Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-03-07

ECHO CAVE.

"But you do care for mo little,
Mamie r
Care for you, indeed !" was tho CO.
quettish response. "No, | don't. Not
the least in the world"
1t was strange place for love-mak. :.
ing Not Fifth-avenue ballroom nor
yet tho green gloom of half-lighted
conser vatory, nor the fragrant aislos Of
forest glen, but the blue, sparkling
bosom of the October soa, with Mr..
Julian Cores boat drawn up to the
solid stone piers of Gray Point light
house, and pretty Mamie Edgecombe's
dimpled face leaning out Of the narrow
slit of n window just above And very
handsome Mr.. Gore looked as he rested
on his oars and looked up, with the sun
shine of the Indian summer on his dark
tropical face, his jctty hair blown about
by the breeze, and his cheek glowing
with the exercise Of rowing
"Comc down and lot me in, Nam
ME" he appealed. 1.-THE idea Of keep
ing fellow rocking on the ocean in
this sort Of way !"
Couldn't possibly" retorted the
pcachy-faccd beauty. "It's against the
rules to admit strangers into the light
house"
"Then promise me, Mamie, that you
will 90 with me to the party tonight. Z"
"Oh, the party! Why should grand
city gentleman like you trouble himself
about our parties ?" demurely question:
ed Mamie.
"But I'm only poor artist. as I've
told you half dozen times"
"Then you had better confne your at
tention to art, I'm thinking" said Nan
ME.
"That's just what I'm doing I'm
going to Echo Cave now to sketch those
grand old rocks"
II wish you good luck, I'm sure"
said Mamie, apparently intent on speck
on her rosy Gnger-nail.
"Come, promise me first Do, Nam
ME, and I'll go away with the lightest
heart that ever beat in human breast
But Mamie Edgecombe shut the win
dow. and ran laughing up the winding
stone steps which led, corkscrew fashion.
to the lantern at the top. v
A dizzy height It would have seemed
to any one unaccustomed TO it, but Nam
nie had passed no inconsiderable portion
of her life there, ever since she was a
child There was her little rocking
chair, and the bit Of homemade block
and scarlet rug that kept her feet off the
cold stone floor, and there was monthly
rose, and a little box Of blossoming
candy-tuft in the window, close along
side her blue-ribboned work box, while
an open book lay on tho floor just where
she had dropped it five minutes ago.
Caleb Edgecombc was the lighthouse
keeper, but Mamie, his motherless child,
often took the duty of his hands when
be had business in the village, or saw
an opportunity Of earning little money
at his trade Of ship-calker. More than
once, too, in an emergency. she herself
had lighted the lamps. and spent all
night up there in the wild, wind-shaken
light of the lighthouse for Mamie
was little heroine in her way, and
feared absolutely nothing.
She was pretty, too--very pretty
with round. childish face, chestnut
brown hair. which clustered in abundant
ripples about her forehead, and eyes Of
limped blue, that seemed to deepen and
change at every word, aud trim figure,
dressed in dark blue cambric, with a rose
at the throat, and odd, antique rings Of
chased gold, which had belonged TO her
grandmother once, swinging from her
ears.
II don't think shall go with him" )"
said Mamie, swaying softly back and
forth in her little rocking chair. and
working busily away at that particular
pair of hose for her father which she was
darning. "Abram Hyde will be glad
enough to take me, and Mr.. Gore
mustn't be allowed to suppose that |
am one of those very ripe apples which
are ready to drop into his mouth before
he shakes the tree. Men have their own
way so much in the world that it does
them good &c meet counter-curreni
sometimes. | wonder" knitting her
pretty level brows, "if he really does
care for me? Yes, am almost sure oI
that; but the thing is, do | care fol
him p
The very problem which Julian Gore
would have given ten of the best years
of his life to elucidate satisfactorily
Did the lighthouse keepers lovely
daughter care for him, or did she not 2
Late in the afternoon, and the loni
shadow OF the lighthouse stretching