The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-15
"A LITTLE CHILD"
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

marshes, that Seelncu 10 Close up Iuc
horizon, and tall reeds swaying in the
moaning wind.
A single sailing boat was heading for
tie open sea, and Miss Nancy Dear
born, resolutely digging for clans on the
beach, looked out toward the dull, fiat
landscape with shudder.
Her niece, Fanny Sweet, was with
her. Both were dressed in strict accord
ance with their employment, in calico
gowns, with knit worsted jackets, and
scarlet shawls tied over their heads. 3
Miss Nancy was tall and gaunt. Fanny
Swect--"Sweet Fanny" as the girls of
the neishborhood jokingly called her
was small and round ard rosy.
The wind, which turned Miss Nancy's
nose to fine purple, only added a
frcsher glow to Fannys peach-like
cheeks, so unevenly does Dame Nature
dole out her gifts.
And as the two women dug diligently
in the wet sand, and piled their dripping
trcasure-trore into the splint basket be-
side them, a brisk dialogue went on.
II, for one, shant consent to it, said
Miss Nancy. "It's bad enough for you
to marry fellow like Asa Litchfeld,
with nothin' but mortgaged farm and
his own two hands, when you might
have Hebe Holt, with the whole rubber
factory at his back"
Fanny's cheeks were real peony color
now.
'I wouldn't have Hebe Holt" she
cricd-"not if he had all the money in
the"
':That'll do" curtiy observed Aunt
Nancy. II hcerd all that aforc-no
need 20 repeat it. It's bad enough, I'm
sayin. for you to make such choice as
tha' anyhow; but when Asa has the i'm
pu,crce to ask you to take them two or
rh%': Young 'uns of his sisters to bring
UP, :nto the bargain, I say that's tac
La; raw on the camel's back!'
-: ike children, Aunt Nancy"
'';t,t out!" sharply rctortcd the old
woman. "Children! meddlin' torment.
in Ii;t!e things! I don't b'licvc there's
crcc:ur livin' that really likes children!
If Asa was to bring you a pair o young
rat:Icsuakes or pair o catamount kits
in Il basket, you'd say you liked 'em!"
., bat, Aunt Nancy"
"Will you let me get word in edge.
ways:" peremptorily demanded Miss
Nancy. 81 never see such one as you
be to talk. What want you distinctly
to understand is that I draw the line at
them young 'uns, and I refuse to give my
consent"
"They have got to be provided for,
= Aunt Nancy"
"Well, where's the poorhouse and all
the asylums we're taxed tS, pay for'"
Asa never would allow"
.Neither will l." said Miss Dearborn,
uncartking whole colony of different
sized CLAIMS. "a won't hear smother
word I'm sick O. the whole bust
ness"
A briet silence ensued, during which
Miss Nancy dug assiduously on, and
Fanny followed suit as we'll as she could,
stopping ever and anon to brush away
the tears that blinded her vision.
.sWe don't seem to hev much luck, 20
day." observed Miss Nancy. "Needle
Beach amt what it used to be for clans.
I'd like to get enough for supper tonight
and a brilin' for breakfast tomorrow
mornin', and mess to send to Widow
Clements, and My laws! what gust
O. wind that ERE was guess. Fanny,
we'd better strike work if it's BLOWN
up from the east like that There goes
my head-shawl! Quick-help me hoist
the basket outer the way O that big tidal
wave! I amt made no mistake in the
almanac, hev IL don't understand
this"
Fanny Sweet abandoned the basket of
clans to its fate and clung to her aunt,
while at the same time she tried to drag
her shoreward.
"Aunt Nancy" she shouted in the old
woman's ear, "it's squall! knew
there was black cloud coming up, but
didn't think it would reach us so soon.
Let us rup-let us make haste to the
.Smuggler's Holel Quick, Aunt Nancy
Never mind the clans and the spades.
It's beginning to rain so terribly"
Miss Nancy Dearborn was a woman of
genuine courage and spirit, but the
black sky, the rising surf and the howl
ing of the wind terrified her into rapid
retreat.
"Oh, why didn't we keep watch on
the clouds2" she bewailed herself, hold
ing desperately to Fanny's arm, while her
gray hair streamed wildly from her un-
covered head, and every step in the wet
sand became greater difficulty. "What's
goin' to become of lis? The last equi-
noctial they had on Needle Beach lasted
three days and tore away"
"This won't last three days, Aunt
Nancy" said Fanny, cheerily, as she
dragged the old woman under the shell
ter of ruinous log hut built up against
beetling rock, where, according to the
voice of popular rumor, smugglcrs had
once maGe merry rendezvous, and where
the black mouth of cave was said to
lead to the bones of drowned people in
Vulnerable. ''But shouldn't at all Won
Ger if we had to stay here until the tide
made it unsafe to 60 back home to-
night Don't fret. I've got some gin
ger cookies in my pocket, aud there's al
ways dry wood up against the rock. And
besides," she added with laugh, 81
know where Asa Litchheld's fishing
friends keep their matches in a little
cubbyholc in the rock. We can make Il
FIRE and eat out cookies, and. Why,