The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-06-13

same boat; some had been swept away by
4 wave before the ship was abandoned;
and so by sad degrees hope and Laurence
Everen were given up. But though the
object that made existence precious has
been rudcly torn from us yet we go for
ward with the drama perforce; we must
dine, read letters, receive condolences,
discuss Grape and bombazine, as it the
world had notsuddenly grown empty and
fOrlorn.
And so it was with Lefty. Daily life
was too exacting; she could not sit down
and hug her grief, and look at it in every
light, and discuss in all its bearings; she
was obliged to dry her tears and earn her
bread. The railroad stock in which her
small fortune had been invested had sud-
denly declared dividends. She could not
permit herself to share the crumbs that
fell from her uncle's table, and which they
could i'll afford to spare, even had DEEPEN
dencc been sweet-a quality it was never
known to possess. Thus in her dreary
routine Of drudgery Tom Lengworthy's
kindness and occasional visits constituted
her only variety. If she found bunch
of the earliest May-howers on her desk,
mas brought her an anonymous gift she
was none the less certain of the giver. If
he: birthdays and anniversaries were re-
membered, whose thoughtfulness could it
be but Toms? 1t was, perhaps, three
years and better after the Flying Scud had
sailed that Lefty, wearying of declining in
vitations and of being asked if she meant
to sacrifice herself like Hindoo widow,
joined \ party of friends going to take
their tea in the sunset on the beach, two
hours steaming down the river. She had
understood that there were to be but
handful Of people, but she found a
crowd; and sitting on the sand, looking at
the delicate sea-shell pink of the eastern
sky above the tossing breakers, or watch
ing the groups Of girls making their
dainties from their baskets, while others
gathered drift-wood and lighted a pic
turesque blaze beneath the coffee and
clam pots, was pleasant change from the
monotony of her days. Presently, while
she gazed, little boat, with the sunset
reddening its sails, "quenched its speed
in the slushy sand, and Tom Longworthy
threw his anchor ashore.
"Letty!'
"Tomm
II wish you had allowed me to bring
you down."
~ wish had;'' and then they fell to
speaking of the moon-led tides, about
great storms and wrecks.
"Do you KNOW" she confessed, "their
driftwood fire chills me. How do I
Init i>1t of %Eo
Laurence chung too"
"They are having SUPPER" said Long
worthy, turning away. "Let me bring
you something. We have been too
gloomy"
"No; when am gloomy, T. am in no
danger of forgetting. Don't you remember
Andersen's story of the poor old maid who
used the broken half of bottle picked
up on the beach for the canary's drink
ing vessel, when it was bit of the very
bottle to which her lost lover had intrust-
ed tender FAREWELL"
You don't mean to be an old maid,
Letty?"
II? The day of my destiny's over.
How ghostly the lighthouse looks! I
used to think 1 should like to live in one,
"They will be lighting up presently;
we will pay them visit if you please"
And while they climbed the light house
tower, and saw the fishing fleet standing
out to sea, and watched the keeper light
his lamps, while he told them of the sea-
birds that beat their lives out against the
windows, of ships he had seen 90 to pieces
in the storm, Of the times he had put out
in his boat to the rescue, and his wife
keeping the lamps bright alone amidst
the gale, their friends we're gathering up
the fragments and steaming homeward,
each thinking that Lefty was with the
other. When Tom and Lefty came out
| under the stars, the beach had wild and
lonely aspect; some night bird was
screaming overhead, the gypsy fire
smouldered amidst some stranded tim
bers, but the sands were deserted. Toms
little craft was the only one in sight, and
with the wind dead against them and the
tide falling, it would be useless to start
for some hours to come.
eve may as we'll make ourselves COM
Portable" said Tom, bringing fresh fuel
for the fire. II am to blame for this dis
aster.''
II don't call it disaster exactly" said
Lefty. "Do you see how much our back
log resembles a crouching camel? In
this wierd light can half believe that
we are belated on the desert, and are
bivouacking till day. It's rather roman
tic than DISASTROUS
I'm glad you see it in that light. You
would make the desert blossom like a
rose"
"How you flatter mc!!'
II? We never fatter those whom we
love-"