The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-04-07
Select STORY.
From Chambers Journal.
THE BLACK BUOY

''Swim p said grandmamma, as We sat
round the cracking billets one evening.
Every boy and girl should learn to swim
Why, | could swim like duck when |
was girl Dear me, dear me p
Grandmamma sat bolt upright in her
highbacked chair, resting her elbows on
the arms and smiling across at grandpapa-
who sat on the other side of the hearth
with a conscious look in her bright old
eyes Grandpapa, the General, pausing in
the act of raising his tumbler to his lips,
nodded and smiled back at grandmamma.
They were both white haired, bright-eyed
and rosy-cheeked; both sat, straight and
erect, in tall, red-cushioned oak chairs, and
each saw the other through an effacing
medium that smoothed out wrinkles, re-
stored hyacinthine locks and blotted out
the fifty years that lay between them and
youth.
Now, when we, the youthful descend
ants of this stately pair, grouped in lazy
attitudes around the vast roaring hearth
with its tall carved chimney-piece, saw the
meaning looks that were exchanged between
our respected progenitors, we scented a
story. And when many-voiced appeal
for the story broke from us, grandmamma
hesitated for moment and shook her
head, then looking across to grandpapa,
who nodded again, and, after little pres
sing, she thus began:
You know, young people, that you are
of good family onl y on your grandfather
side. and not on mine; for he came of an
old and honorable stock, while my father
was only a ships bos'n. My father was
killed in great sea fight when I was only
little child and | was brought up by my
grandfather, who was ostensibly a boat
builder and fisherman, but in reality a
smuggler. A successful smuggler, too
In those days smuggling meant great risks
and enormous profits, for duties, especially
on foreign wines and spirits, were exceed
ingly high 1t was not only profitable
trade, but it was reputable in a peculiar
sort of way; for it required great courage
and great skill. England was always at
war in those days, and the smuggler ran
the risk of being snapped up by an enemy's
cruiser as well as of falling into the clutch
es of revenue cutter. In addition, there
were the inevitable chances and dangers of
the sea. So that good smuggler had tc
be not only a man Of great daring, but OF
great knowledge of navigation. He had tc
work into harbor on the darkest night, fol
it was only on dark nights that he could
venture on "a run''-with the utmost Sc
crecy and dispatch. To do that he must
know every inch of his way, be able tc
distinguish landmarks and buoys where an
unpracticed eye would only see indistinct
blackness, and know to nicely the time the
tide turned the twists of the sandbanks, ano
the position of the sunken rock.
My grandfather could neither read MOI
write, and he had, as [ think for that rea
son, wonderful memory. He was assist
ed in his work by my two uncles, both IL
literate men like himself; and the three
seemed to find their way, through long
practice and acute observation, as if by
instinct. There was only one channel
leading to the landing place, the mouth OF
the little river where we lived being almost
choked by sandbanks which ran out to some
distance. 1t was necessary to hit this
channel considerable way out at sea, ano
small black buoy bobbed up and down tt
Indicate its commencement. One side o.
the harbor was formed by line OF rocks
hitting out to some length and shelving
down gradually into the water, and the
buoy was distant from the extremity o.
these rocks about three-quarters of mile
This headland was called the Point.
The black buoy, a mere speck on the
waters, was hard enough for any one tt
find in the broad day; yet my grandfather
never failed to find it in the dark-for ol
course it was only on a amoonless night tina
he could hope to run cargo. The usua
course of proceeding was thus The lug
GER arrived off our coast at night-fall, lay
to until signal was flashed from oul
friends on shore, and then found the Ell
trance to the channel, and worked in with
the tide. 1t was necessary to be very care
ful in hitting off the channel at first, wher'
the buoy was, or they might ultimately rul
on the sunken rocks at the extremity o.
the Point.
Grandfather and lived in pretty cot
taoe at one extremity Of the village. Ou
house was better than most of the others
for grandfather had money in the bank
and was we'll to do. The cottage was GOV
cred with honeysuckles and creepers; a
the hack was a well-stocked kitchen gar
den: in front was grassy bank slopln!
down to the sand, at its junction witt
which stood our wooden boat-house. b.
the boat-house lay three or four OF ou
boats. broad, strong and unwieldy; and op
nosite the boat-house were the moorlngs
the Little Lady, our naughty, fast-salllng
clever little lugger.
had very Independent, irregular kim
of life. My grandfather was often ava
for days at a time, and the old woman VIII
looked after the house-for grandmothe
was dead long since-would have had littl
time for securing and cleaning if she ha'
tried to look after me. | got little book
learning from the old vicar, but it was no
enough to hurt me- No, my dears; L kne'
no Italian. no Latin, or algebra; but m
ewes were none the less bright, my lung
none the less clear, my color none the les
blooming, that passed most Of my days L
the bright sunshine and free fresh air.
could run couple of miles and jump
gate; I could pull an oar with the best, an
/ could swim like duck. Twas thorough
" at home either on the water or IN Il
The sea had no terrors or difficulties 10
me except such as it was pleasure to ovel I