San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-11

known to tourists, is the little island
named Uffa. Between the two lies n
strait or roost, two miles and half
broad. with dangerous current that
sets in from the north. Even on tho
calmest day there are ripples and swirls
and dimples on the surface Of the roost
which suggest hidden influences, but
when the wind blows from the west and
the great Atlantic waves choke up the
inlet and meet their brethren which have
raced round the other side of the island,
there is such seething and turmoil that
old sailors say they have never seen the
like. God help the boat that is caught
there on such day!
My father owned one-third part of the
Island of Uffa, and was born and bred
there. Ny father had been enabled to
send me to begin the study of medicine
at the University of Glasgow, and had
attended lectures there for two winter
sessions, but whether from caprice or
from some lessening in his funds, he had
recalled me, and in the year eighteen
hundred and sixty-fve | found myself
cribbed up in this little island with
just education enough to wish for more,
and with no associate at home but the
grim, stern old man, for my mother had
been dead some years, and had neither
brother nor sister.
There were two youths about my own
age in the island, Geordie and Jock
Gibbs, but they were rough, loutish fell
lows, good hearted enough, but with no
ideas above fishing and farming. More
to my taste was the society of Minnie
Fullarton, the pretty daughter of old
Fullarton, of Corriemaius. We had been
children together, and it was natural
that when she blossomed into a buxom,
fresh faced girl, and | into square
shouldered, long legged youth there
should be something warmer than friend
ship between us. Her elder brother was
corn chandler in Ardrossan, and was
said to be doing well. so that the match
was an eligible one, but for some reason
my father objected very strongly to our
intimacy and even forbade me entirely
to meet her. laughed at his commands,
for was hot headed, irreverent young
ster, and continued to see Minnie, but
when it came 10 his ears it caused many
violent scenes between rs, which nearly
went the length Of blows We had
quarrel of this sort just before the equi-
noctial gales in the spring of the year in
which my story begins, and | left the
old man with his face flushed and his
great bony hands shaking with passion
while | went jauntily off to our usual
trysting place. | have often regretted
since that was not more submissive,
but how was to guess the dark things
which were to come upon us?
The wind was blowing freshly from
the northwest, and the great Atlantic
rollers were racing merrily in, one be-
hind the other, dark brown below, light
green above, and breaking with sullen
roar at the base of the cliffs. Now and
again sluggish one would be overtaken
by its successor, and the two would
come crashing in together and send the
spray right over me as lay. The whole
air was prickly with the smack of the
sea. Away to the north there was pill
ing up of clouds, and the peak of Goat
fell in Arran looked lurid and distinct.
There were no craft in the offing except
one little eager, painting steamer making
for the shelter of the Clyde, and trim
brigantine lacking along the coast.
was specializing as to her destination
when | heard light, springy footstep,
and Minnie Fullarton was standing be-
side me, her face rosy with exercise and
her brown hair floating behind her.
"Wha's been vexing you, Archie?" she |
asked with the quick intuition of wom-
anhood. 'sThe auld man has been speek-
ing ABBOTT me again; has he nor"
1t was strange how pretty and mellow
the accents were in her mouth which
came so raspingly from my father. We
sat down on a little green hillock to-
gether, her hand in mine, while | told
her of our quarrel in the morning.
"You see they're bent on parting us"
said; "but indeed they'll find they have
the wrong man to deal with if they try
to brighten me away from you"
"Tm not worth it, Archie" she an
swered, signing. I'm over namely and
simple for one like you that speaks well
and is a scholar forbye.
"A bad NIGHT for the puir sailors" she
continued sadly, glancing at the dark
wreck hurrying up from the northward,
and at the white line of breakers on the
Winner sands. 81 wonder what yon
brig is after. Unless it gets round to