The Penn's Grove record., 1885-12-12
A PERILoUS POSITION.

A PERIL0US POSITION.
"Join our party; come with us to 81
Veronique. Do be persuaded. 1t is 9
charming place. perfectly lovely and
wonderfully cheap. One can live there
for next to nothing
So said my friend. Mrs. Hilder, tc
me, one morning in July, when l had
casually mentioned that some uncer-
tainty existed as to being able to
| accomplish a change that summer.
We had recently had to meet, out OF
a very limited income, the heavy ex-
penses of a severe illness, from which
my husband was just recovering, and,
although a complete change was very
desirable for him, I felt unwilling to
suggest anything which might add to
his anxieties in a monetary way; so |
had made up my mind that we must be
satisfied with a short sojourn somewhere
within an easy distance of home.
sit sounds very nlce,''I replied. ]
am sure it would be delightful; but it
is a long journey. That would be ex-
pensive."
sob no." responded Mrs. Hilder,
t'not at all. We can all go third-class
to New Haven, and it is a mere triie
crossing to Dleppe, and after that there
is only the diligence, which is very
cheap. / would not have thought Of It
had it been expensive, p" she continued
''The Seymours were there all last sum-
mer, and they hardly spent anything.
l know 1t would do Captain Annesley
a world of good, and we should like so
much to have you both,"
Mrs. Hilder was an old friend OF
mine, for whom / had a strong affec
ton, and 1 felt, in the somewhat deli.
cate state my husband was still in, that
it would be a very great comfort to be
with her. She was to be accompanied
by her two daughters, Florence and
Ada, girls of IA and IL, also by her sis
ter, Miss Mortimer, a very pleasant
person Of about 30.
They had arranged to stay at St.
Yeronique for one month, and had al
ready made inquiries as to the posi-
bility of securing the same house which
the Seymours had occupied, and it was
almost certain that they were to have
it.
To be as brief as possible, l need on
ly to say that, after due consultation
with my husband. and having settled
with Mrs. Hilder that we were to share
expenses equally, we made up our minds
to accompany them.
st. Yeronique is a small hamlet on
the seashore, situated some twenty-five
miles from Dieppa. l shall never forget
our arrival there. We had left London
the preceding afternoon and had gone
down by train to Newhaven, where the
Dleppe boat was in waiting for what
turned out to be a goodly array of pas
sengers. The heat was tremendous, SO
we all decided on remaining on deck,
instead OF retiring to u berths-an
arrangement which wa rendered still
more pleasant from the fact that we
had taken second class passages. The
night was lovely; it was twilight all the
way over. until IN exquisite sunrise
heralded the coming OF another day.
We crossed to Dieppe with hardly a
ripple upon the water, and the steamer
ran alongside the Der almost to III re-
greet. so thoroughly had we all enjoyed
the trip.
But then came rather a weary wait
ing. We had Eve hours to get through
before the diligence started, and after
a sleepless night they seemed rather
long. However, we beguiled part of
the time in wandering over Dieppe, and
part of tin refreshing ourselves.
At last the diligence wa ready to start
We found it standing opposite a curl
Gus old inn. surrounded by men women
and children, all intent upon watching,
not only III ascent upon the top of 1t,
but the Harvesting of four huge Elem
ish horses, which seemed powerful
enough to have made two quite sufi
Gent for the vehicle.
All our possessions were slowed away
IN miraculous manner, and we ourselves
were packed together in rutless fashion.
Evidently there was no rule in Dieppe
as to the number OF persons to be
taken.
However, the blue-bloused driver at
last gave the signal, and off we went
Gathering down a stone-paved street
at a pace which to Mrs. Hilder and N.Y.
self was rather alarming. The horses
were apparently used to it; they STUN
bled, but happily for us, never fell and
after a few hours drive we were in
formed that we were nearing st. Yer
unique.
We came to a vary steep hill; the
horses dashed down it; we wheeled
round a sharp corner, and there lay 81.
Veronlque, bathed in the glory OF a
summer sun. The blue sea, the yellow
sands, the rosy-Golored cliffs, crowned
by woods and messy grasses growing
over the SUBMITS; below them a line Of
houses, some small, some large and
struggling. but all picturesque, formed
a picture so fair that / have never for
gotten it. although when | recall 1t !
am reminded OF a period OF the greatest
anguish l was ever called u.non to suF-
fer.
For the house we were to pay one
pound a week, and We arranged to get
a woman to come in for al hour or 81
every morning to help us IN our house.
hold arrangements.
We found to our surprise that we