The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-09-24
For, live how We can, yet die we must:
IFrum Tinsley's Magazine.l
ON THE CLIFF.
An Adventure at yarmouth.

Fifteen years ago yarmouth was n
quiet little village. The whistle of the
iron horse was not to he heard within
many miles, and the passage of the coach
between Dolgelly and Carnarvon was the
sole event of the day. There was one
hotel and some half-dozcn shops and
other houses where lodgings were to be
obtained; but slight as was the accomo-
dation, il fully equaled the demand.
"Just the place for fellow To he able
10 sketch without people coming Ia look
over his shoulder" was the comment of
Hugh Carson, n young artist, us he took
his first stroll upon the sands.
A tall, well-built Young fellow, with
legs rather long for his body, and face
rather heavy i'll response, but bright and
winning when he smiled. The tide was
ont, few fishermen were mcnding their
nets and tarring their boats, and lady
and child were down upon the rocks near
the edge of the sea.
"A bright bit of color On those dark
rocks" he said, with the island on the
left and the sea beyond, and that abrupt
headland coming in-just the thing to
begin with"
He had his sketching- block under his
arm and his color-box Ill his pocket, and,
sitting down on the sand-hills, he set
rapidly To work. For an hour and n
half he worked steadily, and then the
bright hit of color and the child moved
of toward the shore. Still he worked
on AT his sketch and was almost startled
when shadow passed across his paper.
He glanced up, and saw IL girl of some
twenty wears old, with younger one Of
seven or eight. The child dropped the
hand she was holding, and came fearlcssly
up.
"Please may look at your picture 2"
He nodded silently, and went on with
his painting.
80 cousin Amy, such a pretty picture I!
and there are Won and me out on the
rocks Do look !"
The girl glanced ut the artist, but
neither by look nor motion did he sec
ond the child's request; and with little
shruG II her shoulders she turned away
and walked on slowly until overtaken by
her cousin.
"What n bear am % the young man
said Ia himself. II ought to have got
up and grinned aud taken off my hat, /
suppose, and asked her to look Mt it; but
it's no use, i can't get ON with women.
never can think what to say to them.
/ have no doubt she thought me n per-
feet bear. And so | am. But | suppose
it's my nature" Aud he went on with
his painting. "One o'clock; it's time to
60 III To dinner. The tide is coming up
and covering the rocks; l will finish it
tomorrow morning"
The next day he worked until dinner,
and WAS greatly contented with the re-
suit.
alt will make capital thing" lie
said. al have been very lucky with the
lights. | do think it will be the best
thing have done"
His pleasure was little married by
the tact that the two girls had again been
ont On the rocks, and had on their re-
turn passed close by him; hut this time
the child had kept close to her cousin.
"Otiended, evidently" was his NUT
tered comment, "and no wonder. /
wish i WAS not such bear"
The following morning lie was late in
starting for stroll across the sands. The
tide had already turned, and there are
few places on the coast where ii comes in
more rapidly than on the yarmouth
sands. For n long time its approach is
so gradual that it can hardly be noticed;
but when it reaches certain point it
comes i'll with startling speed.
"Therc are those girls on the rocks
again." he said, and he shaped his
course 80 rs TO carry him 10 the right Of
them. He had not gone fifty yards
along the edge of the sand when he heard
a loud cry behind him. He looked
round, and saw that the elder girl, who
was reading, had risen from n campstool
ON which she was sitting and that the
child was OH the rocks, already cut off
by rapidly increasing stream Of water
The cry Of the child on discovering her
situation was echoed by her companion,
who was about to rush into the water
when Hugh ran up.
"All right little One!" he shouted
cheerily. "I'll fetch you out"
So saying, lie waded into the water,
which was already nearly up to his
waist, reached the little girl, took her
III his arms, and carried her to the shore.
There YOU are, as right rs possible, "
he said, as he put her down; "but you
must mind, missy, for the tides are very
rapid here.
"Thank you SO very much. sir" the
elder girl said; sit is most kind of you. u
The artist looked into the flushed face
of the girl, and the eyes in which the
tears were standing, and his habitual
shyness fell upon him. Mutterings
thing about its being no odds ut all, he,
raised his hat and, turning upon his
heel, again pursued his walk.
He really is bear" Amy Herbert
said as she hurried off with the child
toward the sand-hills, pursued by the
fast-rising tide; and yet, by his voice,
am sure he could be very nice if he
liked"
Amy Herbert had no experience what
ever Of shy men. She was the only
ly daughter of II very wealthy Manches
terra cotton spinner, aud Manchester doei
no class shy young men among its pro
ductiOns. She was accustomed to ad
miratiOn for she WAS pretty and an heir
ess, and III both capacities made mucl
of; but, though little hayward ani
willful, from always having her own
way, she was really unspoiled, nnd wal
AZ bright and lOyablc girl az was to b,
found in the metropolis Of cotton.
For the next two days Hugh Carson
missed the young lady and child from
the shore, but several times saw tin
iluttcr of ight-colored dress high up OF
the hills behind yarmouth.
"That rising tide has given her I
fright, he said to himself, "and they've
taken to the hills. Rather a nuisance
because have done with these flats an'
shall be doing the hills myself. How
ever; they are extensive enough withon
our running against each other, as w
always seem 10 he doing here"
In fact, as Hugh and his acquaintance
took their meals mt about the same hour
and both came in ut the very last mo
ment before them, il il not singular tina
each day they had, either morning, nj
ternoon or evening, met at least once il
the quiet little street; and each tim,
Hugh raised his hat, aud Miss Herbcr
lowed frigidly, and her little cousin
nodded brightly. Once as he passed tin
door of their lodging, just az they wcr
going in, the child ran across the ron,
ms her cousin entered and put her hun,
into his and talked In hIIn for twn N