The Irish standard., 1886-04-17

venerable and precious relic,-the snee1
on his face growing deeper as he gazed
he was startled by shadow suddenl,
darkening the window. and turning te
see what it was, beheld the countenance
which smiled on him from the stern O
little boat an hour before, peepine
through the glass. The face was sc
close to the window that the strange,
might have seen, from it's peculiar ex.
preston, he had mistaken for some fam
iliar friend, whose visit had been ex
pected. The side light troubled her sc
much st first that she could see nothing
distinctly in the room, and raising botl
hands to shade it of, happened to throw
back the broad -brimmed hat she wore
and thus revealed in full view to the
stranger, now advanced within arms
length of the window, q 'countenance o.
extraordinary beauty-for in another
second the laughing girl had discovered
her mistake, and startled by the close
proximity of man so utterly unknown
to her, and trembling with shame and
confusion at her apparent levlty,
bounded back as if spectre had con.
fronted her, and flew away from the
window like an afrighted bird.
The stranger called to her to stop and
listen to his apology; he knocked on the
glass, and even attempted to raise the
sash and follow her; but all was i'll vain
away she ran over the green lawn, be,
tresses streaming back OH the gentle
breeze, and disappeared over the edge
of the precipice. For an instant the
disappointed sportsman stood spell
bound, hardly able to tell whether the
form WAS vision or reality. And nc
wonder. Her figure was light and airy,
he. extreme grace of motion even in the
confusion and hurry Of her fight, and
the exquisite beauty of her modest face,
might we'll have raised such an illusion
in minds far more philosophic than the
strangers.
And now again all was as still as be-
fore: not sound was to be heard but
the sullen break OF the sluggish wave
against the rocks, or the occasional call Of
the little proud bantam still scraplng on
the green.
The sun had sunk by this time
within an ltoux OF his setting, and
crowned the far-oi' summit Of Benraven
with his golden light. The sky was
cloudless, and the sir as balmy as the
zephyrs tbat play round the base Of the
Himalayas and fan the banks Of the an
cient Hydaspes. Stealing out from
under the shadows of the island ap~
paslred the white sails of the coasting
vessels, with scarce wind enough to give
them motion,-~--so calm had it grown for
che last hour; and away beyond them, in
the west, rose the dark form Of the
Horn, round whose top the wings Of
sen birds might beseen wheel
ing and glinting in the rays of tine set
ting SUN. The scene was as grand and
as one might care to look
upon, and yet it seemed to awaken but
little interest in the stranger. Indeed,
the snllen look Of disappointment on his
face, as he gazed through the window
on the world without, showed but slight
relish for the poetry of nature. At last,
turning away abruptly from the case
ment when he saw there was no likeli-
hood Of the young lady returning, he
his steps to the hall door, and
was just about to follow the visionary
form to the edge Of the rock, when, to
his great relief he heard the sharp
crack Of q rifle, within twenty PAGES of
where he stood. Looking in the direc-
tion of the sound, he saw smoke curling
slowly up from the sea; then water
spaniel sprang on the bank, and began
shaking the brine from his dripping
sides; and finally, man III apea jacket,
with his pantaloons rolled up over the
tops of his boots, and a gun in his hand,
suddenly made his appearance. He was
about fifty years of age, stout
and hearty looking, and carried i'll his
lace as he approached the stranger,
[ook of welcome which it was impossible
for {, moment to mistake.
"Good evening. SIR" said he, touch
ing his hat to the visitor, hardly able to
utter the words, so exhausted was he in
the rock.
The stranger slowly introduced his
arms under his coat tails, and made
grave and respectful inclination of his
head. .....
"sorry you found no one in the house
% bid you welcome, - said the stout gen
;leman, wiping the perspiration from
lis face.
sRayther think the apology should
come the other way" replied the strang-
er, drawing out his words.
80, don't mind that, sir; when you