Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-07-09

yesterday, guess.''
 After that they were silent In lit tie time their meager supper was over, and darkness was thick without It was singularly warm and still even for the mild California coast, and after putting the children to sleep the mother went out and listened. Paul was lean- ing upon the ruined wall with his face turned seaward, and nothing stirred the silence save a faint whispering of waters out in the darkness. The at mosphere seemed utterly becalmed. But suddenly as they listened there came a little puff of wind like some thing invisible fleeing before the storm, then sort of seething rose far over head, as if the clouds were turning in helpless fear about the ceiling of the sky, and the sea began to chop and purr like an unseen animal whetting it's teeth in the darkness. In a moment the few remaining stars were ingulfed, and in another moment there came a shivering crash, and the whole scene lcaped into view.
 My God!" cried the woman, starting forward, and Paul, with a faintness rushing over him with thought of the wish he had made in his heart, knew that she was praying for his father, out in his double darkness of his evil weak ness and the gathering terrors of the night.
 Together they hurried in and made the doors and windows fast against the coming storm. In ;t moment it broke, and roared and lashed across the cliff for hours, while the mother, with white face, went to and fro, soothing the children, and turning now and then as if she would go out into the storm and find the one she feared might never come again. Paul's eyes followed her troubled face, with look of pleading terror. Suddenly he seized the latch.
 ''Mother, I'm going to the shore!'' he said
 No, child, mol" she cried.
 "Oh, mother, I must! I must! Father may come!' and he sprang out into the tempest.
 At first he was thrown from side to side and dashed against the house by the wind, but presently got his feet and went reeling through the falling tor rents down the hillside, and came upon the beach.
 The sea seemed alive with leaping
 
 and all along the base of the head it | burst at times into lurid fire. The boy drew back before it, but his father was | out therc-out there where all things rolled together in convulsion- and he | clung in the teeth of the tempest, straining ear and eye upon the sea. l Suddenly ship burst into the glare. 1 It seemed coming straight upon the le1, tl0 I@1r c1, +aI but it veered and passed away into the darkness. But what was that leaping along the pillows? There 1t shone in the glare; now all was swallowed up in night; there it came again-a boat! and he ran into the very arms of the pillows to meet it as long wave hurled l it high upon the beach. With leap he was beside it, and when the lightning came again he saw it was his fathers boat, but-empty: A shock of horror passed through him; his wish had come true. The lightning fell about him, the ocean turned to froth, and the pillows, bursting against the head, leaped up | the shattered pillars in bluish, snowy l sheets. But he gave no heed. Sudden | ly he seemed to hear voices calling. Now they seemed in the roaring wood across the bay; now far out to sea; then high up in heaven. It must be his fancy, he thought, or the winds wailing in the holes and hollows of the cliff. He pGssed around toward the front ot the head and listened, but the blast roared in his ears, and the noise of the | inrn!l:rg flood was so great he could not hear G:~tinctly.
 How uAsreakably fearful 1t was; his father Uut there in the wallowine waters. A picture of the man more vivid than life came into the boys ex. c.tcd mind; his tall stature, stepping ;,.:oulders, ragged clothes, and laugh ing, vagabond air; his native goo6 hu!acr, save when liquor made him harsh: his love for children, and dogs and hunting, and how, when he did not drink, he was the best axman and the strongest man in all the region. An how darllly it all had ended.
 But presently, while he was thinking the wind lulled, and voice leaped ou from the very lips of the head in long | quivcring cry for help. His blooC bounded and stood still; then the cry came again, rising above the clashin& elements like peal of anguish. An, i was lis fathers voice; and his bloot leaped forward again with grea thrill, and forgetful of his lameness h. ran in close to the bursting rollers ant began to climb the face of the head. seemed an attempt fit for something mad, for all below him lay boilin. abyss, flashing and laundering and leap ing after him; but he had no time fo fear; was not his father calling for sue cor somewhere out there in that abys of noise and commotion?
 He knew every hole and shelf in tn face of the preciplce, and soon by tn aid Of the lightning flashes he was O a ledge leading toward the voice, was q frightful place. Once he slippe and hung over the edge of the shel l | very close to death. A thick swea ! broke out upon him, and his hear
 jared his side with every stroke. Afte , that he crcpt forward more carefully , waiting for the lightning flashes an ! feeling his way with trembling hand: | n--s.