San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-10-11
IRE GRANDMOTHEK'S STORY
Texas sifhpgs.

Texas siftpgs.
Grandfather and grandmother were
lifting on the porch that iIon'el the
,ougb west England sea- coast.
round them Al merry groupot child
zen. who were teasing tcr tie story Ct
your "swim, grandmamma, when
your grandfather used TO be E" Snug
Der" :,
lady began: ~,
iWeil, children, many PEOPLE then
,uoupht that the excessive excise duty
yss wrong, and that every one had a
rght to cvade it. Ny grandfather
vas of the number, and had con-
.,aand of lugger.
"One night while coming mp the
leach heard the tramp of soldiers,
md was enabled to overhear q plot
81 which they intended to lure the
Ilcrer to shore and capture the crew
md cargo. Some one must have
aurned traitor and revealed the sig
tlals by which the people on shore
Notified the smugglerS that the coast
vas clear. 80,
alt is wonderful how soon children
i3srn. Though my heart was beating
fast, l understood the plan rs well as
tIle young lieutenant WHO was giving
IL sergeant the directions IL q low,
rapid voice. ,
~The sergeant saluted and clanked
I'D the gully while the oilcer walked
alowly toward the water and stood at
he edge-some distance from me for
lie tide was getting low-wlth his
head bowed and his hands ci&Sped be,
ind his back. | ventured to breathe
RELY again and review the situation.
What did itall mean? 1t meant that
lie authorities had 90. wind OF 10y
.randfather's doings and had sent this
!etachmentof soldiers TO take him IN
ne act. 1t must be grandfather, be-
ause there was no one else IN the
7iilage likely to be aimed at. And if
hoy caught him what then? What
.ras this form of words that kept
:iuging in my ears over and over
tgain?
Transportation fol life" What
gas that? 1t was nc uncommon
punishment | had heard, for SNUG
der taken, as my grandfather was,
red-handed. For a moment the
thought flashed into my heart that he
might not come that night. But, no;
A2e wind was light and not unfavora-
Ute; there was no thought of for
sQnate storm in the sky, and | knew
:iIat our friends with the wagons he'd
..rranged to come, and that all was in
vaadinest,. My heart sank within me
wien l thought of my old GRANDPA
lher's gray hairs diShOnored III a fell
5n's dock for l had once seen a man
-riedI and his kind old face bidding
ne farewell forever. | bowed my
lead on my hands and longed to cry.
Suddenly I raised my head, and
Nv heart beat with loud resolve. l
would save him. Yes, I! The skill
hat | had attained III swimming for
~ own needless pleasure should be
,l,It to stern service. Ny resolve was
ilis: When the lugger showed her
gnal in answer to that treacherous
me from the shore, would swim ont
"a the buoy, and keep myself afoat
e the entrance of the channel, and
all our people and warn them of
leir danger.
never hesitated after | had formed
rs resolution, but began at once to
make my preparations. On the ledge
x rocks where l now knelt, l I'M
-ressed, and put on nv little bathing
..-pss, which consisted only OF tunic
ID drawers. Nv other clothes l
..sde into 4 bundle and slowed away
.gllind a stone. Then, ike a cat l
s.I-nbered Up the rOc4s, hiding be-
Ind every projection, ard keeping
.aarful watch on tie sentinel at the
sad Of the gully. Fortunately The
Er-lly was not very .eey. When l
-yt 70 the top 1 crep; UPON my hands
nd feet until / Judged ! was out Of
anit. and started for tie end Of the