUERNSEY.

Ifzs1at fe D1 LOCx 1lLA GUEbN6E1s
 It is one of the pleasant things about th.
 Purple Island that one need never wan
 for society. Somebody is always at leis
 nre to talk to yOu. Whether you 2.
 down to the decaying wharf, or up to th.
 Cliff or over to Sconset, and seat your
 self on stone or timber to look at tls.
 sea and watch the fishing-boats, or wheth
 CT. finding the street you are exploring tt
 end in flight of gray wooden steps lead
 you sit down on the top step thereof ant
 eith, or any case. you will find appearing
 from somewhere an old or young sailor, ship-owner, or captain, ready to enteI
 into pleasant conversation or to tel you tales of the days that are gone
 when Commercial wharf buzzed like
 beehive, and the wide pastures were
 white with sheep when whaler's went off on seven years voyages, and perhaps
 never heard from home all the time
 when anxious ship3wners and more anx. ious women paced the walks on top ol of the great roomy houses, with .glas
 ses all pointed sea-ward to get the first sight of the ship, that was due and over. due. Oftentimes the glass was dropped
 with tears and thanksgiving as the brave
 vessel came in sight adorned like bride for her husband, and with the signal fly.
 ing all was well. Oftentimes the grow ing darkness made the glass useless, and it was closed with sigh and the remark that there was no use in watching any more to night. An,i then the pale woman and the grave old man went patiently about their. daily housewifely and busi. ness cares. growing paler and graver day
 by day, while all the time tie good ships bones. with those who had sailed with her lay at rest in the Pacific or Arctic seas. Happy they who knew that their dead were dead, and had no ghastly dreams of drifting boats and waterless vessels and yelling devils of sayages. In nc place does the tragedy which underlies all human life take more solemn tone than in New England fishing or whaling town.
 was sitting this way over on the Point, with book in my lap and tatting shut. tie in my hand, but doing nothing with either of them. It was Q day of Paradise, bright but not glaring, with just enough of crispness in the air to make me prefer the sunny to the shady side of the old red tower. The gracious presence which beautifed the lighthouse in those days was absent, so l sat down on the sand and found abundance of amusement ill watching the little nipples of the advan- cing tide, the
 Tender curving lines of creamy spray"
 and the pretty longlegged bird which tripped along the murgin of the sea. I was far from strong and weary with hard work, and the rest of body and mind was pleasant to me- Presently a neat dory was beached not far away, and Captain Burton. and his mate Asa, came up and joined me. They were both old friends. I had been sailing with them many day in the captains beautl- ful little cat:rigged boat, and hoped to go many times more.
 Seems to me you've most always got 8 book. but don't see you reading much," remarked the captain pleasantly.
 ''I accomplish good deal in that way on rainy days answered. .'To day it would be mere waste of time to read. :"
 Some folks say reading novels is @ waste of time, anyhow" said Asa. Uncle Jehiel thought everything waste of time that didn't turn one sixpence into two, '' answered the captain. If folks must have amusement, and I suppose they must, don't see why good novel, isn't as good IS anything else. I don't object to one now and then myself" 6-a
 Some people condemn them because they are improbable and give false views of life" said I. ,. .E-
 ''As to that when any one has been knocked about the world, as much as have, he will come to think one thing about as probable as another r answered the captain. have seen things with my own eyes which nobody would ever dare to set down in a novel, because every one would cry out. How improbable r My great objection to novels is that the peo- pie in them act like such fools. "4:5
 "You don't consider that giving false view of life, do you?' asked. .t
 The captain smiled, showing his strong, white teeth in the midst of his griz- zled beard with startling effect. '
 "Well, no not exactly, but I. don't think people are fools in just that way. For instance, here's young man in love with 6 young woman, and he wants to tell her so.; We'll, what does he do !? He don't ask her to go out walking or riding, and say to her right out, Betsy Jane. will you marry me?' or words to that effect. Nor he don't write it in letter and stick a stamp on it, and put it in the office, or ask his sister to hand 1t to her. None of these ways ain't delicate enough to suit his notions. So he writes note and puts it in a bunch of flowers or book where ten to one she never finds it. Then when &o hnl lon AL portunity to say, Betsy Jane, did you get my letter 2 Not he He goes and has brain fever or runs away to Austra- lia, or some such nonsense. And very likely the young woman is wondering why he don't speak out, and breaking her heart about it. For women do break their hearts about men, though precious few ofthem are worth it, can tell you that, sissy" s,yfr.-- .z -..sr, es- Well. people are just as silly as that in real life remaked Asa There was Ed. Swayne and Susan Coffin. thee knows, Beiiah ,,s.,...ts., t.. st,.s~-e ...f. f
 .Tell me the story. please. !" said i; ''that is. if it isn't secret ? -Bal
 .Oh dear no. It was no secret thirty years ago, and, we are all old folks now. I am DO great hand at a yarn, but I've got to wait here till the lighthouse man comes back; and so. if it. will amuse you will tell you the story''io qs..s.s
 And this is the story which Asa told me in that mellow, voice and peculiarly soft, clear accent which seems the natural bi 'thrigLt of those born on Purple Island
 You must know that Ed. Swayne and I had been playmates and -messmates since we could run alone. We had caught our first cod and blue-fish in company, made our first trip in a banker and our first whaling voyage together. and, in short. we were like twin brothers Moth CT used to laugh about it. and once, I re- member. she said that whoever married one of us would have to take the other, as well, fa,-4 @.s
 s''..I don't know about that says grandma. Thy two little tommy kittens, Esther. were very good friends till they began to run ont nights to see the pussy cats. and then thee had to send one away to keep them from scratching each others eyes out. 9 ya,.,.eT .sf @4 e.- s'I couldn't help laughing and. yet some how I wished she hadn't said It. She was very old and very wise, and the things she said were wonderfully apt to come