Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-26

V Il U reflection. that waved in the sea nndar hcr Ike several lengths of undulating. red hot wire.
 lad no mind to lie down again. The cold indeed was cruelty sharp, and the smoke sped from my mouth at every breath. as though held tobacco pipe betwixt my teeth. got upon the ice and stepped about it quickly, darting searching glances into the gloom to left and right of the setting moon: but all lay bare, bleak and black.
 It seemed as if the night had only just de- scended, so tardy was the dawn. Outside the slanting wall of ice that made my haven. the swell swept past in gurgling, bubbling. drowning sound, dismal and ghastly. as though in truth some such ogre as the mon- ster had dreamed of lay suffocating there. welcomed the cold coloring of the east as if it had been ship, and watched the stars dy- ing and the frozen shore darkening to the dim and sitting dawn behind it, against which the outline of the cliffs ran in broken streak of ink The rising of the sun gave me fresh life.
 made up my mind to climb as high as could, taking the oar with me to serve as pole, that might view the ice and the ocean round about, and form Judgment of the weather by the aspect of the sky, of which only the western part was visible from my low strand. But first must break my fast remember bitterly lamenting the lack of means to make fire, that might obtain a warm meal and hot drink, and dry my gloves, coat and brooches, to which the damp of the salt chung tenaciously. Had this ice been land, though the most desolate, gloomy, repulsive spot in the world, I had surely found something that would burn.
 l sat in the boat to eat my slender repast, and when it was ended pulled the oar out of the crevice, and found it would make me a good pole to probe my way with and support myself by up the slope. The boat was now held by the mast, which I shook and found very firm. I put empty beer bottle in my pocket, meaning to see if could fill it, if the snow up above was sweet enough to be well tasted, and then with finala1ook at the boat started.
 The slope was extremely craggy. Blocks and had sometimes to warily walk fifty or sixty paces round these blocks to come at a part of the slope that was smooth.
 had come to stand to fetch breath, and was moving on afresh, when, having taken not half a dozen steps, Ispied the figure of man. He was in a sitting posture, his back against rock that had concealed him. His head was bowed, and his knees drawn up to a level with his chin, and his naked hands were clasped upon his legs His atti- tude was that of a person lost in thought very easy and calm
 stopped as if had been shot through the heart Had it been g. bear or a sea lion, or any creature which my mind could instantly have associated with this white and stirless desolation might have been startled indeed; l>,,% me as now felt. It never entered into my head to doubt that he was alive, so natural was his attitude, as of one lost in mood of tender melancholy.
 I stood staring at him, myself motionless, for some minutes, too greatly astonished and thnnderstruck to note more than that he was a man. Then looked about me to see if he had companions or for some signs of a habitation, but the ice was everywhere naked. I fixed my eyes on him again. His hair was above foot long, black as ink, and the blacker may be for the contrast of the snow. His beard and n1ustache, which were also of this raven hue, fell to his girdle. He wore great yellow Tapping hat, such as was in fashion among the Spaniards and buccaneers of the South sea; but over his ears, for the warmth of the protection, were squares of flannel tied under his beard by a very fine red silk handkerchief; and this, with his hair and pale cheeks and black shaggy eyebrows, gave him terrible and ghastly appearance. From his shoulders hung a rich thick cloak, lined with red, and the legs to the height of the knees were in- cased in large boots.
 continued surveying him with my heart beating fast. Every instant expected to see him turn his head and start to behold me.
 coughed loudly, holding my pole in readi- ness for whatever might befall, but he did not stir; then holloaed, and was answered by the echoes of my own voice among the rocks. His stiffness persuaded me he was in one of those deep slumbers which fall upon a man in frozen places; for could not per s,lade myself he was dead, so living was shis posture.
 This will not do, thought I; so I went close to him and peered into his face.