Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-05-19


| Of one OF the cliffs overlooking the sands.
The road here took o sudden dip, and
apparently led down TO tho shore by q
series OF rather steep zig-za9s.
1t would now. it seemed to me, DO
much shorter to make my way home by
the shore. AT any rate theirs was cot
tage n little way down the hill, and L
could find out there which was my best
way to get back to 81. Bridgets.
was pleased to see. ms looked round.
that on all sides there were the signs OF
cleanup on the pert OF tho weather.
The wind seemed TO have gone round to
some moro favorable point, for, though
! still blowing hard, 1t did not now bring
with it the driving showers OF rain. The
clouds out to windward were lifting, and
there was even every now and then
watery CLEAN OF sunshine. The fresh
sals smell OF the sea-weed, which was
waited up 20 me where ! was stand
inc, was inyigoratng, and the occasional
scream of scagull as it dipped up and
down on an incoming wave, Lad pecu-
liar charm Of Its own, which L could not
help being conscious OF.
hurried down to the little cottage.
The door was olar. / knocked, but got
no answer. 80 / pushed it open and
saw seated before the fire an cid woman,
who apparently did not hear my en-
trance, for she went on with her knitting
without even turning her head.
Good evening. ma'am," l. said.
Still no SIGN that she heard me. [
walked over to her and gently touched
her arm. She started round then, and
her ball OF worsted Jumped OF her lap
and rolled on the floor. picked it up
for her.
"Can you tell me which is the nearest
way TO st. Bridgets?" | asked.
" Eh?" she answered, putting her
hand to her ear.
(which is the shortest way to st.
Budgets 2" ] reiterated loude-.
Ave thee must speak lou er il thee
wants me to hear. I'm an old 'ooman-
ninety-one come Michaelmas and I'm
deaf these twenty years or more. Nay
Nav as ! made another equally fruit
less attempt to make myself heard of
there's auQht thee wants to know thee d
best 90 down to the shore. Bill, he's
there, and fine lad he is, though / says
it as shouldn't, being his mother. I'm
on old CONAN, | am-ninety-0ne come
Michaeimss, and
did not wait for further reminis-
cences. / saw it vas hopeless to elicit
further information from her AID set off
down to the shore, trusting to find
"Bill and to get more lucid directions
from him as to my best way home.
1 had not walked far along the sand
when / came upon "the fine lad "a
eray-haired man OF about fifty who was
at work repairing boat that wss hauled
up on the shore.
Whereabouts is st. Bridgets, and
can you kindly tell me the best way to
| get to it," asked him.
lie stopped in his work. and looked
mp at me from under the brim OF his
"sou -wester.
AYE, ave, sir can tell you right
enough. St. Bridgets lies just round
that point Of land YOU sees before you
there
"Thank you," I said. "Tben, of
course, 1t will be much quicker for me
10 walk along the sand than 60 back
10y the -oad by which / came-down
past your cottage
Not o bit OF IT, sir. You will just
/ have to 60 back the way You came"
"But, my good man, that point Of
| land can't he much more than 800 yaris
/ OH, and if st. Bridgets is only little
/ the other side OF 1t, it mist take NE
shorter time 10 90 this way than to re-
turn all that long way by the road.
/ For all that, sir, it IS by the road
/ vou must 60. / see you're a stranger
/ here. sir, or you wouldn't talk so calm
of walking - st. Bridgets over the
/ Witches sands, the awfullest quioksands
along the coast. The Lord help you, for
no one else could, If you get into those
sands
Ouicksands :" I said with q gasp, as
/ 7 thought that only for my chance
meeting with this man | should. in all
probability, have walked on uncon-
sciously to an awful doom. " Do they
lie between us and the point ?"
" Yes sir
! looked along the level sands. The
rain had quite stopped. The sun was
/ low down on the horizon, and the wet
sand was cleaning in the setting rays.
here and there the retreatng tide had
/ left pools OF water behind it, and in
these | could see the reflection of the
pale yellow band Of light, in the middle
/ Of which the sun was sinking 10 rest.
/ 10 my eyes it seemed one long, even
stretch-with nothing to tell Of the
treacherous sands which were waiting to
swallow up the unwary traveller
"Ah, sir You might look long while
afore you'd see the Witches Sands, "
said Bill, interpreting my puzzled ex-
preston. There's but one mark you
can steer by-tleayens danger signals, l
calls them. DO you see, sir, white
mark there down the face Of the rock,
about one hundred yards this side Of tho
point, aud another mark the same about
one hundred and fifty yards along from
where you are standing now? Well,
you're safe enough SO long as you don I
get inside either OF them. They're some
sort Of white moss as grows down
the clif, and only for them there 8
many one would have lost his
lie. There's some of them fool
hardy chaps as don't seem happy unless
they're putting their precious lives in
danger, wi'out qivin' a thought % the
mother or wife that's maybe dependin'
upon them, as has climbed the whole
way along the face Of the cliff round to
81. Bridgcts. But you see, sir, tle cliff
hangs over a good bit and It's nasty
shaley stuff, rs gives no grip for hands
and feet, and if 1t gives way under you
down you go, straight on the quick
sands, and then nothing but a miracle
could save You"
"Well," I said, cit is most fortunate
met you here, for | should most GER
tainly have tried to find my way home
across the sands. 1t is great shame the
authorities do not put up a notice-board
to warn people OF their danger"
"Aye, sir, there was warning-board
up all through the summer but the first
storm N the winter carried it away and
YOU see, sir, it's only once in way as