The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-12-01
PERSEVERANCE


ing, yet most welcome. For there, darkly
outlined against the sullen glen, stood q
little cabin with its .hread-like wreath
of smoke curling upward, and an old
fisherman sitting mending his nets on
bench beside the door.
And Mr. Cheston, who had been wan-
dering hopelessiy among the marshes for
some time, with a lively sense of the
inconvenience of getting lost in those
saline deserts, stood and stared at it as
if it were a will O. the-wisp.
I'm sure it couldn't have been there
five minutes ago, he pondered within
himself.
"Evenin'. stranger said old Zadoc
Peek. Been shootin, eh?"
I've lost my way said Chestcn,
plunging through the tall reeds, until at
last he gained a secure footing by the
cabin door.
well. l thought likely commented
Zadoc. "Ain't many folks come here a
purpose"
Gould I obtain nights lodging and
some SUPERB limited our weary sports
man.
Il guess so,' serenely answered Mr..
Peck, ''if you don't mind sleepin' up
garnet. AS for supper, Perseverance has
gone out to dig clans for us. Like baked
CLAIMS, eh p,
ellis son." thought the Major. 'What
quaint couple they must be-
But he sat down in the red light and
looked at the morning-glory vines trained
to the window, the busy fingers of the
old man. murmuring wilderness of reeds
and rushes beyond
That's right, said Zadoc. ''Set down
and take it easy. Perseverance will be
back pretty quick with the clans, and
then you'll get some good hot supper.
Perseverance is master hand to cook. y
perseverance, came presently, but to
Major Choston' infinite surprise size was
no lubber,y boy nor half-civilized young
man, but tall, blooming maiden Of Six
teen, with ,jetty hair floating down her
back; large, dark eyes, long dashed and
almond shaped and cheeks like roses.
Her short, gypsy-like skirts revealed
shapaly brown feet, yet bearing the i'm
press of the wet sands where she had
waded cut to dig CLANS, and on one arm
she carried basket of CLANS, whose
weight would have been no triile even to
the stalwalt muscles of this Major of
cavalry.
She was not at all embarrassed by the
presence of stranger, but came frankly
up to him, setting down her basket to
examine the contents Of his game bag.
"1ou've had poor luck, stranger,
haven't youe' she said, pityingiy. Il
could ha' done better myself on them
marshes at this time o year.
perseverance is a tirst-rate shot, "
chuckled the old man. go now, girl,
and cook us some SUPPER
| The roast clans, coffee and corn bread
were most palatable, and after supper
Major ,Cheston gave Perseverance a
newspaper from his pocket.
cit is this mornings, said he. "Would
| you like to see it?'
But she motioned it away.
II can't read" said she, indiffereutly.
"You cannot read" echoed the amazed
Major. "Why, how old are you?'
Sixteen" Perseverance answered, red
dening.
"My sister Kate is only SIXTEEN said
Major Cheston, speaking without due re-
Fiction, land she reads and writes four
different languages, plays the piano and
guitar, draws AID paints, and"
"Pshaw.' said Perseverance, arching
her slender neck. ''Can she shoot black
duck and curlews?,'
THAT is hardly one of the accomplish
ments prescribed for young ladies' said
the Major, smiling.
Can she swim?'
''No, but
Can she clip blue heron on the
winge or get in haul of bluefish when
the tide is strong and the wind due east:
OF fight shark, hand to hand: with only
a marlin-spike for a weapon?"
And once again Major Cheston was
compelled to answer in the negative.
"Wen," said Perseverance, compla.
Gently, II cant;
IL Of hn
room, and Major Cheston saw no more OF
her that night.
'She isn't offended, is she ?" he asked
of old Zadoc Peck, who was smoking a
pipe and staring hard at the fire all the
while.
Offended? Our Perseverance offend.
ed - echoed the old man. "You don't
know her, stranger
But, really" hazarded Cheston, cit
is scarcely right to bring up girl like
that in such total ignorance, now is it ~
"Well, we haven't no schools nor
academies hereabouts," said the old
man. "And if we had, Perseverance
wouldn't go to EN-. | don't see but what
she gets along tirst-rate.'
And Major Cheston wasted no mo:e
time in argument.
lie slept well and ssundly that night
under the sloping roof of the little gar
ret, through whose shrunk boards the
quiet stars peeped down at him, and at
daybreak he went down upon the shore.
The reeds were all effaced now-the
tide was coming in with a rush and a
roar, and an occasional flying shower of
spray. The fresh wind took off his hat,
and whirled it into the water He made
all involuntary plunge after it, lost his
footing on the slippery sands, and the
next instant he was struggling for dear
life with the surf, dragged constantly
down, and still further out to sea by the
treacherous undertow. In a last effort
to regain himself, he struck his head
against a jagged point of stone and knew
nothing more.
"You needn't thank me, stranger,