Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-05-23
\ Weeks Change.

They haul gone down To the seaside
for IA weeks change The day was Il
perfect one. with now and then a capful
of wind blowing out of the little round
clouds that swelled up over the horizon
like bubbles
"Win you go out with me?'' asked
Helena.
sWith all these flaws?" he said.
''.Tust us you please, then | will GO
alone
..Alone, What in heavens name
could YOU do alone?"
Il am not Grace Darling nor Ida
Lewis she said, the laugh Frightening
all the rich color in her cheek; but
fancy | could phil boat about. in these
smooth waters
Life would be much more comfort
able, Helena, if there were Something
YOU were afraid of in it! Well, here we
90. = and he gathered up his lazy length
and reached his hat. If we drown it
is your fault"
1T doesn't much matter about drown
ing. = she said, swinging her hat as they
went along the shingle, and unaware
that she spoke in other than a matter
of-fact way. If we drown together"
Are YOU 50 indifferent to life-in
such hurry to get through"
.sOh. no. no. neverl But it is all So
blest that | am half the Zine afraid some
thing will happen
but the worst that could happen is
death, and"
mo, indeed; the worst that could
happen would he that you might look at
some other wOman," and then they both
laughed. knowing well the habit of her
Jealous pangs. and ran along to the boat,
it signifying little that neither of them
knew much of anything about boat,
and that they were running before the
wind directly in the track of the sea-
going steamers.
Could anything be more perfect:"
said Helena, half reclmbent i'll the stern,
sea and sky making a sapphire and lapls
laZuli ring about her. We seem to be
alone in this great hollow shell of the sky
and sea. 1t is like our old lover days
over again.
Only better" he answered her.
''Only better" she repeated.
I'VE must come out at night, with the
sea and the stars and the freedom of the
universe alone together" and rs they
saiIed. he told her histories of the old
craft that had ploughed these waters
lire-ships and phantom ships-and recit-
ed TO her verses of his own lndltIng, Tor
now and then he turned off little song
rs perfect as Il pearl.
That is the strangeSt thing, she
said, '.that YOU, who don know what
music is. should have the writing of
such verses, and l, who am muSic'S
conlidante, cannot write melody"
You are a melody" he said. And
lust at that instant there was roar, a
rush. ringing of bells that sounded IN
their ears like gongs, wild cries, a vast,
black hull towering over them, a crash,
sweep of many waters, and then moth
ingneSS.
Half an hour afterward fisherman
found a broken boat afloat, bOttom-side
ND. man entangled in the rigging, his
head above water, unconscious, but
alive. Trimming his sail speedily, he
took the half drowned man ashore. And
after the sickness and delirium of weeks,
| as wretched and deSolate a man as walk
ed on earth, Leonard Vance took up
his colorleSS life, alone, as he said, TILL
the sea gave up its dead. For Helena
was never found. l scraped tie moss
away. the other day, from "a stone set up
as a memorial without grave, ana
overprown with bramble roses, to read
the name upon it, Helena Vance, lost at
sea, aged 2S.