The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-10-21
OUR BET.

Wood" said old Dan, coming across the
beach to where we were lying.
81 can't go today answered Wood.
81 have COMPOUNDED engagement. Shall
you go, Astley?'
eyes, l think So" said, looking at the
sea, which, just stirred by slight breeze,
implied and danced in the sunlight.
"All right, then. l shall have to bolt in
minute. What an awful row there is
this morning.
"The beach is very full, sir, said Dan;
"and see, you are in the middle Of the
crowd"
We were not far from the bathing ma
chimes; and on every side OF us were groups
of people, laughing. talking, tlirting-all
| supremacy merry, and not over careful
about modulatng the tones of their voices.
The man with the guitar appeared to be
the only person on the whole beach who
was not making a noise. He, poor fellow,
had broken one of the strings of his instru-
ment, and was sitting by himself, disconso-
lately, trying to mend it. \ family of
foreign MINISTRIES had settled themselves in
front of the lapidary's shop and the eldest
boy was singing an Italian song, doing his
utmost to make himself heard. He was.
own, singing under difficulties. The laugh
ter of the batlers and the buzz of the talk
crs hardly conduced to render his voice the
more audible while the old bells of St.
Augustine church on the cliff above were
ringing loud wedding peal.
I" In the middle of the internal regions,
| should say. | never heard such a horrd
Babel i'll my life," muttered Wood, as he
staked off, and went to the boat.
q expected that you would come, Mr..
Fred" said old Dan. He always called
me Mr.. Fred. We had been great friends
ever since he gave me my first lesson in
rowing, when | was very little fellow. |
believe | took to him then wonderfully
and since that time he had never seemed TO
me to have changed nor to have grown
older He always was, as far back as |
could remember, the same sturdy, broad
shouldered man, with the same bronzed
y
He had been for several years on board a
man of war, but he was not a great talker
on any subject, and never, | believe spoke
of his younger days. 4 superannuated,
half witted veteran, who lived in the town,
declared that he was with Dan Baker on
board the Eula. But the veteran knew
nothing about Dams history, and Dan him
self never told it to any one. There was
something in it he evidently wished to con
ceal, and the odd name Of his boat, The
Fai less Kaid was the only ground on
which curious people could build. He was,
in spite of his taciturnity, great tavOrite
with us young fellows. We had chlistened
him Cato: he seemed to have such a kin
bred spirit to the great Roman censor. He
was so unyiclding and exact; so frugal in
his diet, never drinking anything but water,
eating very little, and never smoking. He
always gave one the impression, when he
spoke, that lie had a vast amount of knowl-
edge in him, but which he was unwilling
to impart to others. He talked very slowly,
bringing out each word with the greatest
ielibcration, as though he chewed and
digcsted it we'll mentally before uttering it.
But he was a good boatman, and was much
sought after by the people who were accus-
toned to make use of the pleasure boats at
Clif1gate.
'Strange scenes in these boats some
times, Mr. Fred" the old fellow said, sud,
81. |, l1,,ylf g.,
without speaking.
"Ah, | suppose SO" | answered. care,
lesSly aud without thinking what | said.
My thoughts were just then turned upon
a bet had made, and which had happened
rather oddly. 1t was between six of us
Ned Darwel, Wood, Lucas and one Of his
cousins, Andrews, and myself And he
who shook hands first with a certain young
lady was to win the stakes. Ned called
, my attention to her as we We're walking in
the Rose Gardens listening to the band.
BY Jove"' he said, npping my arm,
",hero's a jolly girl''
She had very dark hair and eyes, which
were rendered the more attractive by q
bewitchiug little mauve hat, with a white
, veil tied behind in bow. She was rather
tall and slight, but very graceful; and hel
little feet as they peeped out every now and
then from under her muslin dress the
grass was rather damp, and the dress hao
to be held up-seemed perfection. She
was accompanied by an old, soldiery- look
ing gentleman, and young fellow, Of
about twenty-five or twenty-three years o.
age, was walking by her other side.
"Who is she?" asked.
81 don't know, answered Ned. "Some
new importation. Hullo. here Lucas: he
is sure to know. ! say, Lucas my boy
who is that dark girl with the hat9'
"Oh, hang the girl with the rum shaped
hat! She's Letitia Turner. Everybody
knows her ugly phiz.'
"'No; the one with the mauve hat anC
white veil. There man alive. can't you
see? There. just turning round at the NJ
of the walk"
b, "Don't know her at all, y said the other
t " Do you, John?" he asked, turning to hi
. cousin.
5 "Never saw her before, said the cousin
d - But she an awful SWELL
:, Then Wood and Andrews strolled up
= They asked us the very question we wer
going to ask them; so we discovered tina
" the young lady was perfect stranger t
us all. Whereupon Lucas undertook t.
" lout her out, as he called it, and tell us.
8 81 say, Lucas" said Ned, vino wa
. rather jealous of the ascendency Lucas ha,
gained over us in the honor of finding on
o and becoming acquainted with diffelen
= young ladies, "Ill let you anything yo
T. like that I'll shake hanGS with her befor
! you will. There, Lucas, my boy, there's
j. fair bet for you."
:" Do Ie.' cried Lucas.