The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1882-08-31
i" MOTHER CAREYS CUSHION.

"Now, Octavia," said Mrs. GLAND.
"do be little careful to-day. Don't,
NfQr PHYS sake, let your wild spirits
un away with your
Octayis GLAND, in her pink muslin
dress, tied here and there with jaunty
little bows of ribbon, and straw gyp-
sy hat garlsnded with pink poppies,
turned around, the very incarnation of
radiant glee.
"Mamma," said she, "why should
you grudge me my little holiday !?
Don't I work behind Miss Fanshawe's
counter all the year like any African
slave? Don't lose my very identity
in shirs and outings, and toll my fin
gers off in founces and tucks! Do let
me play I am a child again just this
once.'
SO this beautiful young Euphrosyne
danced away, leaving only the sweet
echo Of her laughter in the gloomy
apartment, and Mrs. GLAND sighed.
"She is so thoughtless," said the
mother. "And Duncan Ray and Harry
Bolton are both going on this sailing
party-and somehow I feel as if to-day
were going to be the turning point OF
her life. Iwish she could bring her
self to like Duncan-he's a steady,
noble-souled lad, as his father was be-
fore him, but there isn't much outside
show about him. And Bottoms hand.
some, dashing young fellow, just the
sort to attract any girl. But somehow
/ can't quite believe in him. Octavia
says I haven't any knowledge of the
world. Well, perhaps she is right.
But I think We quiet, stay. .at-home
bodies are sometimes gifted with sort
ofSnstinct in these matters."ss 4
Fhe dssassass.a ssisss siFsss sa and sdns6ine
The excursion steamer, futtering with
gay flags and sound of music, gided
msiestieally along; the sea air breathed
ne1 strength into weary lungs and
touched fevered brows with achemic
power; and all these over-tired, over
worked sewing girls forgot for brief
while that life was nothing more than o
tread mill to them.
They laughed, they danced, they
sang; they flung flowers into the water
that foated around the wheel house.
they counted the glimmering sails that
leaned up against the. horizon; and
finally when the boat landed at White
Crags they all scattered in various di-
rections over the silver shingled beach
in merry pursuit of shells, seaweed and
pebbles, as so many newly liberated
school children might have done.
And Octavis GLAND, the prettiest girl
in all the throng, reigned as sort Of
princess among them.
"Mother Carey's Cushion ?" said she;
merrily, echoing the words of an ancient
salt who was mending his nets in a
sunny spot with an old pipe in his
mouth, and a picturesque long beard
blowing about in the wind. sis that
what they call yonder rock ?"
"That 'ere's what they halls her by,
lady-miss," said the old sailor, his dim
eyes resting with evident appreciation
on Octavia's fresh young lilies and
roses. "And we'll it's knowed here
abouts."
"But why do they call it SOP" per-
sisted the girl.
"Because of the cushion, my lady
miss" answered the fisherman, laying
his pipe down on the sand out OF
respect to this charming young pres
ence. "And the Mother Carey's
chickens as circle round the point of
a dark day when there's a storm
comin' up. It's round rock, near to
the top-d'ye see9" pointing his knotty
forefnger-"with grass and moses
CROWN on it, in circle, like cushion.
And a-back, all of the material rock.
There's them, my lady-miss," he added,
"as has climbed to the very top and
sat on the cushion. I and my sweet
heart-as has been dead these thirty
years-did once. But we didn't care
to stay there long. tell ys. For the
wind howled and the seagulls shrieked,
and the tide roared like hungry shark
around us, and it WAS as much as ever
We could do to get down again with
whole bones"
"Why," said Bolton, sit doesn't look
such height" :.
"Mebbe not-mebbe not!" said the
old man. "a quarter OF mile makes
deafo, ,diferencein in the look of things.
And them as amt used to distances
can't calculate" ...
And he went on with his work while
lshe little group strolled on, bright Oc-
tavia with her ribbons and curls float
ing, Bolton carrying her shawl and
Duncan Bay walking silently on the
q as -,