The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-01-23
EBENsBURG. PA, FRIDAY. JANUARY %, 1885.

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was well nigh gone. and yet Wayne lineer
ed at Newton -on-Sea. He was never ava.
from Hetty's side; he fetched and carried
for her like a dog, he was a slave to her ev
cry wish,
| Dr. and Mrs. Marshall regarded him Will
undisguised favor. Tom, the enfant terri
bic OF the family, voted him mo end jolly,
and Hetty- Hetty liked MIN well; her eye,
frightened when ne came, she missed hin
when he was away; he was so thoughtful
so kind. good, no one could help being
! fond of him.
! One night there was storm, and by noon
the next day came the news that great shin
! from the Cape had gone to pieces on the Ra-
| Zor Rocks, not two miles away. Nothing
weuid do but that Hetty must go and see it.
/ There were no lives lost, they heard, but the
lifeboat people niust wait till the tide fell
before they could get off all the crew, and
Hetty was eager to see the rescue. So Hun
tingdOn, Of course, volunteered to drive her
and Master Tom 10 the scene of the disaster
in Hetty's little pony carriage.
What a drive that was Wayne will never
forget it while he lives The hedges were
all aRIow with the June roses and the honey
to them from the narrow winding lanes. -
The pony was fat and IndoIent and took its
own time. Wayne would not have hurried
one OF its steps. The sun was setting when
they reached the solitary bay where the
steamer had run ashore, aud a golden glory
shone over sky and sea-edging the cloud
banks with unearthly splendor, and dyeing
With crimson the shallow pools left by the
retreating tide. The cliff path to the shore
was steep and narrow. Wayne had to help
Hetty with a tender care. Perhaps life had
never such exquisite pleasure for him before
Her little light shawl lay over b. 5 arm, her
small hand rested ia his clasp. 1t seemed
to him the world was bounded by Hetty
Never had his heart beat so high with
hope. Once she stopped to gather tiny
blue cliff flower, and, after a moments
pause she shylY gave it 30 him. Was it only
the sunset glow that Knocked his fancy, or
did delicate color really mount to her cheek
at his low spoken word of thanks?
Out, far out on the low, black ledge of
cruel rocks lay the great shattered ship
Little boats piled swiftly and safely across
the quiet shadows where the storm waves
had ragged not many hours ago Hetty was
while Tom, with the frankness of his age
and kind, declared aloud that this sort of
shipwreek wasn't much good-there wasn't
any drowning to be done
The Thoughtful Huntington had, Of course,
brought telescope, and stood hkO the stat
ne of Atlas. while HettY rested the glass
on his shoulder and watched their boats
land their burdens at the little ishine pier
He was in a sort of rapt dream, hearing
dimly Hetty's little calculations of pity over
the tedraggled aspect of the shipwrecked,
aud altogether ignorant Master Toms some
what crude chatter, as that youthful tor
ment wetted his feet at the margin of the
tide, and gave his opinion with delightful
confidence upon matters in general and
shipwTecks in particular. The sunset glory
grew brighter and more vivid, lighting up
the sombre cliffs and level waste of water.
and throwing into sharp relief each BLACK
stake of the fishing nets which dotted the
bosom Of the broad bay.
1t seemed to Wayne that he would like to
stand just so forever-Hetty close to him,
he her support and comfort, no one to come
between for Tom certainly did not count
for much. Was it not type of what all
their life to come was to be? Crimson glory
-Hetty depending on him, his highest hap
piness to minister to her.
Suddenly into his dream rang a shrek,
wild and terrible. The te Iescope rolled
from his shoulder and splashed into pool
at his feet, and as be turned to catch Hetty's
falntinR figure in his stalwart arms, with one
lightning flash his eye fell where hers had
rested, aDd saw, in the crowded boat load
just reaching the shore. among the bronzed
and bearded faces of the wrecked ship.s
crew, the face of Hetty's lost Iover-his own
brother jock
All WELL well. Wayne behaved ca pitaI.
ly, every one said. Old Don behaved like
the brick that he is after ALL to use Jacks
own expression. lie took his brother into
partnership, and enabled him to marry Het.
ty within six weeks-Hettv, to whose pale
cheeks the roses had come back, as if by
some magic spell. He never married.
Don was an old bachelor before he was in
knickerbockers,' Jack confides sometimes to
his wife
People say he means to leave all his money
TO his niece, little Hetty, who has her moth
er's eyes. And deep in secret drawer,
carefully treasured from prying eyes. lies a
wlthered scrap of weed, which was once a
blue cliff flower, and is all that is left to
Huntingdon of his life's one holiday.