News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-07-29
=" THE RIBS OF DEATH" "

Three months before I was born nv
fathers boat went down in a sudden
squall within sight of home.
Perhaps this was the reason I had
such an instructive horror and dread of
the sea, even while it fasinated and drew
me to it in its stormiest moods. It was
queer feeling that possessed me.
Callermouth is only cluster of cot
tages around a little harbor. with a pier
and lifebodt house below. About a mile
to the north is the ugly sharp ridge of
rocks which bears the significant name
of ''Ribs O. Death" Many a fine vessel
has struck and ground her timbers to
match-wood, many poor clinging life
has been washed off those fatal ribs.
Spite of my want of beauty. Ihad two
lads came courting Inc, and Willie Lisle
was the one favored. Edam (Adam)
CaIr was too much of my own temper
for me, too gloomy; Twas afraid of him,
had the same sort of mistrust of him
that had of the sea, and perhaps lit
tie of the same idea of his possible pow
er over me.
But Willie, with his bonnie yellow
curls and his blue eyes, and his sunny
ell4llCB hhdlL Sltl COulu ldNG ulUl
He brought his brightness into my life,
and it seemed to 60 out like the sun be-
meath cloud on the day he sailed in
the Rowena, bound for China and the
East Indies, from the Tyne
Though | was small was not delicate,
and could, and indeed did, carry the
creel as well as the best of them. Fol
my mother married again, and wher
she died there were more little mouths
to fill, and no one but me to do it fol
their father was lazy, drunken good
fornothing, who fell over the cliff one
night when he was rolling home from
the ''Old Ship Inn," and did no gooG
after.
The men favored me in the matter O
fish, because they thought had stiffisl
hill to climb, and will say that nobod,
was kinder than Edam Carr. l bellevt
he was really fond of me, and l Otter
reproached myself that | could not hell
shrinking from him.
The weather was uncertain that Au
tumn, and there was little dependenc,
on the fish. Some days the boats wer,
not off at all, some days they had NJ
fish when they landed. got work wher
l could, but those three mouths at hom
took lot of satisfying, and l Otter
went to bed hungry and cold along witt
| them.
One afternoon was wandering rathe
disconsolately on the beach, feeling Low
and hopeless, wishing for Willie an'
better days, when Edam, who was bus
in his boat, called to me as passed by
''Elsie, come here and tell me what
you think O. my bOat2" he cried i'll
more CHEEKY voice than usual, and, glat
to be good -natured when [ could,
stopped and admired the fine new boa
he had just bought with the money a
uncle had left him.
"But you've got no name for her,"
said at last; ''what are you going t
cal herr"
"That depends on you," he replied
looking up quickly; ''if We don't objec
I would name her The Bonnie Elsie2
That would never do, l thought in
minute, it would be all over the plac
at once that Edam Carr, had called hi
boat after Elsie Wilson, and that sh
was "Off with the old love and on wit
the new"
| - Ou OluSLnJ I 90 IHdL, uemurfe
as getty as l could; there's prettit
names, and lasses too, for that matte
In the place"
His face changed for the worse in
moment, and an angry light blazed
his eyes.
II am not to hev your name, ther
for-bye yerselfr'
sit wouldn't do, Edam; folks woul
talk, and-and Willie might be vexed
] went on hesItatingly. What cowa1
/ was to be sure! 1t was with the grea
est difficulty in the world | managed I
bring out my real objection. And V,
q I was SO proud of being Willies swee
heart.
} ''He's not yer man yet that he shoul
= mind, - Edam replied sulkily, and the
under his breath, maybe he never wi
be either"
Iheard the end of the sentence, 10
as it was muttered.
j cam what's to hinder, if we're bo
Q of one mind about it?" | said sharpl
losing my temper bit at his obstinac
"Who knows? He might get wi
where he's gone, and he might ney
come back at all"
"D'ye want to quarrel VII m
c Edam?"
}. mo, no, Elsie, we wlnna quarrel"
said at once. "I'm bit queer in t
temper, but / wouldn't like to vex you
i 'T'm goin' to try tn new boat-w
ye venture out wi me, lassie2" he we
Q on quietly after a moment.
did not know what to say. 1t wou
not be wise to offend him more than
had b en- unlucky en- ugh to do alread
There was no harm in sailing out IN
or SO, providing he would promise
bring me back then. But, could tn
h1m5 His mother, old Mamie Carr, h
come up while we were speaking, a
she took part with him.
'It's not much to ask ye, Elsie, a
it'll please him ever so! He's gey qu'
to do VII just now, lassie," she So
aside to me; ''if ye can humor him
E. En