Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-03-19
DISEvCH.aJrTED.

Will Carlisle had definitely made
up his mind to propose to Augusta
Colton-"Augusta Ann" as her unso-
phisticated relations phrased it in
their every day talk.
''She is a diamond among glass peb-
bles," he declared with lovers en-
thusiasm.
Are you quite sure she is a dia-
mond at ALI ?" dryly asked DR.. Bel
ton
Mr. Carlisle had been spending the
summer at Groton Point, in dreamy,
desultory Sort of way. He was one
Of those fortunate-or unfortunate
young men whose career in life is al
ready made for them.
An old uncle in the West Indies
had bequeathed him a fortune, con-
noisseur cousin who came abruptly to
his end in a railway accident had left
him a house and gallery of paintings,
and just when he was preparing to
enjoy himself thoroughly a husky
cough developed itself, the medical
man talked grimly Of consumption
and he was ordered to the sea- shore
for the summer.
There is nothing the matter with
me" said he, impatiently.
"But there will be-" averred the
learned disciple of Escaulapius, "if
you don't check this thing in its very
inception. Westward Ho, now, or
Rhyl, or"
Nonsense for any of those fashion
able resorts. If | am to be bauished
anywhere, I'll choose the place of ex-
lie myself What do you say to Gro
ton Point?"
"Groton Point2 Groton Pointr'
repeated the doctor with puzzled
air. II may be very deficient In mod
ern geography, but | must say nev.
er heard Of Groton Point. f.
"No, nor anybody else, said Will
Carlisle, smiling. "And that is the rea-
son lam going there; it is a solitary fish
ing station on the West coast. There
absolutely nothing there but surf and
sea-gulls."
And so Groton Point was selected
for Mr.. Carlisle's summer residence,
There was little one-storied hosiery
there, fronting the sea, while the post
office was at one end Of the village,
and a variety store at the other,
where you might buy anything from
tallow candles and matches to an al.
manac and pillow.
There 1t was that Miss Cotton threw
her net over his unsuspecting heart
one day, when she lost her SOVEREIGN,
wherewith her mother had sent her
to the store for lot Of carpet WARP,
seven yards Of red flannel and box
of baking powder.
She was so pretty and plump, and
distracted, and blue muslin gown
set off her blonde complexion and bur-
nished hair so exquisitely, and Will
had not seen any woman but the fat
landlady for q week
And they found the gold piece ly-
ing among some rocks by the seashore,
where it must have dropped from Au.
gustas pocket when she pulled ont
her handkerchief to brush away the
flies, which were troublesome at Gro.
ton Point when the wind set from O
certain direction but Mr.. Carlisle lost
something more serious still--his
heart !
"A fshermaid of low degree?" he
had quoted, laughingly, when he con-
fessed all these things to his college
chum, young DR.. Bolton, whose quiet
sister Lettice, he had once admired
in sort of way when both the
young men were in the graduating
class.
"A wild rose bud don't you see
A genuine divinity who has never
been out of sight of the ocean r.
ooh |" said DR.. Bolton.
"Of course, she has no exterior poll
ish;" added Carlisle. "She will have
everything to learn. But she is so
refreshing as compared with the con-
ventional city young lady that one
gets 80 tired 0"
Exactly" said DIR. Bolton, seeing
that his friend expected him to say
something.
Her father owns small fishing
smack--he is real character. And
her mother is one Of those nice old
ladies that one seldom sees. Domes-
tic, you know--neat- handed Phillis--
all that sortRf thingl I'll take you
there, Jack, II you'll promise not to
find fault with the primit:veness Of
the thing"
ooh, I'll promise" said DIR. Bolton.
Bolton was q man of instincts, and
in this case his instinct told him that
Will Carlisle was altogether astray.
HE is beauty struck" he said to
himself. "For the time be is bewitch-
ed. It's the old story of Ulysses and
the Sirens over again"
But he went to the seaside where
Augusta Cotton had all the old China
pitchers filled with wild flowers, and
sat like modern Flora, dimpled and
smiling, in their midst.
She was very little, but smiled a
great deal--and Carlisle was more in
fatuated than ever when he came
away, towards ii o'clock Of a dark
and brooding August night, with a
suspicious closeness in the air and
vivid sheets of lightning here and
there.
mnn,L ahn ranrf..l 2n Ii nr;nd an L.