The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-09-01

site cOrJ fOlnI. 30 lar as the
could see there was not q sing
sail in the offing. They locke
back at the city, there were n
out coming tugs or steamers, o
schooneIs even. They then .ooke
out through the gate and wondered
There is al untran slatable poeLi
something about our Golden Cat,
that the sympathetic beholder, in
coming or outgoing, or gazing up
on it from any standing point, nev
er fails to realize-something which
perhaps, he acknowledges, yet MAJ
never put into fitting phrases. Per
haps it is because it seems to holC
the keys of our California, life. tha
we may not dissociate it from Ell
ther our history or our future
Perhaps it is because in looking
at it one can never quite discern
its big beyond, of veal or woe, ol
of sunshine or of tempest.
1--WE should never have had this
sunset anywhere else, Laura" and
Tom pointed to the declining sun,
hanging without a cloud above the
wilderness of waves. They looked
back at the city, and all the western
windows were atiame.
81 did not think before there was
so MUCH gold in Frisco" said
Tom.
"Ob, Tom, l doI't want to die
and leave it all said Laura. trem-
blingly.
Ine dailyIug breeze had shaken
of the spell. The air had grown
suddenly Chill. 'iFari ahead they
could See the ominous white of the
careening swell, and along the
shore they heard the dull boom of
the surf. Lower and lower sank
the white, electric dazzle; blff, and
pink and orange toning into narrow
belts of opal. Right ahead rose the
hlack EarallGnss, GEd, IS tAe sun
sank still lower, they stood out in
unbroken outline against its disk.
With hia snft hat Tom made
slow progress IN bailing. Until
then the water had oozed in SO
sloWl y thai danger from leakage had
not alarmed them until then; The
current, too, had carried them along
SO gently that the danger OF upset
ting had not presented itself. But
after they had passed the fort the
motion of the wave changed, not
suddenly, but gradually, until at
last the boat was rocking like ce
dar chip in the eddles of mill
race. And still the tide had not
turned.
Ceasing his bailing for an instant,
Tom thought he heard the sound
of water trickling into the boat.
Perhaps it was his instinct OF dan
ger and not his ears that warned
him, for the waves were splashIng
against the outside, and the motion
a constant tapping of the
water within the boat. Tom made a
careful examin alton, and at last
found C little hole through which
,he water poured in a fitful stream
As the boat rocked from side to
side.
81 must stop that Leak" he said.
Can you bail?"
The sun had set, and the flush
was fading out of the western sky.
Laura took one long look around.
In all the waste of waters there
was 40 moving object. If there
had been a ship in sight she could
have seen it, she thought, almost
lespairingly.
She began to bail as well as she
could, with the felt hat, ana in her
,ramped position. A long line
Of gray was coming up from the
south.
Until he said "It is fog" she
lid not realize the utter hopeless
ness of their position. Even if the
Tide should turn before they reached
the bar, it would be impossible to
protect themselves in a fog. For a
moment she thought she should
quite break down, the fate before
hem seemed so terrible. Tom had
succeeded in stopping the leak, and
had resumed bailing. To make
that task easier, he had cut the
orim from his hat. The fog was
now all around them, and it was
quite dark. They thought they
heard the surf more distinctly.
1.-The tide has turned" said Tom.
And so it had, but just how they
would be affected by the change
hey could not tell. Tom kept on
Dailing until the water in the boat
lad materially decreased. They |
lad not spoken to each other for
some moments. At last Laura |
eaned forward. Her hand touched |
Toms, and he took it in his own.
That hand-clasp meant to them
hings unspeakable. Her hand was
'ery cold, almost as cold as his
'wn. In his pocket was a silk
he handed it to her
md babe her tie it about her
heck. Then he took both her hands
his, striving to keep them
warm.
Laura was the first to speak, and
Ter voice was quite firm, scarcely
ven sorrowful:
Tom, dear, / do not want to
lie; and yet death can not take
rom us the boon of having died to-
ether"
"But we shall not die now, Laura;
know well not" There was the
ing OF conviction in his tones.
The profound resignation underly
lg her words had struck the right
ey in his own nature, and toe
bought of his first despsirin Q
hood made him almost angry.
But it's awfully hungry we are,
~ dear" were his rext words.
I'm ashamed OF you," said
.aura and she actually laughed.
ON laughed also.
When two persons in such a po
Ition can laugh, it is either very
rave or very shocking, according
D the creed we first sucked and the
D forth of our salad days.
The fog was all around them and
either could see the others face.
he fog was cold, and from time