The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-11-04

shelving shore. All the folks Keep away
from there
But the loveliest water-lilies growthere,"
Faid Alice. "And want to get some.n
"IH get your water-lilies from some.
where else" said Hiram, in a soothing tone,
as if he were talking to fractions child.
I tell you it amt safe there"
If the cid man can go there can, said
Alice. And one could gather lilies from
the very cabin windows. They cluster
around like white stars"
There amt no foothold there" said
Hiram. "The floor is all rotted away long
ago. There's only the old frame with the
empty windows left"
The tai. man was walking up and
down" said Alice, vesolutely. do you
want me to disbelievo my own senses ?"
Yes,-when they deceive you," said
diram, doggedly-and Alice Hope was at
most inclined 10 be vexed with him, for the
irst time since she had come to the farm.
But later in the evening she questioned
old Simeon Swope, who was cutting catnip
In the garden to dry for winter use, about
the wreck Of the 70 Lapwing"
Tall mani In gray." said old Simeon,
toothless octogenarian. Lawksl Ye
haint never seen him Gals, gals, don't ye
reyer go down there agin'. It's bad luck.
Ye'ye see Cappen Joe rs was browne l.
!he gale that battered the Lapwing to
pieces. He comes there sometines-his
soul can't get fre1 on't-and it amt never
no luck to them as sees him."
Do you mean that it is a--ghost ?" said
Alice.
Nonsense :" cried Fulyia.
It's Cappen Joes sperrit, sure and sar
i'm" nodded Simeon. q 1t don't never
appear except to them as is close ON the
other world. I've heerd of it many a time
though I've never seen it. And it's my adj
vice to you, gals,-keep away from that
there spot"
SO speaking, he hobblod away with
bunch of catnip under his arm, and a lean
cat at his heels, purring loudly and rubbing
tself against his legs. Alice broke into
peal of light laughter.
Fulyia," said she, this is getting
romantic. l will have those water-lilies.-
ard | will find out who the gray man isl"
+" Don't You think, dear
No, DON'T" said Alice, with an mir OF
pretty positiyeness, if one is going to be-
lieve in all these silly neighborhood super
stitions one may as well deliver ones self
into bondage at once"
The next morning early, the two girls set
forth with their pencils and sketching-
boards.
60 Where are you going ?" Mrs. Flint ask.
ed, wistfully.
" oh, not far" Alice answered, lightly,
g To sketch the ruins Of the old Lap
wing" said Fulvia.
" It's queer, lonesome sort of spot
said Mrs. Flint. Why don't you wal
until AFTERNOON, and then our Hiram IL &C
with YOU"
"Oh, it isn't worth while to watt" said
Alice. 3" Besides, it will be SO much prettiel
in the purple morning lights"
But at noon, Mrs. Flint became uneasy
and sent Hiram to look for her two guests.
"They were never late to meals before
said she.
Hiram went, and met Fulvia hurryine
homeward with pale, frightened face and
garments dripping wet.
She is drowned !" she cried, answering
the mute, terrified inquiry in Hiram's face
" Drowned trying to reach the water-lilies,
and, oh, could not help herl"
1t was but too true Alice Hopes fair
pallid face, whittier than the waxen lilies
among which it foated, met Hiram's gaze,
like a piece of alabaster statuary turned up
ward to the sky. III
81 told you so! mouthed old Simeos
swope, when he heard the story. " I know
ed, when looked at her that night, that
she wasn't far from the other world. But
didn't know it was comm quite so soon"
Alice Hope had no relatives to mourn her
sand no connections, and SO they
buried her in the little graveyard on the
mountain side, from which one could catch
blue glimpses of the lake. And the evening
before she vent back to Albany, Fulvia
Combes went up to lay some roses on her
friends grave.
"Whose old gray tombstone is this beside
her ?" said Fulvia, whose hard-earned
money had paid for simple marble cross
1t the head of Alice's last resting-placs-
" That's the strangest part of it, said
Mrs. Flint, who had accompanied Fulva.
They've laid her closel.alongside of old
Captain Joe, of the Lapwing p"
a. The old gray man." said Fulvia, with a
shudder. "Oh, Alice, my poor Alicel"
But when the keen winter frosts came
and turned the surface of the lake to frozen
sleet, Hiram Flint went out to the wreck of
the " Lapwing" and RACED it to the icy
ground with his ak and saw.
A" II shall tempt no one else to their
DEATH" said he.
And it was his faithful hand that every
Sunday laid some sort of simple memorial
ON Alice Hopes grave.
g If she had lived" said Hiram, " / had
it in my mind to ask her to be my wife
And love her none the less, now that she
is dead"