Sharp County record., 1877-12-14

ger jim dllyS6ll, anu ll0 nav OiiO
nifed his appreciation of our friend
ship by pmting me with huge brass
button. klee, when pinned thus on
my dress la brooch, was indescnoa,,
bic. Thige he stopped in the road
and doffedt cap-a courtesy only eX-
tended to Gin dignitaries OF the VII
LACE on rapccasions. Jigger under
stood "mans,n but deemed them TOO
good for orory use. He was in high
spirits, appatly; laughed his strange
cultural lat, pointed to the moon
sparkling alb us, then to his breast
and was hug pleased when l indlcat-
ed that the monds he had seen down
at the ball w like that. Then, ele-
waiting his cf-like fingers, he gave
great leap, if to grasp the serene
planet, and pting to my shawl ana
drapery, lefhe to infer that he wotllo
like to see m,edizened with something
as lustrous the moon and the dla-
monds. Snilg as the harmless fellow
went his way, bethought me that 1t
was late. ;ndbeoan to wonder why
Jacob did Dt pine back.
| CONCLUDED after q while, that l
would strol dwn the road and meet
hint wa S solitary at the house,
and the niht Jas so alluring; After
you passeda a Gtain turn of the road,
YOU came amst in sight of the sea-
Shore. A EttI earlier in the evening
you were apt b meet knots OF young
folks here mdhere strolling up from
the hotels. BI at this hour it was SOL
itary and uui. The water touched
the shore gent with soothing sound ;
the beach srched away white and
glittering, cires!sfthe blue water with
a grand sweep lat curved out to the
misty distance, here silver veil only
seemed to interopt earth and heaven
People said this Ias bleak and solita'
ry place in wiIer-time. Now 1t was
rarely lovely. / gave a long, free
breath as l lookd. No wonder jacob
fingered abroad in such night as this.
SO smiling swee was the scene that
forgot the weigh upon my heart, ano
wandered on aimlessly, childishly
thinking of noting but its beauty. A
little way up, the dusk shadow of the
rocks cut SHARPLY into the silver of th'
shore. l could imagine that on stormy
days this place night wear torblddlne
aspect. In old tines it was said tina
had lul led about those rocks
hidden in their overhangin!
lodges, and creeping to thei
cave in that very shadow. Z
useful shadow it must have been t.
them, | said to myself, How could an,
one discern them as they lay there on tn
sand watching for their boat? Peerin|
into the shadow with this thought o
my mind, 1 felt my heart for momen
almost cease beassng, for there on tn
sands, in that very SHADOW, ut set mm65bFhef m5bF Ef
it iHtsissp, Us5pa.a apparently: gpIp Jacob, wearie
out with his days work, had falle
asleep down here. He had done S
once before, poor fellow, though thu
was before night-fall.
I approached very cautiously, think
inc perhaps he might be playing a pra(
teal joke on me, as he used to do some
times in the old days,
But it was not Jacob. The sleeper
whoever he was, was not so tall; he wa
slight, and elegantly dressed, apparen
". But | went no nearer. Somethln
thrilled through me like an electri
shock-a weird and preternatural tell
gram. This was the man whom Jaco
had pointed out to me, lying here pron
and insensible. And where was jacob
Then / gathered courage and az
preached him. | touched him with m
trembling hands, but he did not NOV
1t was Death, then, keeping watc
bv the moonlit shore-Death that ha
lured me on to come down and me-
him here, terrible and face to face.
turned and fled down the sands, Wild,
with flying feet, to escape the vision
terror that chased me as | went.
At my own threshold, stunned an
fainting, sank upon the stepping-ston
Afgure standing in the doorway stoopt
and lifted me up.
"Why, Matte! why, how is this, n
lass? thought you safe in bed"
| withdrew from the embracir
arms; l stood aloof, shivering al
gasping.
81 have been down down to the Sc
Shore
"And something has scared the W.
woman," said Jacob, in his most wi
some and soothing tone. Well, re
a bit, rest bit, poor little birdie"
The sweetness and softness OF b
voice as he said these words seemed
me like that of one who feels the ho
of eternal separation draw near. /
came toward me.
| held up my hands beseechingl
"Do not come near me now, Jaco
Oh, not now, for | have seen-l ha
seen a terrible sight down on the sane
Stnnhan Ric1ala1i