Connecticut western news., 1890-12-31

climbed on this corpse of ship on the lowest side, and, once on deck, went inside. The sun, entering through the open portholes and cracks in her aide, frightened sadly those long, dark caverns filled with broken woodwork.
 I commenced taking notes upon the condition of the vessel. I sat upon an empty, broken barrel and wrote by the ! light entering slit, through which l saw the limitless extension of beach. A shudder, born of the cold and solitude, ran through me from time to time, and stopped writing occasionally to listen ! to the vague noises of the wreck, the noise of the crabs scratching the cordage | with their crooked claws; of the numer- ous tiny animals of the sea already de- vouring this dead body; to the soft and regular sound of the ship worm gnawing the woodwork.
 Suddenly heard voices near me. started up. I thought for an instant l was in the presence of some drowned wretch who wanted to tell me of his death. Iquickly climbed on deck and saw tall gentleman with three ladies. They were even more startled than l at seeing me emerge upon the deck of the abandoned vessel. The youngest of the three rushed off; the others caught their fathers arm; as to him, he opened his mouth. the only sign of emotion he showed. After 8 second he spoke. "You must be the owner of this shipY' "Yes" "Can I visit her2" "Yes." He murmured few words of thanks, and seeing he was looking for 8 place to climb showed him the easiest, and as- sisted him up. He joined me and then we helped the young girls.
 They were charming, particularly the eldest, blonde of eighteen, as fresh as rose; so delicate, so dainty. Really English women are like sea fruits. That one looked as if she might have sprung from the sand, and her hair had retained it's color. They remind one, with their exquisite freshness, of delicate pink shells of mother of pearl, beautiful and mysterious, born in the depths of the ocean.
 She spoke French more fluently than her father and acted as interpreter. 1 had to give the history of the wreck; many of the details l invented as if l had assisted at the catastrophe. Then the whole family went below. When they reached the gloomy gallery they took out their sketch books and began to draw the scene.
 The eldest daughter while working spoke to me, and I learned that they had come from Biarritz expressly to see the wreck. They had none of the English ko, 1Ev Thoxy cty,o v,1a ziasts; some of those eternal wanderers with which England covers the globe. The father, tall and wiry, his red face framed in white whiskers, living sand wich, slice of ham fashioned into a face between two pads of hair. The daughters little growing stilts, thin also, except the eldest; pretty all three, par ticularly the eldest. She had such quaint way of speaking, of laughing, of understanding and not understanding, of raising her eyes to question me, eyes as blue as deep water; of interrupting her drawing to guess, of resuming her work, of saying yes and no, that could have staid there forever listening and looking.
 After awhile she exclaimed, "I hear noise." listened and distinguished a slight sound, unusual and continuous. What was it? rose to look through a crack and gave a loud cry. The sea was upon us. In no time we would be sur rounded. We were on deck in an in- stant. It was too late. The water en- compassed us and was rushing toward shore with great rapidity. The English man wished to rush forward. I held him back; flight was impossible on ac- count of the deep pools that we had to avoid in coming, and into which we would probably fall in attempting to re- turn. It was moment of horrible ag- ony. Then the young English girl ex- claimed, ''We are the ones who are wreckedI" Iwanted to laugh, but was strangled by fright; a cowardly, awful l fright, low and treacherous. And this ! ide I realized all the danger of our position and wanted to cry for help. To whom?
 The youngest girls covered against their father, who in consternation watch | ed the boundless sea around us.
 And night was coming as rapidly as the tide; 8 heavy, damp darkness. We remained there half an hour, an hour, l hardly know how long, looking at the yellow water which thickened and boiled and played upon the reconquered beach.
 One of the girls complained of the cold, and we thought we would go in for protection against the light but cold breeze which stung our faces. I leaned over the trap door. The ship was full of water and we were obliged to crouch against the stern, which gave us some
 protection. Night was now upon us and
 we drew closer together, surrounded by
 water and darkness. felt the shoulder
 of the young English girl, whose teeth
 chattered at times, tremble against mine.
 also felt the soft warmth of her body,
 and that warmth was to me as delicious
 as kiss. We no longer spoke; we were
 motionless, silent, crouching like ami
 malls in ditch during storm.
 And somehow, in spite of all; in spite
 of the darkness, in spite of the terrible
 and growing danger, commenced te
 feel happy at being there, happy at the
 cold and danger, at the long hours ol
 agony to be passed on those blanks, &
 near that pretty delicate English girl.
 wondered why this sensation of joy pene
 trated me. Why? Who can saya Wa.
 it because she was there? Who was she
 A little unknown English girl. dit
 not love her. did noe know her. ani
 yet felt touched, conquered. would
 have given my life for hers. Strange
 that the presence of woman can so up
 set usl Is it the power of beauty whicl
 envelopes us? the allurements of you'll
 that like wine makes us drunk? Or is ii