The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-07
The Black Buoy.
lnetfoit Pos and Tribune.l
BY ARTHUR W. READY.


SWIM. c. ud swim like durk when
wa pul, and there came tune when it
served me Ia good sieadr'
My grandmother sai bolt upright in her
hieh-backfd chair, resting Der elbows Oh the
arms, and smiled across at he general, who
sat Oh 'he other side of The hearth. There
was conscions look 'n her bright old eyes.
My grandfather, pausing in the act of rails
ing his lumber to his lips, nodded aud
smiled back again. They were both white
haired, brigbt-ey-d and fresb-coored; each
saw he Other through All effacing medium,
with smoohed-out wrinkles, restored hya-
cin'hine locks and blotted out the so years
that lay bel ween them and youth.
We, the diverse-aged descendants of this
stately pair, W, re grouptd i, law titndes
around the vast, roaring hearth, with its
tall, carved chimney piece; and as we saw
the meaning looks that were EXCHANGED be-
tween our respected pr'genitors We scented
story.
My grandmother hesitarad for moment
at our many-voiced appeal and shook Der
head; then lOOks across at the general who
nodded again, and after little pressing,
thus b. gan:
"You know, young people, that You are
of good family only on your grahdfather's
sid, and not ON mine, for he came of az old
and honorable STOCK, while my father was
on, the master of vessel that traded ht-
tween England and the West Indies. He
was killed 10 sea fight when was a child,
and was brought up by my grandfather,
who, ostBusibly fisherman, was iu reality
smuggler. In those days smuggling meant
great risks and enormous profits. Ii was
not only profit able trade, bur IL was repui-
able III peculiar sort of way. II required
great skill and courage England as al
ways at war in those days and the >mugpIer
had ~ run The risk of being snapped up by
an euem "a crniaer 2S well the ph npa r.
falling into the clutches of revenue cutter.
In addition there were the inevitable risks
of the sea.
Thus a smuggler must possess knowl-
edge Of navigation. He had TO work into
harbor ON the darkest nights with the Ut
most secrecy and despatch. To do that he
must know every inch of his way, be able
to distinguish landmarks and buuys in what
would seem To the unbitialed To be blank
darkness, and 10 know IT, nicely AZ what
times the tide turned, the twists OF sand
ba k. and In. position of sunKen rocks
There was only one channei leading into
the harbor, for th- mouth of our little river
was choked with sand and the banks *
tended out to sea. 1t was necessary 10 hit
this camel some distance out at sea, and
small black buoy bobbed up aud down To in
6icafe its commencement. One side OF the
harbor was formed by line Of rocks shelly
ing down gradually into the water. AID the
buoy was distant from he extremity of these
rocks ABOUT three-quarters OF mile, or
nttle more. Inc q" aoland was called the
Point.
The black buoy, mere speck on the
waters, was hard enoUgh anyone TO fnd
10 the broad day, but my grandfather never
failed to mud II in tue dark-for, OF course,
IL was only mooniess night ma the smug-
glers dared to run cargo. The usual
course OF proceeding was this: The lugger
arrived OF our cast at nightfull, Iay TO I'm
I'll signal was fiash.d from our friends on
shore, nashed reply, iouhd ne entrance 10
the channel and worked in with the tide.
had very independent KIND OF lie, gel
ting good deal of BOOK learning from the
oio vicar ana passing many hours III the
bright sunshine aud the free. fresh air. l
could run couple oil miles. and pun an oar
and swim with the best. The sea had 10
terrOrs or dIficuli' for me, except SUCH as
1t was pleasure to overcome. SO at 10
wassa fresh-coored, free limned and, De-
lieve. bright eyed young maiden, whose only
trouble was her long tress-s of thick brown
hair, ard who thought very little Of the out
side world.
On a C, rtain day In September, my grand
father being abs'nl aud expected back at
night, set on Tor long ramDle IN the
couotry, taking some sand wiches with me
Tor dinner. AT nlghifaii was returning
tired and hungry, when paused on the
ellis Tor fnonen TO take last l0os around
Deiore strlkihg lhto lile pain that leo To the
village. with sigh OF cortented fatigue
Turned homeward, when L recollected that
httie sult OF blue serge, which used Tor
bathing, required some trihing repairs. l
kept It IN lite cave not far from The gully
up which our cont aoaho goods used TO be
conveyed; 30 without approaching the vii
iage l nas'ened TO the cave bv he shortest
route. pAssru GOWN Tue guhy, shppeo mi"
the cave alo Ieh ABOUT Tor my dress, Has-
ing iouna H. was just ABOUT 10 Come out
again, "neh strange SOUND broke the sii'i-
ness Oh the h'gnt, ana stopped snort. APP
psr+ntly coming from the gully heard the
tramp OF feet and be noise of voices, and a
qs-er llttie, tnln sound, bat curiousiy DIS
tlnc'-the clink OF steel.
II peered out cautiously Two men
emerged from the gully. They had lone
cioaks on, out oy tue ciank OF tneir arms
ana the manner vi tnelr bearing Kne~
tnem 10 De soldiers Ihey we're talking 10
10" vo ces, uue coulu near "hat tney saiol
tor .ne hign. was very sun;
1uis 10 tue pisce' sir. sslo one, Wne
seenee W 10 sue eiuer. ,ne sooos are
iahueu heIe an" carried up .nis Rniy' iae
carts STAND al tne nead OF the gully, where
VIZ eane ao"n.
Inc DINER, Inc careless ease or whose
bearing, coupled with the d. tereniIal man
ofn;er, had paper IN his hand. He looked
around INN, up and down the II. tie tav'ns
evidently saking In me features OF the place
very well, SAID ms, speaking In full
low tone mat well remember. L shail posi-
nall the men here, and place the res at In
tervais between this aud TIC village to s'ol
any o,e VINO attempts to pass. at 8:ls
the tide turned AT IL the signal. Yot
undertake The signal, don't you?
The sergeant produced lantern from
under his CLOAK.
here Is Inc signal, Sir.
Then order the men down, and place the
others a. you thlnk pest
III, Inc sergean. saluted ana clanked up tns
guHy. Ahe olncer Walkpo slowly towaro
inc wafer, and $1,000 there at the edge
Sone u.s'auce lto'u me; ior ice Toe wa
io"I"Hn nie ne az ooweu anu MS nanus De
nina MS oacs' NO" vi never ir me 10 &c
away. QUICK as lnougut shppea OUT
my hiuitig pace anu naSteheu up tne sully
noiIoI az Toe emu oi IL was strins Vi var
ngures winding inethodlcaiy oowh, 'he'
Ieaos every now anu ,hsh Do"oing up ane