The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-09-28

there, feeling frantically around with her
feet, and crying piteously:
''Oh, Mr. Tompkins, what's the matters
Where's the stepI oh, Good Heavens!
can't get down any further; what's go
ing TO happen TO me;"
Nj Tompkins and the skipper pull her
down by the feet. Miss Rounder and
Maud are easily disposed OF. But when
il comes to Mrs Brown, Maud's mamma,
both M Tompkins and she skipper feel
that it would be false politeness TO allude
to 'thc knack."
Ponderous and good natured, she stands
on the dge of the pier, and looks over a
rampant OF black jet trimming, pulling
huskily-
Mr.. Tompklns says with an attempt at
airy badinage:
Now, Mrs. Brown, it's your turn
Which yvEy will you take it''
Il don't see that there's much choice"
says the lady, staring and wheeling
well" ," says Tompkins. with the per-
spiration starting on his brow, " Nou
can sit down and climb down the ladder
or-um-ah-you can jump"
Mrs. Brown, holding the post, let's down
ono mighty foot and feels for the ladder.
As an attempt this is n failure She
draws up the foot and says dubiously:
Jump from here! 1t's good dis
l,nce,"
"Oh," eallantly, "welI catch you. You
won't hurt yourself"
II dare say not But / wont take my
affidavit that won't hurt you"
Never mind me-" says the hero, con-
scious that the eyes Of Maud are upon
him.
After some discussion it is decided by
the party that Mrs. Brown will jump.
Mr.. Tompkins and the skipper bear the
brunt OF the blow, while the boy stands
behind, doing duty as n buffer.
In preparation she throws down her
black handbag, her parasol. her book, her
cashmere shawl, her tennis hat, and final
ly herself, striking the skipper with n
dull, hollow soInd, who in his turn sends
the poor buffer staggering afar.
The first part OF the sail was delightful.
Every one was in gay spirits. At every
lurch OF the vessel they all screamed to-
gether and cried:
''Oh how lovely Isn't this fun, VIII
1t be rouSher when we get outsider"
Outside tho narrows, and well into the
lower bSy, the sloop from n gentle, we'll
bred roll began to lurch and pitch on the
ragged seas. The screams grew louder
and moro loud. Every one thought this
the most enchanting motion. So exciting
the way the bow plunged into q wave, and
such fun to watch the big seas come
seething from Kinder the lee side.
1t was Mrs. Jones who first discovered
the potent charm OF this side. She had
been sitting in the sun on the upper side,
screaming Ioudest OF all, when presently
silence descended upon her. She had
abruptly moved to tho lee side, and
spreading her parasol o. er her head, leaned
forward and looked into the sea. No one
noticed her, a lady reveIling in the beau
ties OF the deep not being a phenomenon,
till the host cried out jOcosely:
What is Mrs. Jones plotting under
that pRrasol,'
Mrs. Jones voice sounded angry when
she said:
Looking at the water. The waves are
SO lovely"
II was Miss Rounder who next suc-
cumbed to the occult fascination of tho
bounding billows-Miss Rounder, who
has been screaming gleefully at every
crested hillock that the Viking mounted,
and every green hollow into which she
sank Silence now, gradual but deep,
fell upon Miss Rounder.
At first she yawned several times. Then
leaned back in her corner and let her eyes
roam from the heaying sea to he swaying
n,
which, with n smothered sound which
might, unarrested, have been a groan,
she shut her eyes, and a sickly paIlor
oTerspread her face.
The popularity OF the lee side now be-
came quite striking. Maud's mamma
soon fell beneath its ccnquering sway.
She had taken eli her bonnet, which with
the lunch, filed the cabin TO the skyliSht,
and had put on her old felt tennis hat,
tied down with a veil. No British gren-
adler ever looked more severe and immov-
able than Maud's manmn. Both Maud
and Mr.. Tonpkins noticed IT,
Your mother" said the adoring Tomp-
kins, who had "tendrrsse for all
Maud's belongings, seems fine sailor"
''Oh, dear, yes" said Maud, with her
enticing simPer, we're all good sailors in
our family"
And they both turned and looked
proudly at the Spartan parent. severely
unsmiling under the tennis hat Both
noticed n slight Glassiness in mammals
cerulean orbs and n set look about her
lips. Mr.. Tompkins, coldly conscious of
the row Of parasols blooming like mush-
rooms along the lee side, said with sud
den fear:
You feel quite-ah-qu,ts comfort
able, Mrs. Brownf'
Quite" with naughty emphasis Then
suddenly: Look here-hand me that
parasol-quick-anyO OF them"
She disappeared under its friendly
shade, but presently looked out again.
with her old face quite gray under the
tennis hat
81 find the sun gives me such terrible
headaches" she said. easily, with a pres
ence of mind which struck Ar. Tompkins
as heroic.
And now the rays of the sun beat down
hercely on the little sloop, the waves kept
creeping up behind stealthily raising the
stern, and then letting 1t drop with n sud
den, fierce plAyfulness.
A terrible fear fell on Mr.. Tompkins
What IL Maud should join the silent mn
tority on the lee side, She, too, had
grown silent and preoccupied, but still
sat ri9idly upright, and smiled when he
spoke to her. He said, looking at his
watch:
What do you say to something TO eatf
It's 2 O'Clock, let's have some ssrdines."
She gave him a quick and rather deadly
look.
mo. thanks" she said, looking away
from him and winking up her eyes in tho
glare, Pm not hungry"
The silent row of honorably wounded
nhu al SrOdncO at MS SuS uSEcstiou, anu lnc
feet had writhed in anguish on the deck.
"'ve told the skipper to put back to the
Narrows," he hEzarded a second re-
mark Whatever made his Maud so
heavy in hand all of n sudden
The row grcaned again with relief, and
Maud asked with sudden vivacity:
How long before We get there,"
; About twenty minutes"
Z "And then il will be smooth"
"Oh, quite smooth, as soon as we pass
the forts"
Thanks" and she settled herself down
in the most business like manner, clinched
her hands around her parasol, fastened
her eyes on the forts and said not a word.
ITS awfGlly warm, isn't it,' said the
lover desperately. andswith rubicund
face
Very" said the loved one, speaking as
II her teeth were set.
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