The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-08-03
SELECT STORY.
AMONG THE BREAKERS.

Miss Prim had met her destiny.
She was sure of it; but then she had
been sure of it two or three times a
month on the average for many years,
and at 46 she was Miss Prim still
If gentleman handed up her
change in the stage, she was sure he
was the man, and put on her sweetest
simper to thark him; if a stranger
asked his way she was sure he only
did it for the chance of speaking to
her, and posed accordingly as she re-
piled when the man came to look at
the gas meter, she was sure he looked
long and tenderly at her, and only
wanted the chance to speak; but not
withstanding all these came to nothing,
she did not become soured
Being of a sanguine temperament,
she looked forward with hope to the
next chance, and kept herself happy
in the prospect of the right one at
last
This summer she had brought her
pretty little niece, a perfect rosebud of
IS, to spend her holidays at the sea-
side, where there was famous bathing
Sweet Mary Bell, reared in luxury, aud
with every prospect Of ease and ailiu-
ence, found herself fatherless and pen
niless at II years of age, and, without
any self.pity or flourish of trumpets,
set herself to do the only thing she
could at short notice to help the dear
mother. She offered herself to her
milliner as Il work woman, and proving
unusually skillful, had been able to
keep food in their mouths for the past
year; and just now, their kind friend
and physician having asked her moth
er to spend the summer in the noun
tains with his delicate wife, she felt
free to accept her queer aunts uneX-
pccted invitation, and enjoy herself as
much as possible.
At first she was little puzzled by
her strange condolences, but finding
they did not mean anything, and that
her fancies were quite harmless, she
listened with no little amusement to
the thrilling account of how gentle
man had picked up her umbrella, what
a sad earnest gaze he cast upon her,
and with what marked emphasis he
said, rs this yours, madam ?" the
truth being that he was an irascible
old gentleman. aud this is the third
umbrella which had fallen on his toes
within the space of half an hour; also,
how another, of whom she had inqur-
ed the way the first day they had ar
rived, had walked long distance with
her chatting so pleasantly, and helping
her over muddy crossings; but she
did not mention that she missed her
pocket book the same day, because in
her mind there was no connection
between the two things
To day, as they returned from their
morning tramp and watching the
bathers, they turned a corner, and a
man, who was rushing along to catch
a train, ran violently into them, scat
tcring parasols to the winds With
many apologies he helped pick up
their property, aud with hardly a
glance toward them he continued his
headlong pace.
Did you see how he looked Such
an interesting man, am sure We
shall meet him again, You see" And
this exciting adventure was food for
speculation the rest OF the day. In
the evening, as they were in the piazza,
Miss Prim pulled Mary by the arm
and said;
Didn't tell you? There is my
destiny, How things viii happcn!"
Looking in the direction indicated,
Mary saw a bluff, rosy, middle-aged
man romping on the grass with some
children who were evidently used to it,
and pulled him about unceremonious
ly. The tea bell brought them troop,
ing in, and they found themselves op
poste the beligcrent and belated pas,
senger of the morning
This was one of hundred similar
cottages which accommodated, OF
rather crowded, about a dozen people
so that besides Aunt Prim and Mary
there We're only this party of harum
scarum boys, with their delicate, wild
owed mother and their Uncle Arthur
whom they adored, and who had com,
with them to see that they did no,
quite kill her in their hilality at having
holidays .'.H-. .f'
Consequently, in such close quarters
everybody must know everybody
there was no stand-oif about it to ma
the comfort Of the whole house, anc
Mary, being like a child herself, fel
into the ways o these boys, till The,
decided she vas just as good fui
as Uncle Arthur while Mss Prim wa
Of course stiN NOR. firmly conyiDocC
thIJ at la,', uai at last, This was he
| destiny
They formed so pleasant a famil,
lparty that there was no thought of