The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-12-06
GFrom The Argosy.1
ROPER'S PENANCE.
~.
lCONCLUDED.

Morning dawned, and dreary light
spread slowly over dreary scene. We
had agreed that ten o'clock would be
quite soon enough for break fast, and
about that hour I wended my way
down stairs. The hall door was open,
and Mr.. Goldthorpe stood at it, star
ing out dismally at the prospect, and
keeping up his everlasting watch for
boats. So far from falling. the food
had risen in the night, and was now
nearly up to the step. Marked only
by the tops of submerged he'd ges and
palings. the brown water stretched in
front Of us over miles of country.
We could not tell how far it spread,
for trees bounded our view; but under
and around every visible object there
was the dali CLEAN of water. The
trees swayed in the current across the
meadows, the pines dipped their nee
dies into the quiet stream that over
flowed the strawberries. distant roofs
seemed to rise out Of the river, and
we could hear faint lowing, as of
COWS in distress. Every now and
then something indistinguishable
would float down the main stream too
far away for us to make out what it
might be. though we strained our
ayes; but never came boat. Indeed,
none could have come by way of the
river; it would have been impossible
for any one to have lived in such a
current. The sky was heavy, and
looked full of rain; and there seemed
no reason why the food should ever
90 down.
It was not cheerful sight, and 7
turned from it to meet Cherry in the
dining-room.
''Breakfast is ready" she said. "We
have eaten all onr bread, and so have
made some hot cakes. Bnt matters
are growing serious. I find Jane was
mistaken in telling me that we had
plenty of -four; we have only abodt
as much left as [ have used this MORN
ing. The moral of that is-to-mor-
row we shall probably starve."
II don't think we shall be left to
starvp." I said. as cheerfully as | conld:
people will be sure to remember what
prndicamant we must be in"
II don't know who there is to think
mnch ahont u.s." said Cherry drearily.
"And that boat lying there, a few
with ms. instead of a fogvr'
The fngv was summoned to break
fast. and told the state Of affairs. and
that it was necessary to make onr pro-
visions 90 as far as we could. He on
ly replied that Of course boat would
come. and it was nonsense to starvp
ourselves; he. for one, was not going
to do it. And accordingly. while
Cherry and ate only enough to keep
MS going. he made extra havoc among
the precious cakes, by way of protest
against onr abstinence Cherrv's pa
tience at last gave way. and when he
made momentary pause, she rose
from the table and carried away the
dish. Mr.. Goldthorpe glared after
her
"Polite, upon my word" he re-
marked.
I could not stand any more of him
inst then. and left the room. I was
going upstairs when [ heard sudden
call from Cherry in the kitchen. I
hurried to her; she was standing at
Ddck utpT Will CldSpSu anu
cleaning ewes.
"a hoatw she cried; "a boat, COM
ing hernT
I looked where she pointe and.
through one Of the bare hedges. conld
see something moving in neighbor-
ing field.
"LAt us call" I said; sit may not
come to u.s.
"It is coming" said Cherry; don't
Won trouble."
81 wonder who it can be?" re-
marked inrocently.
She turned. and flashed look at
me. "a friend of yonrs," she said.
her eyes dancing with fun; ''come TO
take Won home to luncheon. There1l
he all the more cakes for MIR. Gold
thnrpe's tea"
The hoatman knew his way. appa-
rantlv; he was feeling along the hedge
FOR thin place. where he conld force
his wav through, for OF course it was
impossible to open any gates. We
"onld hear him breaking away houghs
Presently. there appeared among the
thorns what proved to he the bow of
a light river gig. and slowly the in
mate pushed and pulled his boat
through. The instant that he had
done so, however. he was in the full
current Of the stream which flowed
nast the lawn; his boat was whirlad
round, and swept away towards the
river. He had been obliged to draw
in his oars when passing her through
the hedge. and now he could not at
once get them into use. In that mo-
mAnt, how far he had been carried !!
Could he recover himself? We watch
ed helplessly and breathlessly. There
Was not only the danger OF the boat s
being carried into the river, but of lts
being wrecked against something un-
der water, which he could not see OF
know Of. But he knew his ground
He let the stream carry him past the
garden, and out into the meadow be-
yond. There, Of course, the current
was Stacker, and he easily pulled aside
out of it iuto the comparatively quiet
water, where he could turn his boat
round. We had rushed to one Of th'
up-stair windows, and could see The
incidents of the perilous little voyage
Without encountering the stream t
second time, the oarsman made hi