Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-10-03
MOTHER CAREY'S ROCKS.

away with your
Octavia Gland, in her pink muslin
dress tied here and there with jaunty
little bows of ribbon. and a stray gypsy
hat garlanded with pink poppies. turned
around, the very incarnation of radiant
glee.
Mamma" said she, "why should
you grudge mo my little holiday?
Don't work behind Miss Farnshaw's
counter all the year like any African
slave? Don't lose my very identity
In shirts and pufiings. and toit nv iu-
ger ends of with flounces and tucks?
Do let me play | am a child again, just
this once"
So this beautiful young Euphrosyne
danced away. leaving only tho sweet
echo OF her laughter in the gloomy
apartment and Mrs. GLAND sighed.
She Is SO thoughtless. said tie
mother. And Duncan Ray AMI Harry
Bolton are both going on the sailing
party. and somehow feel as IL today
were TO be the turning point of her
life. ] wish she could bring herself to
like Duncan-he's steady. noble
souled lad, us his father was before
him, but there isn't much outside show
about him. And Bottoms a dasbing
yousg follow. just the sort TO attract
any girl. But somehow can't quite
believe in him. Octavia saws | haven't
any knowledge of the world. Well.
perhaps she is right. But think we
quiet. stay-at-homc bodies are some
times gifted with q sort Of instinct in
these matters"
The day was all sparkle and sun
shine; the excursion steamer. fluttering
with gay flags aud the sound of music.
glided majestically along; the sea air
breathed new strength into weary
lungs and touched feyered brows with
achemic power. and all of those over
tired, oyerworked scwing-girls forgot
for brief while hat life was nothing
more than a treadmill to them.
They laughed, they danced, they
sang; they flung flowers into the water
that iloated around the wheelhouse;
they counted the glimmering sails that
leaned up against The horizon. and
finally. when the boat landed at White
Crags. they all scattered in various
directions over the silver shingled
beach in merry pursuit of shells. sea-
weed. aud pebbles rs SO many newly
liberated school.childrcn might have
done.
And Octavia Gland, the pretliest girl
in all the throng, reigned as sort of
princess among them.
Mother Carey's Cushionp" said she
merrily. echoiug the words of an old
salt who was mending his nets in
sunny spot with an old pipe in his
mouth aud picturesque, long beard
blowing about in the wind. IS that
what they call yonder rock?"
That 'ere's what they balls her by.
lady miss" said the old sailor his dim
eyes resting with evident appreciation
on Oetavia's fresh young lilies and
roses. "And we'll it's known here
abouts."
But why do they call it SOP" per-
sisted the girl.
Because Of the cushion. my lady
miss said the fisherman. laying his
pipe down on the sand out OF respect
to this charming young presence. land
tho Mother Carey's chickens as circle
around the point. OF dark day. when
there's storm coming up. It's a
round rock near the top-d'ye see?-
with grass and MOSES growing on it.
in circle like cushion. / and my
sweetheart as has been dead these
thirty years-climbed up 1t once. But
we didn't care to stay there long. tell
ye. For the wind howled. and the sea-
gulls shrieked. and the tide roared
like hungry shark around US. and 1t
was as much as we could do to get
down again with whole bones"
why, it doesn't look such great
height" said Bolton.
'.Mebbe not-mebbe not!" said the
old man. "A quarter of a mile makes
a deal of difference in the looks of
things. And them rs ant used to dis
tances can't calculate"
And he went on with his work. while
the little group strolled on. bright
Octavia with her ribbons aud curls
floating. Bolton carrying her shawl
and Duncan Ray walking silently on
the other side.
And just then another gay party
overlook them, and there was discus
sion rs 10 where the site of their inn
promptu banquet should be. Present.
ly Duncan Ray looked around.
Where's Octavia?" he asked.
Everybody had some answer to
make. Auriette Hall had seen her not
five minutes before; Helen Ray was
quite certain that she was hiding be-
hind the ruined boathouse on the edge
of the beach: Louis Fielding suggested
that she had probably gone back TO the
for scent bottle or haud-
kerchief.
She'll be here presently" he said.
'In the meantime let us get the lunch
ready, for there's dark little edge of
cloud down in the west that the cap
tain says he dou't half like the looks
Of"
And where was Octavia Gland all
this timer
She was springing up the steep and
winding ledge OF rock. quicker and
lighter than any mountain chamois,
her veil iloating back like n white
wreath Of mist. an exquisite scarlet dy-
Ing her cheek.
IF other people can climb 10
Mother Carey's cushion. go can IT,
said dauntless Ociavia. Keeping her
face resolutcIy away from the furious
waves that boiled and ragged below,
lest perchance 1t should render her
giddy. 'And how astonished they will
be when they see me waving my hand
kerchicf' TO them from that dizzy
peaki"
Long before the cold fowls. chicken.
salad. and sandwiches were spread
upon tho grass. the captain came up
from the steamer.
Ladies' and gentlemen" said he.
SIN sorry to spoil sport. but there's
! squall brewing. IL ever there was
oue. and we'll be safer well at sea than
On these ragged points Of rock. especi-
ally as the tide is coming deal faster
than we'd calculated on. So II you'll
step lively ! shall be particularly
obliged"
The ladies began hurriedly to re-
pack the incomplete repast and to
gather up their hats. wells. parasols,
n n II. - L.