The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-29

i ran away from him then. But now IL was
different. lie had been off the island. and
my heart was on fire to get OFT the island,
too.
$50 I didn't run away when he followed
me from church. And l said I'd go down
though | knew father wouldn't like il.
seein' he was half a stranger. and though 1
most hated my self for 1t when l thought OF
William.
how l stood all the Drag that young man
started out with. Generally that sort of
thing made me h~ot-tempered. But seems
TO me 1 was bewltched ont of my reason.
He tod me about his business in n big dry
goods store; the money he took in. and the
salary he had, and how he could coax the
ladies that shopped with him. and sell
more goods than the best man In the place.
lie showed me his geld watch, and told me
about his bank account. and what a bne
house he meant to build some day. And
from that he began to tell what fine things
the Newport ladies ~wOre-they used to
have these summer folks over there long
before they came here. And hnally, says
he. oh. Clarie. how I'd like to see you IN q
silk dress like l could pick out for youv
Then l was angry. and l told him II my
dress was not good enough for him he conld
go down to the shore alone: men ne was
all drunkenness. and began TO heap on the
~fiattery so thicklit makes my face burn now.
old as / be. to think that l bore It.. But l
believe then | just craved IL; and drank IL
In as q thirsty man drinks water, ne
hadn't expected I'd he so easy pleased. and
1t pulled him up the more.
w got. down into a nook below the
cliff, and then he talked and l listened. 1t
was a dreamy afternoon. The sea SHIN
mered. there was a silver haze along the
skyline. A s~ong-sparrow came and sat
upon a bit of driftwoOd. and sang as II he
would call spirits out of the sea- But Tor
all | felt these things. l was, IN fancy,
walkin' under the eim-trees over In New
nnrf mud aaalnO the RhlnlnQ CATTlAReS.
and the ladies in silks and lawns, that En-
ory told of. And i let him 90 on and on.
till presently he was declarln 1t was me
and me only he'd come back to see. and
that he should soon be a rich man. and
would give me all the money and all the
luxury Pd ask for. So there was my
chance to get of the island. 1t was laid
right at my feet"
'But you didn't take that chance, MISS
Searlesg"
Strangel That silver haze along the sky
line seemed to shut ont my William as If
he'd never been. There was a spell in that
day
"What broke 1T"
"The tide. First / knew it was right at
our feet. The cliff was steep for a good
way along there, and the cove we were In
was higher than the beach either way from
it. / jumped to my feet. and then L guess
nv common sense came back.
Hurry said l. We shall have to wade
to get out from here!
W looked around the corner the way
we had come, and there wasn't q dry foot
hold. He seemed kinder bewildered. L
made him take oil his Moe patent-leather
shoes. and l gathered them mp In my dress
skirt. 1 had to 20 first and fairly pull him
through. The sun dropped into the mist,
and the world gloomed over. A cold wind
came. The water began to swirl against
the cliff, and then it sucked back and
rolled the pebbles with a long rattle down
fIn ATTAIN haaNh ME- ran "a II fell and
chung to the rocks as it came on. so we
got ashore, wet as rats. and he was psevish
about his spoiled clothes.
Mother was good 10 him and gave him
dry clothes. and he stayed all the evening.
/ laughed at aim and tormented him. and
vet he said be should come again next Sun
day.. and so ne did,
What happened them,
What had happened before theni Things
that made him seem no more to me than q
fy buzzing on the wall. First. there was
the storm that scared me so about William.
and then there came the news that even
most made me forget him."
What newsf'
.Oh, of the w II; of the fall of Sumter. If
you weren't alive TO know how it came to
folks in New England nobody can ever tell
you. 1t struck us right out OF the old lazy.
selfish life. That Saturday night the
church bell was ringing and the people
were f1ocking from every house. and they
weren't as ever L saw them before. There
were folks with set lips that mostly went
with mouths agape. the s~toopin'est forms
were Strengthened up and the dullest faces
were alive. There was no common talk
about health and the weather. Greater
things were in mind. The meetin' was to
talk about the war. and TO pray about 1t.
and TO pass resolutions.
I'VE didn't know fathers boat was in till
we saw him and William come into the
meetin' with their tishin' clothes on, Just as
they'd come from the ship.
al aaiA watd hean atrnck ont nf aelfah-
ness. But when / laid eyes on William, not
all the war could keep me from JOY to see
him alive. And the next minute not my
whole country could keep me from heart
eyes of his were'like live Goals. and his
cheeks were drawn in. 1t was the sign of
resolve with him. Hadn't he always been
ready TO jump into every breach that
opened near himf
lied never once looked at me since he
came in. My heart seemed TO stand still
when. right after the minister stopped
speakin'. William stood up. and said he.
loud and clear, If they want men to whip
the rebels. here's one,
There was a little stiffness. and then
one and another of the boys got M. saying.
Here's another and Here's another till
the men began to cheer. .
There were some more speeches after
that, but l d didn't hear one word of 'em.
Only when we sang My Country, tits of
| Thee my senses came back. | told you /
used TO feel this little island was outside
our country. But now the country seemed
to come and take il In and fill IL, SOS that
it's seemed larger and fuller of life to ME
ever since.
when the meeting broke MP. there was
Emory Bartlett waiting In the v~estibule.
He had q blue necktie TO set off his fair
| skin, and q white handkerchief with some
sweet perfume on il was stickin out of his
vest pocket. His arm was crooked to take
me home. William had stayed behind to
talk with the men. l did not take Emory's
arm. but he walked along with us talking
as easy as ever.
You country folks says he. are maxim
a great fuss about this. The United Safe,
III send a few reg'lars down there and settle
it very quick. There's no need for all this
talkin' and singin' and vOlunteerin'.
"Sba'n't you volunteer says /.
mo says he. Then he tried to be sen.
tImental. and asked: Did i want him shotf'
/ could most have said yes if I'd felt like
answerin' back.
~ can't afford to sacrifice my business
Just now for any make-show of patriotism. :
says he. Il shall just stay at homo and
tend to it,
Just then who should come up behind
us but fa~tner-all out of breath with hurry
and excitement. And he spoke out IN q
hOarse voice over my shoulder: Who's
that that can talk sense when all the
worlds gone madF