Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-07-26
A SAILING PARTY.

SNOW, octavia," said Mrs. GLAND, "do
be little careful to-day. Don't, for
PHYS SAKE, let your wild spirits run
away with YOU"
Ootavis GLAND, in her pink muslin
dress, tied here and there with jsunty
little bows of ribbon, and a straw gypsy
hat, garlanded with peoples, turned
round, the very incarnation OF radiant
glee.
Mamma" said she, ''why should you
grudge me my holiday 2"
'Don't l work behind Miss Fanshawe's
counter all the year, like any African
slave Do let me play am child again
Just this once"
So this beautiful young Euphrosyne
dapced away, leaving only the sweet
echo of her laughter in the gloomy apart
ment, and Mrs. GLAND sighed.
"She Is 80 thoughtless," said the |
mother. Sand Duncan Ray and Harry |
Bolton are both going on this party, and |
somehow feel as II to-day were going to
be the turning point of her lite.'
81 wish she could bring herself to like |
Duncan.
"He's IA steady, noble-souled boy, as
his father was before him, but there isn't
much outside show about him.
"And Bottoms handsome, dashing
young fellow, just the sort to attract any
girl. But somehow can't quite believe
In him.
The day was all sparkle and sunshine.
The excursion steamer fluttering with
gay flags and the sound of music, glided
along majesticslly.
The sea air breathed new strength into
weary lungs, and touched fevered brows
with mighty power all these over
worked sewing girls forgot, for brief
while, that life wss nothing more than
treadmill to them.
They laughed, they danced, they sang,
they counted the glimmering sails that
leaned up against the horizon, and
finally, when the boat landed, they all
scattered in various directions over the
silver. shingled besuh, in merry pursuit
Of shells, seawesd and pebbles, rs 30
many newly liberated school-ohildren
might have done.
And 0ctsvia GLAND, the prettiest girl
in all this throng, reigned as q sort of
princess among them. --.
"Mother Cary'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 picturesque long beard blowing
about in the wind.
sis that what they call yonder rock 70
"Thst 'ere's what they halls her by,
lady-miss,'' said the old sailor, his dim
eyes resting with evident appreciation
on 0ctavia's fresh young lilies and roses.
".And well it's knowed heresbouts,' -
he said.
"But why do they call it so % per.
sisted the girl.
"Becauss of the cushion, my lady.
miss" replied the fisherman.
''The Mother Cary's chickens as circle
round the point OF dark day when there
Ia storm comm up.
Sits round rock, near the top--a'
you see ?" pointing his knotty finger
with grass and mosses CROWN on it, il
circle, like a cushion. And aback o
all the natural rock.
"There's them, my lady miss" h
added, ''as hiss climbed to the very to-
and sat on the cushion.
81 an my sweethesrt--as has beel
dead these 80 years--did once.
"But we didn't care to stay there long
tell ye.
''For the wind howled, and the sea
gulls shrieked, and the tide roared like
hungry shark around us, and it wa
as much as ever We could do to get dow
again with whole bones"
why, it doesn't look such height,
said Bolton.
"Mebbe not-mebbe not" said the oil
man.
"a quarter of mile makes a deal
difference in the looks of things.
"And them as amt used TO distance!
can't calculate.
And he went on with his work, Will
the little group strolled on, brigf
Ootavis with her ribbons and curls iloa
ing, Bolton carrying her shawl, an
Duncan Ray walking silently on Ii
other side.
And just then another gay throng owe
took them, and there was discussion
to where the site should be for their in
promptu banquet; and presently Dunoa
Ray looked around.
''Where's Octavia 7" he asked.
Everybody had some kind OF an snsw,
to make.
Auriette Hall had seen her not fl,
minutes before.
Helen Ray was quite certain that al
was hiding behind the ruined boat-hou
on the beach.
Lois Fielding suggested that she hs
probably gone back TO the steamer for
soent-bottle, or handkerchief, or son
such trihe.
''5he'll be here presently" they a
remarked.
sin the meantime let US get the lunC
ready, for there's a dark little edge
CLOUD down in the west that the ospta
says he don't like the looks OF"
And where, all this time, was Octav
GLAND
She was sprinsiug up the steep 81
winding edge OF the rock, quicker 81
lighter than any mountain channels, Ii
veil floating back like e white wreath
mist, an exquisite SCARE. dyeing
cheek.
'tlf other people osn climb to Moth
Csry's Cushion, so can I, +" ssid dauntle
octayia, keeping her face resolutely avn
from the furious waves that boiled al
ragged below, lest perchancs it shou
render her giddy.
Sand how sstoni5l,st they will
when they See me waving my han
kerchief to them from the dizzy peak. +"
Long bsfore the cold fowls, chick
salsd and sandwiches vera spread up
the grass the captain came up from h
Steamer. -z-.5
"Ladiea and gentlemen" said he,
am sorry to spoil sport, but there 3
squsll brswin' If ever there was one Al
Well all be safer well out at sea, than
these ragged points OF rock, especially
the tide Id comm in a deal faster thu
we calculated on.
$50 if you'll step lively, l shall
particularly Obliged"
The ladies began hurrisdly to repa,
the, as yet, untouched repast, and
gather up their hats, wells, parasols Al
gloves; the gentlemen looked arou
for shawl-straps, books and baskets q
once again ran the question-
"But Octavia
''Where ia OotaVia ~
And Dorsey Wheeler, atraIning !
eyes through the gray mist which "
already beginning To gather over t
landscape, exclaimed
"Who has an opera glasa
81 see something on that tall rock IL
eeems to lean towards the water-son
thing, am quite certain, which moves
The captain produced his glass.
'Though, TO be sure" said he, "glasi
amt much good In such plsguey Scot
mist as this"
''But declare there is something
there tluttering in the wind, like so
one waving signal of Distress
Bolton snatched the glass from |
veterans hand, and hurriedly adjusted