San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-07-20

buOW tn0t Wuo CiuhOuOu poho"'" "'j
carriage-wheels, the desolateness of thu
prospect, the fact that no house nor hu
man being was in sight, tho noise o.
the winds as they made havoc over the
boundless expanse Of shore and sea, the
deadly cold of the atmosphere, the desc
lation of soul one experiences when he
finds himself among surroundings SO
bare, and pitiless, and bleak-all the
sensations due to such scenes and Cir
cumstances as these swept over me, so
that was glad when the vehicle stop.
ped before the door of the Thornclifl
Arms" and caught a glimpse through
the window of bright fire within.
That brightly burning fire, which
seemed alive, was the only inhabitant of
the quaint, old-fashioned room in which
l soon found myself. Two windows,
made of those small panes of glass our
forefathers found as serviceable as the
plate of more modern days, looked out
upon the sea. Situated as the house was,
on the verge Of projecting bluff, the
eye surveyed, through these windows,
the arc of an immense circle, made up
Of sea and sky and sandy shore.
| Riveted to the spot in dismal trance,
in which an oppression at my chest was
the prevailing sensation, 1 must have
stood still for some len minutes, not no
ticing the warmth of the CRATE just be-
hind me. but feeling myself an atom
cast up, like a wreck, by the elements
that warred without. From this trance
1 was aroused by light touch laid upon
my arm, and a soft, clear voice, which
said: "There will be dark work over
there.' t...1
| 1 turned and looked, and started at
the apparition that stood beside me.
| 1t was that of young girl not more
than eighteen; her face was very white;
her lips were full and crimson; her eyes
large, liquid, and blue; her hair fell
round her shoulders. She was attired
in dress of some coarse, dark materi-
al, with open hanging sleeves BY the
hand resting upon me she had raised
herself slightly, so as to bring her lips
near my ear; the other was pointing
over the sea. The voice in which she
spoke was not a whisper, not mutter-
ing; it was soft, clear, low sound.
As l turned and looked at her, she
pointed again as tn ough indicating a
point of infinite distanc e, and repeated,
"There will be dark work over there
dark work! dark!'
She withdrew her eyes from the direc-
ton in which her extended hand had
pointed, and rested them upon my face,
as though to question it for an answer
to her language. As looked in them,
l saw the gaze of extreme distance,
caused by their having followed the d.
rection of her hand, slowly dying out,
and recognition of near things begin
ming to take its place. ...,
AT this moment another sight no less
curious attracted my attention.
The figure of an old and STOPPING
suddenly made itself visible at
the further end of the room. As she
walked slowly forward to where 1 was
she seemed unconscious that
was there. Her countenance-th
color of old parchment-was furrowed
With million wrinkles. She wore a
high cap, and short dress, witha muslin
,erchief pinned over her bosom. Her
lands were busy with some knitting, and
IN that her eyes were bent. AS she ad-
'anced, she uttered a low, grooming
loise, as though her cracked voice were -,
irving to realize some tune of her
hildhood to itself.
As she reached the fireplace my
hadow caught her eyes, and she looked
p. The most surprising thing to me ,,
,as the old woman's absence of sur
rise. She never paused in her knitting,
ut, looking me calmly in the face, ex-
laimed-if so faint ghost of voice
an be termed an exclamation, $50 you {
ave come at last, sir come at last!"
1T seems, then, was expected" l =
nswered, scarce knowing what answer ',
, make.
Expected? Oh, yes! you We're ex- ).
ected," answered the old woman, rivet- II
e her eyes once more on her work. +
Lucy"-indicating with gesture of u
er needles the girl beside me" always .
nows who's a-comin', and what's Ago
lg to take place, when she's this way" =
Mknt ~, IL al y