New Ulm weekly review., 1886-06-09
UNCLE JAKES LITTLE GIRL.

UNCLE JAKES LITTLE GIRL.
"No, mister" said Uncle Jake, II
amt spliced nor never was"
For many years Uncle Jake had
kept little tavern near one of the in
let's where the sea breaks through the
long sand bar into the Great South
bay, at a point about fifteen miles
from New York. ia pleasant Sun
day in summer it was pretty lively
resort. Uncle Jake made a jovial
host, and people used to say that he
owed his good health in a great meas
ure to the frequency with which he
drank to it himself. Most of the fish
ing parties from the harbors along the
bay stopped here for a clambake and
a cocktail; yatchmen anchored near
the inlet and sportsmen would put up
at the tavern for a week Or two at a
time. But in winter it was a dreary
spot. The emonotonous turmoil of the
surf was broken only now and then by
a shrill cry Of a gull or the shrieking Of
the wind as it whirled across the bar.
During the long storms only an oc-
casional wrecker or g. patrol from the
life-saving station visited the place,
and at any time in winter a party like
ours was rarity.
A real Bohemian freak had brought
us down to Uncle Jake's that night.
The evening before a dozen of us ar
lists had met at little reunion in the
studio of one OF our number, and one
of US seeing q sketch OF Uncle Jake's
tavern on the easel, had proposed
paying him a winters visit. We all
knew Uncle Jake, and the idea of
winters visit to him was too much OF
a novelty to be resisted. So we set
out for the tavern the next day, and
arrived there before night time. I'm
Gle Jake knew that the trip across the
the bay had been a rough one. So he
started a roaring wood fire; and when
we had finished supper he put steam
ing bowl OF punch on the table. But
despite his attention and the jollity
OF our party, he WASH t in the best Of
spirits. Not that he didn't dip
his glass into the punch bowl pref
ty often, but he seemed moody and
didn't talk much. His low spirits
seemed also to have had depressing
effect on Samson, his big mastiff, who
was about as we'll known along the
coast as Uncle Jake himself. Usually
he barked a friendly welcome to every
one who came to the house. But he
had been sullen and silent ell the even
ing and had sat near Uncle Jake, rest
ing his head on his masters knee and
now and then looking up wistfully at
him.
had known Uncle Jake and his
big dog longer than the others had,
and I noticed that something was
wrong. Excepting the last two years,
which had spent in Europe, 1 had
been to the tavern off and on for
about a dozen summers. Ihad al
ways liked the place-lt was so far re-
moved from everyday affairs. There
was usually a fresh breeze coming over
the broad expanse of ocean, a fine
surf sending its cool spray over the
beach, and here and there a white
sale outlined against the blue sky.
Besides, Uncle Jake was always hale
and jovial with young fellows
and few OF them ever paid a visit to
the tavern without returning to it at
some future day. The Old man seem
ed glad enough to see me again and
made me sit next to him. But I felt
that since / had been there some
change had come over him and the
dog and the old place; and at times
he looked as though he would like to
tell me something but hesitated on ac-
count OF the Others.
| Iremembered;a "a pretty, bright-eyed
lass, about II years old, when l last
saw her, who WAS at the tavern in
former years, aud whom we used to
call "Unele Jake's little girl" She
made herself handy about the place.
and was SO simple and graceful in her
bearing that she was a tavorite with
all who went there. The sun had
drowned her face and arms, and the
wind had played with her fair hair un-
til it hung over her forehead like
tangled sunbeams. She was tall and
lithesome, and as strong as she was
graceful Often, when she was a mere
gitl of 10 or IL, had seen her pulling
her skif across the bay and hailine
the old fishermen as they. scudded
past in their smacks. Many time
they would lay to and take her aboard
and tow her skiff home; and then she
would take the helm from the skipper,
trim the sheet and shout with glee as
the spray came dashing over the bow.
wondered what had become of her