Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-01-08


lif.boat people must wait till the tide
fell before they could get off all thu
crew, and Hetty was eager to see the
rescue. 30 Huntingdon, OF course,
volunteered to drive her and Master
Tom to the seene Of the disaster in
Hetty's little pony carriage.
What a drive that wasf Wayne will
never forget it while he lives. The
hedges were all agaow with the Juna
roses and the honeysuckle, and a breath
Oh summer floating up to them from the
narrow winding lanes. The pony was
rat n indolent and took its own time,
Wayne would not have hurried one Of
lts steps The sun was setting when
they reached the solitary BAY. where the
steamer had run ashore, and a golden
glory shone over the sky and sea-edg.
ING the cloud banks with unearthly
splendor, and dyeing with crimson the
shallow pools left by the r~etreating tide,
The cliff path TO the shore was steer
and narrow. Wayne had to help Hetty
with q tender care. Perhaps life had
never held such exquisite pleasure for
him before. Her little light shawl lay
over his arm, her small hand rested in
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 gath
or a tiny blue cliff flower, and, after q
moments pause, she shyly gave it to
him. Was it only the sunset glow that
Knocked his fancy, or did a delicate coll
or 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 all excitement
to see the rescued people; while Tom,
with the ~frankncss OF his age and kind,
declared aloud that this sort of ship.
wreck wasn't much good-there wasn't
any drowning to be donel
The thoughtful Huntingdon had, OF
course, brought a telescope, and stood
like q statue of Atlas, while Hetty rest.
ed the glass on his shoulder and
watched their boats land their burdens
Nv tHe Httle uSnlnR pier.
He was in a sort Of rapt dream, hear
ing dimly Hetty's little calculations Of
pity over the bedraggled aspect of the
shipwrecked, and altogether ignoring
Master TOMS somewhat crude chatter,
as that youthful torment wetted his feet
at the margin of the tide, and gave his
opinion with delightful confidence upon
matters in general and shipwrecks 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 foreyer--Hetty
close to him, he her support and COM
fort, no n to come between; for Tom
certainly did not count for much. Wa9
it not a type of what all their life to
come was to be? Crimson glory-Het.
ty depending on him, his highest hap,
piness to minister to her.
Suddenly into his dream rang 6
shrek, wild and terrible. The tele.
scope rolled from his shoulder and
splashed into a pool at his feet, and as
he turned to catch Hetty's fainting fig.
ure in his stalwart arms, with n light
ming fiasl, his eye fell where hers had
rested, and saw, in the crowded boat
load just reaching the shore, among the
bronzed and bearded faces of the
wrecked ships crew, the face OF Hetty's
lost loyer-his own brother Jackl
ALL we'll, well. Wayne behaved
capitally, every one said. sold Don
behaved like the brick that he is after
all" to use Jacks own expression. He
took his brother into partnership, and
enabled him TO marry aetty within six
weeks-Hetty, to whose cheeks the
roses had come back as If by some mag
ic spell. He never married.
"Don was an old bachelor before he
was in knickerbockers," Jack confdes
sometimes to his wife.
People say he means to leave all his
money 10 his neice, little Hetty, who
has her mothers eyes. And deep in a
secret drawer, carefully treasured from
prying eyes, lies u withered scrap OF
weed, which was once a blue cliff flower
and all that is left 10 Huntingdon
Wayne of his life's n holiday.