Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-04-30
A SEA CLIFF ROMANCE.

She naQ gone UOWn 10 eHSaRe poaru.
The first place at which she inquired
did not suit; neither did the second;
the third did. In the first place two
gentlemen were also seeking for board.
She heard them talking, but did not
see them. They, however, saw her,
and were impressed. All three met on
the boat coming home. She had made
acquaintance with a lady on board, and
was earnestly engaged in talking when.
to use her own words:-
II perceived this very respectable
gentleman looking at me rather intent
Ely. Well, had noticed him little be-
fore that-he looked so much like my
cousin John-and l thought now that
he might have imagined l wanted to
flirt with him. When he addressed me
was covered with confusion. Indeed,
l can't remember when l SO completely
lost my self-possession. But he only
asked me what 1 thought of the lady in
the first place, and if l had been to
Potter's. 1 answered him very eau
tiously that l had not fully decided on
going there yet. and then excused my
self and went below"
The bevy of gay girls to whom she
was relating her experience exchanged
glances at the mention of her loss of
self possession, and commented upon
her rather freely after she had taken
her departure.
"Well, l thought l should explode
when heard her say she lost her self
possession!"
"Did you ever hear person so old
not taking her iniirmity into considera-
tion-say that she believed any one
wanted to tiirt with her?"
"Oh, she is decided character. If
she wanted to go on the stage, mana
ger need not take the trouble to get
ready an effective play. Anything,
however nonsensical, that served as an
excuse for her appearance, would draw
Il full house. She would undoubtedly
be Il specialist. F."
The subject of the above remarks
was somewhere between fifty and fifty
five. Her face had never been pretty;
if there was nothing else to keep it
from being called so, her immense
forehead. so terribly out of proportion
with the remaining features, and little
figure, would have been enough. How.
ever, she considered the defect of ma
ture remedied by bringing the hair to
the front in a curve, and pinching il
into scallops. Though possessing mo-
single attractive feature, there was
nothing decidedly repulsive about her
She prided herself on her small hand!
and feet and her plump form; but al
she was very lame, her gait, in spite o
these advantages, was anything bu
graceful.
She went to Sea Cliff, and in a few
weeks l joined her there. She ha,
written that it was most delightful
place, and as the boat neared tn
landing, thought l never beheld any
thing more romantic. / leaned owe
the railing, and saw one long point O
land projecting into the water. To tn
right. cultivated land curved in an
out, gradually fiattening as it reaches
the shore, and for little distanc
forming marshes, then rising almos
perpendicularly into cliffs, white an
bare in the sunlight. A roadway o
sand, and then other perpendicula
cliffs, perfectly bare, but crowned o.
the top with tall, straight trees. T
the left a low. sandy beach, with tn
tide going out, and the water ripplin
over the stones, and dashing agains
the rocks scattered here and there.
series Of steps, upheld by the trunks Q
trees, led to the woods, among whic
the house was hidden. h#a
Miss Day, with a flushed, anxiou
face, was awaiting me, garbed in
blue dress and red shawl, and wa
tanning herself vigorously.
"Oh," she exclaimed, as soon as sh
saw me, II should have been SO disar
pointed if you had not come! Gu
house is as good as play, and tn
opportunities for studying human ms
ture unlimited. A married woma
with two children, in love with ma
who pretends to be bachelor, bu
whom we all believe to be married. !
little mite of man Fra Diavolo'
call him, on account of the reputation
he bears; but which / do not believe h
merits, because he has been exceeding
ly kind and attentive to me; the post
mistress, who is doing her best t
catch Charley, mere boy; and
queer sort of chap; a terrible eater
but very respectable looking man"
''She had been resting on a benc
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