Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-02-01
THE YORKE BEACH.

otis somebody with q name SIX syl-
tables long" said the landlord, looking
into the lining of his coarse straw hat,
as if he expected to find the trouble
some epithet there. ''It amt pro-
fessor, nor yet a philosopher, nor a
pedestrian"-w q gasp at each OF the
hard Words-"but it's something that
begins with P. And he's hunting for
shells-all sorts of queer, outlandlsh
shells, as isn't to ne come across every
day"
5Do tell p said the landlords wife.
"P'raps he's goin' to grind 'em into fer
tilizing powder, or macsdamlze road
with 'em."
'No, he ain'tl" said her husband.
"He's goip' to publish book of plcters
a5out 'em."
"Then he's an editor" said Mrs
Stubbs.
"'Taint quite that neither" said Mr..
Stubbs, slowly. "But it's something
very wise and learned So told him
he'd better go to Yorkes'. The young
woman there has mortal nice collec
ton of out-of-the-way shells. And I've
heard of their sellin' shells to them as
fancied 'em, once in awhile, for all
they're such heightened gentlefolks."
That had been Mr.. Siias Stubbs' adj
vice, and Mr.. Cleve, the paleontolo-
gist, had taken it, and was even then
walking along the shingly beach, where
the waves curled, in foamy fringes,
almost up to his feet, and the trails of
blaGkish seaWeed showed the high
water mark.
Judge Yorke-he had been judge,
nobody knew how many years ago, of
some petty court in a western city be-
fore the Yorke estate had melted IN
the frey furnace of litigation, and he
fed northWard in search of the bust
ness that never came-sat out under
the tumbled down veranda, with the
air of an exile prince. He was white
haired and acknowledged, and MS
slippers were down at the heels, and
his red cashmere dressing was
patched with quite different pattern,
and his wristbands we're tray ed, and
the lack of buttons on his shirt front
was made good with pin. But when
ne saw the stranger lift the latch of the
rickety gate, he advanced to meet him
with a patronized urbanity which was a
little short of overwhelming. He list
eDed to Mr.. Cleve's Standardization
with royal smile: ne welcomed him
as if the old house was a palace; he
made haste to introduce him to "Mrs.
Yorke."
Mrs. Yorke was tall, golden-haired
young woman, with her lovely tresses
tucked untidily into net, her dress
decidedly the worse for wear, and b er
exquisite face burned by the impress
of sun and wind But the flash OF
brilliant blue eyes was like sunshine it
self.
evil the gentleman stay to dinner p
Mrs. Yorke asked the judge; "because
we have only some porgies and samp
hire. But if he cares for such simple
fare, he is welcome"
Mr.. CIeve accepted the simple-giver
invitation. The judge was like piece
of old orcelain-Cracked and damag
ed il might be, but still genuine. Mrs
Yorke was a beauty, but quite youns
enough, the guest decided, to be hel
husbands granddaughter, and besides
he wanted to know what on earth por
gies and samphire could be.
There was no carpet on the dining
room floor, and the windows needed
cleaning but the china was fine, anC
they had some blackberries, early ap
Piles, and a few fine apricots, in cen
ter-piece of silver, with ''Y' engraved
on the handles and Mr.. Cleve dis
covered that porgies were coarse
grained fish, with good deal of bone
to them, also that samphire was )
gelatinous vegetable, not unlike grass
which was gathered on the sea-beach
and boiled with butter and vinegar.
An old negress whom Cleve mentally
decided must be st least hundred
years of age, waited and kept off th'
flies with a brush of peacock
plumes.
''Shells? Yes, there were some fine
shells" the judge believed. ''along th'
coast. Mrs. Yorke knew-Mrs. York,
could tell him. PaleOntology was .
subie ct she had studied for itself"
And the judge fell blandly and cour
teously asleep, with a smile on hi
face.
Mrs. Yorke laughed.
"He's very DID," said she, indiffer
emily; she often does that. Dom
mind him. Did you say you wante,
to buy shells? l will try and hav
some collected for you by this time tc
morrow"
could / collect them for myself !
Mr.. Cleve asked, with the eagerness c
specialist.
Mrs. Yorke's beautiful brow dark
ened.
"No," she answered, cuItly. 9Th
coast is ours as far as Rocky Point, an,
our people don't like to be interfere
with If you will come here thi
time tomorrow, will have ten dollar
worth of shells for you"
And, to his amazement, Mr.. Cleve
land was compelled, perforce, to &C
cede, although in his innermost hear
he doubted whether: Mrs. Yorke vas
judge of what would be ten dollar
worth of shells.
And the judge walked up and pre-
tended never to have been asleep, an