The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-06-12

pleasurings down the river; if they went
together, it was with crowd Of friends.
On one such excursion they became de-
tached from the others by some accident,
and were left, like shells, forgotten upon
the sands; for walking around the bend
eff the beach, where bluff hid them from
sight, with the wind blowing the ther
way, they neither heard n0rsaw their COM
panions embark for home, too busy with
their own affairs to remark the absence of
John and Elinor, who only understood the
situation when they TUNED back to where
the boat had been moore1 and found the
tents struck and the beach lonely and de-
serted, except for some barefooted child
rem gathering drift-wood, and flock Of
sand birds daring the waves. The after
noon was Just melting into the tender at
mosphere of early twilight, when all
things wear an unreal aspect, and half
guessed stars sift themselves through the
gloom of the radience from the neither
half of the sphere-from the morning world
seemed running over into this along the
horizons brim. Far away sail pricked
itself out against the heavens moment,
and was gone; afshing craft was dropping
down over the bar: and pleasure-boat,
bubbling over with song and laught@.
pushed its way toward home. John
shouted to them and waved his hat, but
the wind blew his voice down his throat,
and the gay jewellers fed on wings Of
mirth.
"What shall we do?" asked Elinor.
"How shall we reach homer"
The gods help those who help them
selves" said he. "We will ask these
gypsy children if there isn't a boat TO be
found. There isn't so much as a shed for
shelter on this lonely beach" But neither
the children nor their seniors-a party OF
half-gypsy folks, who had encamped on
the sands, to carry off the beach-plums,
and as sort of economical method OF
spending summer at the seashore, with
plenty Of firewood at first cost and birds
tame as chickens-had anything but a
leaky skif to offer, but who, with the
ready hospitality of the dwellers in tents,
invited them to share the shelter of their
canvas roof; but as the oars of the skiff
were broken, and Elinor's slipper was not
at hand, it seemed of little use. Thus at
their wits ends they paced the sands, up
on which the waves encroached more and
more, making green hollows in the moon.
light when they broke, and fringing the
lone line Of coast with spray like tangles
of nearls Jobn beaned cnsb;on N
tbeacb grass and thew sat in the naJe I;obt
of a moon that was slowly d;nn;po behind
tbe dimes and watched The great Unframed
monster shake it's name at their yerv feet
and listened to its endless dn conos and
wondered If the silver br;doe which tbe
moonbeams threw across the water xo,Id
hear them home. and repeafed love lines
from the noets. or he sapo IN her. <
cor 49, - ~. h..,;aa s ~
That beats on the remosseless shore,
Oh. listen, for that sound shall be
When our wild hearts shall beat no more.
oh; listen well and listen long.
For, sitting folded close TO me,
You could not hear sweeter song
~, inAn 'nAI nUAI'e murmo, Oh 'ne sea-
Inc moon feii lower while ne sang. and
lett me world TO starlight; the wind blew
ITssn'y on e tne sea; Ennor snivered IN the
oiast. >, onaii we accept the gyples lnvl-
.atlon l., he ASKED or shall we walk to
Town! -,
How far is it, john She called him
John. IL seemed new name a.
spoken by her. she gave 1t a new mean
ing; M.
IL Is eignt miles, hiinor, over marshy
places anu rough ways:
Let US Try II. put before they had
gone nall mile on the beach her strength
gave out; Il am SO tiredi she said. III
one could only ny: Az that moment he
feit AN almost irresistible impulse to
seize the little hand resting on his arm
and cover II with kisses; to fold her In his
arms then and there, and whisper, III
you are tired, DARING, rest here, tor love
is rest and biessedness supreme; and |
love you. but the old haunting distIust
required; what II she should answer, Not
mere; your love Is not large enough for
me; not 6lessedneSs enough. And while
ne hesltated and doubted and half believ-
ed, boat shot along the shore and buried
ITS keel In the sand. They had sent re-
ilef from town.
1uty up IQt VIDE river. and