The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-09-04

this time satisfied their appetites, we
cleared away the fragments and took our
places for dancing, our party being just
sufficient to mike four sets. We hadn't
been dancing more than half an hour be.
fore it was evident a heavy shower was
abont to enlivem our proceedings. As we
had sent the boats buck to the hotel with
| orders to cidl for us at five o'clock, there
was no escaping that way and, as it was a
rough climb over the rocksto Sam Greene's
house, we concluded to seek shelter under
the trees and make the best of bad bar
| gain. In a few moments the rain began
to come down Ill perfect torrents, and in
less than five minutes had penetrated our
leafy covering and drenched us to the skin.
| We now considered it safer to abandon the
trees and take to the open ground, as the
lightning looked rather dangerous. Such
party! A dying man would have laughed
to see them. Sixteen women who, a few
minutes before, We're looking as if just
taken from so many bandboxes, were now
haddled in the centre of the open ground,
some laughing, some crying, some terri
fled, and some enjoying the whole matter
exceedingly, but all looking like maids just
risen from the ocean.
Fifteen gentlemen were there, some
laughing at the dripping beauties, and
| Cp, nIi,,,y IL
off their co4t-skirts and hutbrims, just, for
all the world, rs if each one Was an ami
mated water-spout. The sixteenth man
was Bill Jones, who was never known to
be disconnected on any accasion, and on
the present one he was certainly making
himself remarkably at home. Bill had
discovered that small sloop that was
lying some feet off the shore, and looked
deserted, was, in fact, lying there until
such time as her nayigators saw fit to
fish up the oysters they had planted in the
Cold Spring water. Bill had found the
oysters in the spring, and there he sat
amid the drenching rain, his equanimity
entirely undisturbed, cracking oysters with
a stone, and indulging i'll the luxury with
as much gusto as if comfortably partaking
of them at Delmonico's. Nellie Charles
caught sight of him, aud also observed that
just behind the stone on which Bill Was
sitting was deep hole filled with water
Cautiously creeping behind him, she CON
trived to over turn his balance, and poor
Bill found himself reduced to the same
level as the fish on which he had been
feeding. In moment he was out again,
and the ludicrous figure he cut, as he stood
holding his pants from him in about the
same style as belle handles dress when
pamcing, drew shout of laughter from
even the most terrified one. Nellie stood
close by, clapping her hands in ecstacy at
her success, when, before any one had
time to arrest the movement, Bill
caught her up and plunged her beneath
the stormy waves of the 'Spuyten Teu-
fell
'This broke the spell of terror which was
over the ladies'. Nellie took the joke with
the same good grace she offer d one, and
the fun grew fast and furious, aud we sang
danced, swung, and bathed with more
zest than ever, while the wines were dis
appearing with ra lidity unheard of.
'In about an hour the rain ceased, and
the sun came out brighter than before, and
the captain of the sloop having come to
loosen and dry his sails, the ladies were
politely offered the use of his cabin to ar
range their toilets. The embarkaton was
safely made by means of the sloop's ynwl,
if except the falling overheard of Dave
Mackey and Miss Stewart, who were both
too heavy weights to step on the side of a
small boat, at one and the same time
without an ad quate weight on the other
side, to keep her Oh an even keel. How
ever, there were but three feet water,
and we fshed them out, no wetter, but
more frightened than little.
"When the last petticoat had disappeared
below deck the gentlemen retreated to the
woods, and by dint of the wrnging pro-
cess divested their clothing of number of
gallons of water without at all improving
the set of either coats or pants by the
operation. When we got back to the shore
most singular vision met olr gaze. The
ladies were there, but where were their
fair proportions as seen an hour before
One glance aloft revealed the secret-the
Sail WAS covered with crinoine and dimity
handkerchiefs and hosiery, and variety
of other fxins, too numerous to mention,
had been pinned fast, and hoisted up to
dry.
"On our approach the ladies beat a hasty
retreat below. parley was sounded, and
an agreement entered into, that the male
bipeas should remain on shore, while the
ladies disposed themselves behind the SAIL
Al a IA