Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-07-22

know he is lodging about somewhere
watching us, and suffering pangs OF Jeal-
ousy. Go, my child, go! Flap your downy
| wings in the sunshine"
| Edith beamed at me with eyes full OF
pleasure.
81 haven't got any wings to flap yet! but
will you let me go, really?'
| "Let you, indeedP'
81 thought, you KNOW. said she, you
might have some absurd notion that was
under your charge, but you are far too elev-
er and sensible for any such foolish ideas.
L never knew a less narrow-minded man
than you-never l wish all people we're
like your'
''Flatterer! flattererl I see through it
all. Although consider myself response
BILE for your behavior, go! Don't keep the
nameless one waiting in his lair"
sYou are the kindest man in the world!'
said she.
"And the most easily beguiled,| said l.;
s'but don't imagine Pm blind"
'sNo, no you are perfect lynx"
And off she went, with joy IN her eyes,
thinking no doubt my perceptions were more
akin 10 those of mole than of the bright
eyed, prickeared feline. I went on the pier
where the band was playing, aud he who
played the drum-a vigorous executant-
was doing his utmost to conceal the de-
ficiencies of his colleagues. Not finding
this amusing went on the beach, and to
me, meditating, there came boatman, who
| commenced pestering me to hire boat.
Suddenly an idea occurred to me.
Cpl take a canoe if you have nice one,"
| said |, seeing several on the sea. Of course
he had and in few minutes I was ahoat
in it, my embarkation causing some mirth
o. ftn nc1r, h,,k 1n
| at the aside will laugh at anything.
padded away toward the cliffs, fancying
I might see the lovers at their former tryst-
ing place and gain another advantage over
them. The sea was very calm except where
the tide swept over reef of rocks, where
the water seemed to snarl and show CLEANS
of white teeth. Beyond was a lonely boat
apparently drifting with the tide. Almost
before was aware of it had reached the
troubled waters. The little choppy waves
began to splash over my gunwale, and, while
l was arranging the waterproof over my
legs, suddenly, to my dismay, my paddle fell
into the sea. Using my hands as oars,
began to propel myself laboriously toward
the paddle rising and falling in the most
tantalizing manner a few feet from me. Just
when I had reached it, and was leaning
nervously forward to clutch it, larger wave
than usual struck me, and I toppled over
with stifed below, and the water was hiss
ing round my frightened ears. Coming to
the surface again, wildly shouting "Help J"
| struck out for my treacherous craft that
| f1oated upside down few yards from me.
'Help Help Helpp' l 1clamored when
ever the waves, which hit me viciously in
the mouth, would let me. The canoe SEEM
ed drifting further away, or else my frantic
efforts produced retrogression. My clothes
were coiling around me like clammy snakes;
my cries sounded like the shouts of some
one else; Twas horribly, horribly frightened,
and my struggles were growing feebler.
Like in some nightmare could see the boat
rowing toward me; How slowly it appear
ed to move My body seemed turning to
lead. I don't believe any one ever had such
body, for suddenly it dragged my head
under in spite of its efforts to keep above,
and felt as one might feel shut up in
gigantic bottle Of soda-water at the moment
some Titanic nand drew the cork, the water
hlssed, fizzled, and swirled so hideously.
AS it closed over my crown, suddenly a
strong hand clutched me and dragged me to
the surface again, and l heard above the
awful, jubilant spashing of the sea familiar
voice uttering know not what of encour-
agement. Then somehow I clutched the
side of boat there was long struggle
with my inert body that could do so little
for itself ; and finally found myself, like a
newly-caught fish, gasping at the bottom
| of the boat, and looking up in mingled ter
| ror, joy, and amazement, at my nephew
Charlie and the frightened face of Edith
Lyall.
"You're all right now, Uncle, eh ?" cried
Charlie cheerily.
"Yes-all-righ'-all right p I
gasped. Then, feeling like mummy in wet
| swaddling clothes, sat an animated sponge
on the seat.
1t was all SO strange that I could only
blink my eyes in wonder.
Thank you, my dear boy Thought it
was all np!-watery grave! ughr'
At length gradually my breath in a mea-
sure returned.
$50 this is the nameless one, then ?" said
l. "Found out all fore breakfast. Saw
you from the cliffs"
But how could I enjoy the trivmph while
my teeth were chattering with cold, and I
realized the force of the expression sto look
like drowned rat.''
They were both full of solicitude. Edith
looked at me compassionately as l shivered
and shook. All the dignity had been wash
ed out of me as effectuolly as the starch from
my linen. How thankful 1 felt! How in
clined to hang up my dripping garments to
the powerful sea god! At Edith's sugges-
tion took an oar to row to shore, whence
my accident had evidently been observed;
for number Of boats came and joined u.s.
and we formed a sort of triumphal process
sion toward the beach. l felt like some
prize rescued from the deep! On land was
a crowd to welcome US. A few enthusiastic
spirits raised feeble cheer; others were
guilty of rude remarks.
''Old chaps didn't ought to be allowed out
in them cranky canoes" said one. 1 in
wardly agreed with the speaker, and regret
ted that some bylaw to this effect did not
exist.
AS I walked up the beach, the by-standers
laughed in vulgar glee at the sorry sight I
afforded. "Ain'the wet! Don't he look
blue? That's the young chap what pulled
him out" &c.
Charlie, however, rejected all offers of as
sistance, for was too quenched and help
less. too inclined to crawl away into some
place where l could not be seen, to assert
myself. had had one leg in watery
grave, and terror and damp had made me
very meek and very grateful. I told Edith
as we parted on the parade that l would
make it call right with her mother, if pos
sible, when I was dry. A number of dirty
boys followed us to the hotel They seemed
little disappointed I had only been partly
drowned, for the young are fond of excite
ment. Here l separated from Charlie
imbibed a strong tumbler of brandy and
water, and commenced to change my drip
ping clothes. The spirits mounted to my
head in the most foolish way; and while I
was still fumbling with feeble fingers at the
buttons of a dry shirt, seeming to see my
self quite long way off in the mirror,
Charlie in another suit appeared. After 1
had assured him for about the twentieth
time that was rather better than worse for
my ducking, for the brandy had produced a
deceptive complacency, he informed me that
he had only learned that very day that I
was friend of Edith's.
s'Strange" said l, ''she has been begging
me to forgive you ever since last June.''
"Why, that's exactly what she has been
doing with me-" said he. ''She made me
promise to ask you to forgive me this morn
ing" continued he. 81 have been very un-
grateful; please forgive me, uncle"