Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-08-14

| light, and the Kissing foam a. it subsidized,
| prone at full length, high and dry like q
| stranded wreck. Perhaps her head had
| tapped tho wheel OF the machine in friendly
| way. l fancy l see one slip Imply To cover
but the main body rose maniully, and picked
| their way with delicate feet ON the hard,
hard stones hack again to the water, again 10
meet inevitable fate"
Relying on the accuracy OF the above and
| the tales of travellers, we hardly know
whether to commend the pluck or condemn
| the folly of the isir bathers of Great Britain.
| To American bathers who are blessed with
| firm sandy beaches, and are exempt from the
| miseries of bathing machines, the suggestion
| of dip in the ocean under the difficulties
| described would be treated with contempt
| Half the pleasure OF bathing Ia in the II olics
| on the beach, races to warm the blood when
| over chilled by the water, and we can hardly
l imagine any punishment not described in
pante's Inferno, that could excel in misery a
bath in the ocean on beach OF
| within striking distance of yo ar head. "The
| rope stretches as the men at the capstar go
round, and heave up the machines one by
one before the devonring tide II
is perfectly comfortable (watching them, he
means), perfectly jolly and exhilarating, a
preferable spot TO any other. A sparkle OF
| sunshine in the breakers, dazzling gleam
from the white foam, a warm sweet air, light
| and brightness and champsginness alto
| gether lovely. The way in which people lie
| about on the beach, their legs this way and
| their arms that, their bats over their eyes,
their utter give themselves-up expression of
attitude is enough in itself 10 make a reason
able being contented. Nobody cares for
nybody, they drowned Mrs. Gruudy long
ago" Now this last applies to all genuine
American seaside resorts, and we can heartily
congratulate our transatlantic friends on the
mutual murder of Mrs Grundy. She has no
business near the breakers
With steady reading Mr.. Jetleres becomes
t1resome, and these essays should only be
read As they were first published, one by one
with long intervals between. 1t is a book
for lazy summer day, when 1t does not
matter whether one drops asleep in the read
ing OF ii; but for a man whose life has little
excitement in ii, aud who therefore wants
plenty OF the Imaginary article, there has just
been published another book. that We will
warrant rs full of blood and thunder rs any
dime novel; but at the same time historically
accurate and ably written. We allude to
ROBERT LOUIS STEvENSoN'S KIDNAPPED,
There is nothing very startling about the
plot OF this story, no novelty in the incidents,
or even in the characters chosen. but the book
has had an enormous sale in England, and
we predict an equally large sale on this side
of the ocean. Dsvie, the hero, is Highland
lad, who sets out from home in search OF
fortune, his father having died; and the
climate having become unhealthy Tor him
ever since his unfortunate presence at the
assassination of a man who had proved false
to the clan. He goes to see an Uncle EoeneZer
whom he finds living the miserable lite of
a miser in the halt ruined family mansion of
the House of Shaws, and who receives his
nephew with scant courtesy. In fact his
conduct is such As to arouse Davies suspi-
cions that all is not right, and one night when
there is thunderstorm gathering the old
man tries TO murder him 10y sending him up
the uncompleted stairway of a tower, but a
flash of lightning reveals the danger Just in
time TO save the hero from a fearful plunge
to death. At his temperance unharmed the
miserable EbeneZer taints and Davie proceeds
TO arm himself and then to lock the revived
Ebenezsr in his room. Then a message comes
to the uncle the next morning from a sea
captain, with whom ne has a venture, and be
easily persusdes Davie to go with him to the
port where the vessel lies at anchor, that they
might see lawyer, no would ex plain family Y
matters to Davie. Once al the port it soon
happens that Davie, who had never seen a
ship, is decoyed on board of the brig Cove
nant by Captain Hoseason, his uncle's part
ner. Bot just before this happens he learns
| from an innkeeper that his father was the
righttul heir of the House of Shaws, and that
| itwas commonly reported that Ebenezer, who
| was younger brother had gained the pro-
| perty by foul means. Dsyie grows wary and
| keeps his uncle always in sight, but as soon
| as he reaches the vessel ne is knocked sense
| less by blow from behind, and only reviyes
| when the vessel ia out at sea. Reyives 10
| find that he has been kidnapped and is on his
| way to the CaroliDas to be sold a. a slave.
Many a white man was so sold into slavery
in America in those early days, aye many
sold themselves to pay the cost OF the passage
| over
Before We leave that precious uncle W,
| must quote a bit of Mr.. Stevenson's descrip.
| ton OF him. Davie comes down to his first
| break fast in the house of his fathers and
finds ''the table laid with two bowls and two
| horn spoons, but the same single measure OF
| small beer"
"Perhaps my eye rested on this particular
| with some surprise, and perhaps my uncle
/ observed IL, for he spoke up as II in answer
| to my thought asking me II ] would like To
| drink ale-for so he called It."
| 81 told him that such was my habit, but
| not to put himself about"
"Na, ma" said he. 'lll deny you nothing
| in reason"
"lie fetched another cup from the shelf
and tHen, to my great surprise, instead o
drawing more beer, he poured an accurate
halt from one cup to the other"
| "There was kind of nobleness in this
| that took my breath away; If my uncle was
| certainly miser he was one OF that thoI ou ID
| respectable"
On board the brig Dayie is terribly abused
by the drunken mates and crew, but at last,
| In hit of drunken passion, one of the mates
| murders the half-witted lad who had acted
| as cabin boy Tor the officers, and Davie, who
| takes his place, is better treated in memory
| OF the tragedy. One stormy night the brig
| runs down an open boat, and all its crew are
| lOst save one active little man, who clings to
| the bowsprit and is brought on deck. He
proves to be brave little Highlander, " no
| istaking money tfom the clans TO their friends
in the land OF France He is both well
dressed and well armed, but he makes no
secret OF his mission, and In bargaining who
Captain Hoseason to be set ashore in France
or Scotland, he displays belt OF gold. The
captain determines to rob and murder him.
but the man, whose name Is Allen Breck,
happens TO be in the Oil GERS round house
where 1t would be difficult for a number of
men to rush in and overpOwer him. Davie
overhears them plotting the attack, and goes
| al once TO prepare him Tor it Allen is as full
| OF hight as any Texan of our day could be-
ana he keeps the door with his good broad,
sword, while Dayie defends the skyIight
with an armful OF pistols, and together they
conquer the crew.
Then the brig founders in a gale of the
Isle OF Null, but OF fcourse Dsvie and Allen
Breck are among the few survivors
Dayie, who is of the Campbells and for the
King, finds himself in many a tight place
among the followers of Prince Charlie; but
button from Allen Breck's coat, given him
in acknowledgment of his gallantry in the
night on the ship serves as passport in his
journey across Scotland.
The TRIALS and the misery that the High
landers endured In those brave DAYS, when
they were so firmly loyal to the Stuarts;
their never broken spirit, their courage and
their fierce revenge; all these elements are
worked, most skilfully and powerfully
into story that rivals in interest and his.
torlc accuracy any OF the Wavsry romances
IL may be said that 1t is but story for bows
ana that Will be true, but it is well, in sum
ner weather, for us to renew our boyhood
py glance al those rough early days when