The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-09-06
SELECTED SKETCH.
GATHERING SEA-SHELLS.

IT y hOIneDCuy Win name SIX SyllaDlee
long," said the landlord, looking into the
lining of his coarse straw hat, as if he ex-
pected to find the troublesome epfthet there.
at amt a professor, nor yet a philosopher,
nor pedestrian with a gasp at each of
the hard words but it's something that
begins with P. And he's huntin' for shells
all sorts of queer, outlandish shells, as
isn't to be come across every day."
"Do tell" said the landlords wife,
"P'raps he's goin' to grind 'em into fertiliz-
ing powder, or mocadamize road with
'em.n
"No he amt |" said her husband. Hes
goin' to publish a book of pictures about
'emn
Then he's an editor" said Mrs. Stubbs
"'Taint quite that, neither" said Mr..
Stubbs slowly. ''Bnt its something very
wise and learned. So told him he'd better
go to Yorkes' The young woman there
has mortal nice collection of out-of-the-
way-shels. And I've heard of their sellin'
shells to them as fancied 'em once in awhile
for all they're such high-toned gentle folks. "
That had been Mr.. Silas Stubs advice,
and Mr.. Cleve, the paleontologist, had taken
il and was even then walking along the
shingly beach, where the waves curled, in
foamy fringes, almost up to his feet, and the
trails Of blackish seaweed showed the high
water mark.
Judge Yorke had been judge, nobody
knew how many years ago of some petty
court in Southern city before the Yorks
estate had melted in the fiery furnace of lit
igation, and he had fed northward in search
of the business which never came--sat out
under the tumble-down verandah, with the
air of an exiled prince. He was white-haired
and rubicund- visaged, and his slippers were
down at the heels, and his red cashmere
dressing gown was patched with quite diff
ferent pattern, and his wristbands were
frayed, and the lack of buttons on the shirt
front was made good with pin. But when
he saw the stranger lift the latch of the
rickaty gate, he advanced TO meet him with
patronizing urbanity which was little
short of overwhelming. He listened to Mr..
Cleye's Standardization with royal smile !;
he welcomed him as if the old house were a
palace; he made haste to introduce him to
MRS. Yorke"
Mrs. Yorke was a tall, golden-haired young
woman, with her lovely tresses tucked I'M
tidily into net, her dress decidedly the
worse for wear, and her exquisite face burn
cd by the impress Of sun and wind. But
the fash of her brilliant blue eyes was like
sunshine itself.
"Will the gentlemen stay to dinner 2"
Mrs. Yorke asked of the Judge; "because
we have only some porgies and samphire.
But if he cares for such a simple fare, he
il welcome"
Mr.. Cleve accepted the simply given invi-
tation. The judge was like piece of old
porcelain--cracked and damaged it might
be, but still genuine. Mrs. Yorke was q
beauty, but quite young enough, the guest
decided, to be her husbands granddaughter
and besides, he wanted to know what on
earth porgies and samphire could be.
There was no carpet on the dining room
floor, and the windows needed cleaning; but
the china was fine, and they had some
blackberries, early apples, and few fine
| apricots. in centre-piece of silver, with
"Y" engraved on the handles; and Mr.
Mr.. Cleve discovered that porgies were q
coarse grained fish with good deal of bone
to them, also that ssmphire was a gelatin
GUS vegetable, not unlike grass, which was
gathered on the sea-beaeh, and boiled with
butter and vinegar.
An old negress, whom Cleve mentally de-
cided must be at least hundred years Of
age, waited, and kept of the flies with Q
brush of peacocks' plumes.
sShellsa Yes there were some fn'
Shells" the Judge believed, "along thu
coast. Mrs. Yorke knew--Mrs. Yorke coult
tell him. Paleontology was study which
4 always must m-mend-it-self"
And the judge fell blandly and courteousl,
asleep, still with smile on his face.
Mrs. Yorke laughed.
".ae's very old" said she, indiferently
"he often does that Don't mind him. Dix
| you say you wanted to buy shells will tr,
and have some collected for you this tim
4 to-mor, a'e {"
| "Could collect them for myself7n Mr.
Cleve asked, with the eagerness Of spe
cialist.
Mrs. Yorkes beautiful brow darkened
'sNo," she answered CURLY. "The coast ]
ours as far as Rocky Point and our peopl
don't like to be interfered with. If you vii
4 come here this time tomorrow, will hav
ten dollars worth Of shells for you"
And, to his amaxement, Mr.. Cleve wa
compelled, perforce, to accede, although il
his innermost heart he doubted whethe
Mrs. Yorke was Judge Of what ten dollars
worth of shells would be.