The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-07-06
ADRIFT.


Nary .4inge De Fere, in Youths Companion.
ADRIFT.
EARLY in March grandma had writ
ten: "The old house seems large
and empty, and l long for the sound
of young voices. You must be sure to
come with the flowers and stay all
summer So when spring had come
and gone, we knew that June was car
peting the hills and valleys of far-away
Maine with her greenest velvet, and
that quaint old York, by the sea, was
looking her faireSt.
We numbered five, as we filed into
the car on that second day of june
Uncle Frank, Aunt Amy, Fred, Wal
ter and |. Three days of car-riding
made us welcome the coach as de-
lightful change, and the boys clam
bered to the outside seat to enjoy the
air and get the first glimpse of grand
lld > lool. Alttl d lhtC VI 'li io"l
and half up hills and through val
leys, over the stoniest roads you ever
saw, we entered the shade of an or
chard-lined street, heard merry shout
from Fred and Walter, and knew we
were at our journeys end. | hope
you all have grandmas, and that they
are as sweet and lovely as Grandma
Seabury. | could almost wish they all
lived in York, but | suppose there are
other places in the world as pleasant.
am going to pass over the first days
of our visit, and tell you what happened
one bright Wednesday. Capt. Norwood
owned yacht, the Zephyr, and one
day he came in to grandma's to say
that he had arranged a little party to
90 to the Shoals, and wouldn't Frank,
Amy for they were old schoolmates),
and Miss Nelly-turning to me-like Il
taste of Old Briny, and scramble over
the rocks of Appledore? To be sure
they would; 50, when the sun lifted
himself fresh and bright from the
ocean that Wednesday morning, he
was hailed with delight by one member
of the party. The boys were to stay
with grandma and Aunt Hayford to
keep the CASTLE However, they
might 90 down to the old wharf at
"the Harbor' to see us off.
"Mightn't we come down here and
fish, father?" asked Fred.
Certainly, only don't leave the
wharf-that is, don't get a boat till l
come back
The boys promised, and were full of
the fish they were to catch.
"Td most as lief stay here and fish
as to go with them; wouldn't you,
Fred?" said Walter, as they stood
watching the graceful Zephyr getting
under way.
Ye-es,-that isl don't know.
Oh, but l tell you, Walt, wait till I'm
eighteen, then won't I-O-O-oo''
and Fred snatched his hat from his
curly head and waved it as an imagl-
nary gOod-by to the shores of his native
land for to be a sailor was his greatest
desire. 1t was now little after eight
O'Clock, and as the tide was running
out" and the wind off shore, the Ze-
phyr made good headway, and, round
ing a promontOry, was soon out OF
sight.
The boys slowly climbed the steer
hill which lay between the wharf and
the road leading back to the village
for this queer old town is large, and
has number of little villages in it,
one, two, and three miles apart.
Grandma's house was near the post
office, and that was mile from the
harbor. Gaining the summit, they
turned and looked seaward. There
was the Zephyr skimming the waves
like a gull. Fred drew a long breath
"Come on," said Walt, "we must
dig our bait.
Digging the bait was rather slow
work-at least the finding of it was.
q declarew exclaimed Fred, com
ing in for drink and one of grandma
! cookies, 81 don't believe there's
worm on the place; 1 can't find any
and I've been hunting this hour
Then grandma told them where tt
dig, and at last they had their tin bo,
full. But by the time they had thell
fishingtackle in order dinner was READY
"An early dinner, for I knew yol
wouldn't want to wait, and l didn't
want you to go off without it," sale
grandma. Then, just as they were
starting, she gave them a basket will
a lunch. "You'll be hungry before yol
get back. This is the very same baske
YOUR father used to take, so be care
full of it.
Fishing on the wharf is fun. bu
fishing in a boat is fum-er.' observes
Walt, looking longingly at an empt
dory that lay idly rocking at the foo
of the steps leading to the water.
"Seems to me they don't bite yer
well this afternoon; 1 wish fathe
hadn't told us not to go off in a boat
I know how to manage one,' said Fred
going to the head of the stairway an
looking down.
"Whew, amt this a hot one
Where's the wind going tor and Wal
pushed back his straw hat and gaze
toward the mighty blue, dotted wit
silvery sails; "seems to be wind out
side there. 1 wish
"See here, Walt" and Fred's hea
was visible in the stairway, thi
tlory's fast; let's get into her and pusl
her up under the wharf. It's nice ant
cool down here"
| oosJ %hon dnno