The Iola register., 1891-10-09
MOTHER CARErS ROCKS.


Octavia GLAND. in her pink muslin
dress tied here and there with jaunt,
little bows of ribbon and a stray gypsl
hat garlanded with pink poppies turned
around, the very incarnation of radiant
glee.
Mamma" said she, "why should
you grudge me my little holiday
Don't work behind Miss FarRshaw'.
counter all the year like anv African
slaveP Don't lose my very identity
In shirts and puffings, and toit NV fin.
ger ends off with founces and tucks.
Do let me play am a child again, just
this once!'
So this beautiful young Euphrosyne
danced away, leaving only the sweet
echo of her laughter in the gloomy
apartment, and Mrs. GLAND sighed.
''She is so thoughtless, said the
mother. 'tAnd Duncan Ray aud Harry
Bolton are both going on the sailing
party. and somehow / feel as If today
were to be the turning point of her
life. wish she could bring herself to
like Duncan-he's a steady, noble.
souled lad, as his father was before
him, but there isn't much outside show
about him. And Bottoms a dashing
young fellow, Just the sort to attract
any girl. But somehow l 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-home bodies are some-
times gifted with a sort of instinct in
these matters"
The day was all sparkle and SUM-
shine; the excursion steamer, fluttering
with gay flags and the sound of music.
glided majestically along; the sea air
breathed new strength into weary
lungs and touched fevered brows with
alchemic power, and all of those over
tired, oyerworked sewing-girls forgot
for brief while thst life was nothing
more than a treadmill to them.
They laughed, they danced, they
sang; they flung flowers into the water
that fioated around the whselhouse;
they counted the glimmering sails that
leaned up against the horizon, and
finally. when the boat landed at White
Crsgs. they all scattered in various
directions over the silver shingled
beach in merry pursuit of shells, sea-
weed, and pebbles as so many newly
liberated school-children might have
done.
And Octavia GLAND, the prettiest girl
in all the throng, reigued as a sort of
princess among them.
Mother Carey's Cushion?m said she
merrily, echoing the words of an old
salt who was mendiug his nets in a
sunny spot with an old pipe in his
mouth and picturesque, long beard
blowing about in the wind. is that
what they call yonder rock?"
That 'ere's what they balls her b..
lady miss" said the old sailor. his dim
eyes resting with evident appreciation
on Octavia's fresh young lilies and
roses. And well 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
the Mother Carey's chickens as circle
around the point of dark day. when
there's a storm coming up. It's a
round rock near the top-d'ye see?-
with grass and moses growing on 1t,
in a circle like cushion. | and my
sweetheart - as has been dead these
thirty years-climbed up it once. But
we didn't care to stay there long, l tell
We. For the wind howled, and the sea-
gulls shrieked, and the tide roared
like a 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 notw said the
old man. "A quarter of a mile makes
a deal of difference in the looks of
things. Aud them as 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 and 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 as to where the site of their inn
ly Duncan Ray looked around.
: SWhere's Octavia?" he asked.
Every had some answer to
make. Auriette Hall had seen her not
five minutes before; Helen Ray was
ouite 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 10 the
steamer for scent bottle or hand
kerehief.
She'll be here presently" he said.
sIn the meantime let US get the lunch
ready, for there's dark little edge OF
cloud down in the west that the cap
tain saws he don't half like the looks
Of" =,
And where was Octavia Gland sll
this time?
She was springing up the steep and
winding le4ge of rock. quicker and
lighter than auy mountain chamols,
her veil floating back like q white
wreath of mist, an exquisite scarlet dy-
ing her cheek.
I. 'If other people can climb to
Mother Carey's cushion, so can 1,
said dauntless 0ctavia~ keeping her
face resolutely away from the furious
waves that boiled and ragged below,
lest perchance it should render her
piddy. "And bow astonished they will
Be when they see me waving my hand
kerchief to them from that dizzy
peakr
Long before the cold fowls. chicken.
salad, and sandwiches were spread
upon the grass, the captain came up
tbs ste