Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1877-03-22
A FOGGY NIGHT.

ling on it's way To the sea. Widening, too,
as il flows On, drst between high-wSoded
banks, then by Low lying farms, AID then,
Just before il reaches the narrow inlet,
spreading out into almost lake Here
the stream is broken into many channels
by sedgy islands half covered at high
water Flocks of snipe and red-winged
black birds fy to and fro, or settle dowp
among the sedge the red epaulettes glsnc-
ing gsily in the dark green or against the
clear blue sky Among the isiands the
water rushes deep and swift at ebb-tide
hurrying down to meet tina breakers the
white sea-horses" that gxllop in over the
bar, tossing their dowtng naues. and 1T
food tide going back with almost equal
force To where the wide stream hows
more gently over sandy shadows and. into
deep coyes and bends on the low shore.
On each SIDE of the river are nat mead
ow lands. covered Win rich swamp grss-
ses in every shade of purple, green and
brown. Here and there the ground is
broken by clear pools, where W ter lilies
foat guarded on all sides by red cardinal
flowers, blue and white marsh gentian,
and behind them helmet dowers and tall
mIlk-weeds wave, trying TO shade them
selves free from the close embrace of pink
convolvulus and yellow, tbread-!ike bind
weed. s-. -. -
On one side the meadows are bounded
BY clumps Of holly, pines and cedars and
tangled thickets of smilax; and on the
other stretch, white sand-cliffs covered
with pale sea-grass, and sloping down TO
the blue, sunny plain of waters. that
to-day is dotted with white sails Of
fishing smacks which this morning eros
sed the bar.
All is clear. peaceful, bright.-inteasly
bright under the August sun. W
AT night il is no less beautiful than by
day. The full maon rises over the black
pines, flooding the land with its pure
brightness; the river is ripping sheet of
silver and the dark shore is touched with
light Seaward all form Is lost, for the
low banks and the dim river are wrapped
In silvery vapor, through which comes
family the music of the sea
i long 10 float down into that shadowy
pegivn, TO seek know not what possibili-
ties Of poetry and beauty, and AS gaze,
10, a white, ghostly shape steals through
the silver mist; silently II draws near,
grows larger and more defined, sad the
moon CLEANS on the large call of n pleas
ure boat A sound of music floats TO me
on the still night sir; the bvat passes out
OF sight We bring our skin 70 the shore
aud unwilaDgly leave behind Ne the
bright fairy land, hall fearing that IL may
vanish In the night
had come down o. The end Of hot,
dusty summer IN town, 10 the old farm.
house by the river where my cousin Nor
~, and HE wife had been passing the sam
met, and this land by the sea Was to me
psraaiIse, q place VI restful beauty, . Lot
us-land OF peace.
huch at least were my first impressions
"a.
having spent inc afternoon and evening
&C the water. We left the river and walk.
ed up through the dark, sweet smelling
Cedar grove. On reaching the Louise,
Norris proposed that should be intro
duced To our host AMI hostess. l readily
agreed, and we went into the large old
fasEHned kitchen. where we found Cap.
tain Wilson and his wife sitting by an
open wvod IRE. for the August night was
chilly. Being duly presented, I sat down
with them 10 enjoy The comfortable hlaze,
and began To speak of the beauty of Tia,
country snd the pleasure l had had ttat
day - the boating. Indeed. remark
cd, Il felt AS though could f0st On there
forever" 80 - -
lite all good enough this kind of
weathei." Mrs. Wilson SAID, "but come
down here IN the spring and fall rains,
or raiDy spell in winter, guess you'd |
not ike "a 50 well then. For my part. |
never could see VIII, people set such store !
by the boating. I'm sure can't see
the sense IN II, and haven't been in a !
boat for fifteen ears would you believer |
us IL possiblel Why do you dislike |
boating SO Innchf'
"Weii, ] never did like II. but was in /
, boat once TOO often, and I've kept out
Of them since"
II .ell ny WIFE, sais, Captain Wilson.
II she wants 10 see the sense in boats,
she'd better he down at the shore in a
big Worcester in winter, and see the
vreakers go ous 10 "A vessel and bring to
and the whole crew safe"
Our conversation then turned to the
and their work ON the danger II
,us coast, and many evenings after that
ne old sailor eutertnihed ~ with ae-
counts OF his adventures at sea and in the
vrecking service But did not forget
Mrs. wilson's allusion to ap adventure OF
Ter own, and one night toward the end /,
Il my visit referred TO il, and again asked
Ter why she had not been In boat for so
ing time
We'll, she replied, Il was In a boat Z
nee when had too much of it. Ill
couldn't be rsid 70 90 IA one now. But !
bats q long story II
~ ict Us near u tncn, DJ al means. !
Perhaps you won't think IT'S much Of v
story after ali. - Mrs. Wilson said, apoI- .
gttic@iiy, but it's something Ill never v
,i4et as long ss live. IL VAS about ff 4
zen years ago. this next November. that 4
got word my sister was very sick and
ley wanted ne To come over at once "A
ld see her. She lived then nearly oppo- b
te oar landing on the other side the riv- e
maybe you've noticed that white d
,use back among the trees. Well, r,
" husband wasn't home---he'd gone 10 81
e village, and didn't dare wait till he b
4 back. 30 left word 70: him that I'D
home for supper, gave the baby into II
e care of the hired girl aud started "
ross the river with my oldest boy, Ned. e.
E was about twelve years old. II WAS il
out three O'Clock then, aud l remember Al
linking we'd tie back By teatnn We 81
I over safe enough, for Ned pulled
rong oar and the wind was in sur favor fh
Iound my sister very low, ana l stayed II