The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1886-10-28
ON THE LAKE.

always seem to have had notion,
ever since can remember, of being very
brave, and defending my one sister,
Clara, from any i'll that could befall her.
When I was quite little fellow think
must have Dragged of my intentions,
for I recollect my father saying to me
one day, when I was talking very big
about how I would behave il Clara was
was suddenly attacked by lion:
"Softly, softly, Andrew! don't you
know discretion is the better part of
valor? If I were you and Clara. 1 would
not venture into the lions country at
all"
When Clara was thirteen and eleven
we lost this kind father-mother we had
never known, as she died when was
| baby; and so it came to pass that was
really Clara's only protector, if boy of
eleven or twelve can be called such.
We had some very distant relatives
living in Switzerland, to be sure; and
an arrangement was made that Clara
should live with them, while I was put
to good school in Geneva; for, though
two poor orphans, we were not left desti-
tute.
Our two old spinister cousins lived in
Lucerne, and every year, in the beautiful
late summer, l was allowed to pay them
visit and spend some weeks with my
sister Clara.
Those where happy days!' Any one
who has travelled in Switzerland will re-
member how bright the skies are there
how blue the lakes-how shining with
unearthly light the fair snow mountains
! of that beautiful country. We had
little Swiss blood in our veins, TOO, and
we liked to think that this sweet land of
mountains a1d lakes belonged to US by
right.
So it naturally followed that these
summer holidays were very happy ones
for both of us, for the old ladies with
whom Clara lived were kind to US and
let US ramble about together on the noun
tains, provided we strictly regarded their
primitive hours of getting up and going
to bed.
I still held to my old doctrine of guard
ing Clara, though was small, under
sized boy, and she was tall, blooming
, maiden. often wanted her to under
/ take dangerous expeditions with me,
promising to bring her safely through; {;
but Clara would shake her head and say,
smiling:
"Let US keep out of the lions country,
Andie."
Some time passed pleasantly by till I
was fourteen and Clara sixteen, when the
adventure occurred of which am going
to tell you.
was spending my holidays as usual
! at Lucerne-if possible, more pleasantly
than ever; for Clara and had begun to
! build happy castles in the air of the days
when we should be fully grown up, and
! live always together, my only grief being
that 1 was still short, slight boy, not
over strong either.
/ A ficrcely hot day day closed in
lovely calm evening, so 1 proposed to
Clara that we should spend the hour left
us in row on the lake; it was an en- Joy
ment we had often had before, but the
lateness of the hour made Clara hesitate.
"Cousin Nina does not expect US in
till these hot days" urged; "come;
just little turn. Clara"
''If could believe in the ''little turn"
Andie," said Clara laughing; "but you
! always forget the time when we are on
the lake. See," she said, holding out
pretty little watch, which had been our
mothers, promise to make for shore
when we have been out half an hour"
We were standing on the pier as Clara
said this, and l remember how the even
ing sun danced on the glittering chain
of the little watch and on her earrings,
which also had been our mothers, while
her bright eyes sparkled with merriment.
Some boatmen and others were stand
ing near, and I avoided any promise to
Clara by making arrangements about the
boat. Clara rowed we'll and I was no
novice at the art, so we never needed o
boatman to carry us.
We were we'll aware of the treacherous
nature of the Swiss lakes, in the way Of
sudden storms rising, so we did not
usually venture far. This evening, how
ever, was so calm that proposed rowing
as quickly as possible into the centre Of
the lake to catch the breeze-which we
did.
Clara reminded me once or twice of
the time, and 1 replied that our dear old
cousins would not be angry even if we
were little late, as the day had been so
intensely hot that we had not been able
to stir out until nearly z o'clock. Still
Clara was uneasy.
Don't let us be out in the dark, An
die dear; it is so lonely out here"
'You are afraid, Clara" I said,
sternly, "and when I promised no harm
should come to you. What is the use of
being mani mean boy-if cant
take'care of one woman?n
! "Yes, Andie, KNOW" said my sister,