The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-20
THEDEW MARSHES.
CHAPTER I.

lelSureiy began 10 Hi my DTlaT, scanning
meanwhile the letters painted on the stern
land what a monster of gun!
/ had seen nothing larger heretofore than
an eightbore fowling-}ieee; aud the sight OF
the 6-foot barrel, with muZZe as wide as
half-pint tumbler filed me with astonsh-
ment II was fitted to a stock of like pro-
portions, and the shape of an ordinary
shoulGer-gun, and rested in groove IN the
bows, reaching almost from end to end OF
the li:tle craft Goliath of Gath when upon
the warpath would have shouldered just
such weapon. if ii had then been invented;
but | came to the conclusion that The gun
was far TOO cumbersome to be used to adj
vantage 10y tie average human being
| found afterward that for every duck or
ployer slain by my gun, after hours of
patient watching in the dikes of the marsh,
Abraham Rjchie's leyiathan would strike
down scores with ease. ! had the pleasure
Of trying it in after days and on one of these
occasions, after the Tecoi had. as usual.
driven the little fiat-botIomed vessel several
feet backward ] padded forward to find no
fewer than thirteen widgeOn lying dead
upon tie tide But am anticipating.
The marshes of the Dee estuary are OF
considerable extent. ard of Burton, near
Chester they cover almost the whole Of the
three miles of riYer-bed that divides the
FintShiTe and Cheshire coasts at this point.
They are the night haunt OF numerous wild
fowl that fl, Quent the river; and often dur
ing tie season had l tramped over from
Flint 20 take up nv watch with the Wild
foWerS in tile hOilOws which the tides have
eXcavated in the marsh. 4 fisherman had
pointed out a spot where the Deep-a chan
mel 10y which shipping passes to and from
Chester and Connahs Quay could be
safely forded at low water; and. equipped
with a pair Of tall boots, | found that
/ could reach the Cheshire side with but lit
tie Inconvenience. | had heard many stories
cf Abraham'S wholesale slaughter OF wild
fowl while upon MY lighting expeditions.
How Abraham. the elder, who now lay in
Burton churchyaTd, had established him.
self up0n the farm now occupied by Aba,
the younger, by ringing the stalls OF the
Liverpool poulteTeTS with wild birds; and
how the younger str0Ve faithfully TO follow
in tie fathers footsteps ty engaging III mid
night excursions IN little white canoe,
whereby the mkcaIt which ratified out OF
the faTmyard in the early hours OF the
morning frequently carried an additional
burden, and Aba's banking account grew
apace.
When | discovered the canoe, was re-
turning from a b0OtlesS expedition, which
had used up tie greater portion OF Satur-
day afternoon. but this nd not mind. l
was fond of solitude, and the change from
the stuny bank in which | spent ny work
ing hours 10 the pTarIe-lke marshes over
run by the fresh breeZes Of the Irish sea,
was grateful indeed.
As l concluded my inspection, and was
turning TO 60 home, l noticed that The
numerous sheep which had been widely
scattered over the marsh were closing into
large fiOcks, while black sheep-d0g, which
IN the distance looked exactly like a flying
crow, was darling with great rapidity in the
direction Of some distant Straggiers. At The
same moment | became aware Of female
TON 4 rfr rrs~HN nm
bankment, which was pushed ont over the
marshes in a fruitless and expensive at
tempt 10 win some OF the broad acres for
cultivation. She vas watching he motions
Of the dog. and my route lay directly past
the spot where she was standing. l no
ticed that her appearance was attractive,
but IS drew nearer felt that such term
would be a very inadequate description Of
this enchanting nymph Of the marshes.
Her sweet girii>h face was lighted by
wonderful gray eyes, shaded now by a little
white hand, as she looked away westward
10 where the laggards were returning Ia a
luddled, respondent little group. While the
dog, with tail erect, moved right and left
behind hls charges. after the manner Of a
vessel lacking against a headwind. There
was an air Cf refinement about her not
usually found In SheDherdesses in real life
and. as the rays Of the departing god Of day
streamed up the river and lighted on her
graceful figure, they bathed ii in an I'M
earthly radiance.
| had many times noticed that the sheep
upon the marsh were brand d "a. R., and
Oh the strength OF this fact | boldly dotted
my 'Shanter" and asked Miss Richie" If
she knew when it would be high water, and
further, whether she thought l might safely
cross 10 Flint. Our conversation scarcely
lasted moment, however, tor directly aft
er~ard broad-shouldered homeSpun indi-
vidua. who vas appealed to as father, and
WHO had directed more than one sharp
glance at me as he approached, gave me the
desired information. When, after more
conversation and more searching glauces,
Abraham invited NE to go no TO the house
and drink dish of tea with him, did not
refuse
l found that the ether members of the
household consisted Of Mrs Richie, very
BUSY lady OF matroniy aspect; q red-arm
servant girl, with lilac-printed gown and
wooden paitens, that claeked loudly as she
walked; younger abigail. with red cheeks
and beady black eyes; and a midde-aged
and melancholy looking cowman, who
glanced surlljy up as we passed through the
yard that led 10 the side door Of the SUBJ
stantial farm house.
The name Of the last men tionpd individual
was, alteTWard learned, Yethert; and this
strange appellation served both as Christian
name and q surname. Why "Yethert" or
who gave him that name no one appeared TO
KNOW. lie had strayPd into Abraham's
service from the harvest field nearly seven
years previous to my acquaintance with the
family. aud no one had deemed il neceg-
sary TO make any very pressing inquiry
as TO his antecedentS. | mentioned his
strange taciturnity TO Abraham once. and
be replied carelessly that bis cowmap was a
queer ould sort, but he was as honest as
they make them; adding, with laugh,
- ana ee's a real Cheshireman, If Won shook
him up, you'd hear the beans and buttermiik
rattle-and that's sure sign of a Cheshire
man all the world over"
Tea was served in the well-furnished din
lng-room overlooking the river and the fair
landscape beyond; and in the hour which
followed i learned much Of the WAYS and
wiles OF the wild fowl, and [ found. too.
that a an only daughter. Miss Richie had
received an education superior to what
might nave been expected of young lady
IN her position. When left / carried with
me general invitation to call any time that
/ was over that way, and vision that
haunted me as l had never been haunted
before.
/ paid many visits TO the marshes after
that, but brought home fewer birds than
ever, and my little Welsh landIady. who.
on the strength Of a long acquaintance, oc-
casionaly addressed me in unstudied
phraseol0gy. would assume a look Of some
thing approaching disgust when she saw me
take down the weapon of the chase and
begin TO fill my belt with cartridges.
" hat for do You 90 out in the night air.
MT Graham, when y0n bring nothing back
with you but cold ?" she burs. out on one
OCCASION But. indeed, you will come back
drowned some fine night-mark my words,
if you don't. You will. for sure!"
Despite these encouraging predictions. I
would sally forth as usual; and later In the
evening my breecbloader would be resting
Id the cosy ingIe Of the house, whose distant
Eight seemed to beckOn me like a ray of hone
over the wastes that lay between.
30 day followed dap until certain event
fnl Saturday drew near The following
Monday was to witness sheep-was hing mon
grand scale on the marsh, and as had
expressed desire to witness what was 10
me novel sight, Abraham, with Character
lstic Kindness, invited me to spend the Sun
day and Monday under his roof You'll
have TO come round by rail. though. my lad -