Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-05-19
A. r. SMALL

II was wild. winter night Clouds. al
most sweeping The earth with their trail
ing robes, >cudded acros, the leaden sky
with the swlftne>s OF the wind, and al.
ready tiny snow flakes were spitefully
borne downward on the fierce blast OF the
rising wind. The sea, even more threat
ening than the sky. seethed and boiled In
Its mad fury and Numbered sgainst the
barren coast of little unprotected island.
and threw its frozen spray to the tree
tops-yes. even TO the windows Of little
cottage which stood upon the verge of
this desolste shore.
The interior OF the cottage showed sign.
OF sickness and poverty. The only habit
able room was dimly lighted by flicker
ing candle which stood upon high man
tel, beneath which smouldering fire
burned upon the CRATE. Ever and anon,
a. gust of wind more penetrating than
usual shook the house, the fire would start
into dim blaze, and again, with the wind.
slowly sink away. A table and a few
in one corner was low bed upon which
rested the form of a woman Want and
suffering were plainly depicted upon tha,
once beautiful face, and as the Pickering
ligh, OF the candle played upon her fes-
lures, il was not difficult thing 10 deter
mine that she was very ill.,
Beside the sick woman, and holding her
hand between her own, sat a beautiful yirl.
the counterpart of what her mother might
have been al seventeen years Of age A
look Of solcitude and fear was plainly
visible In the young girls eyes-solci-
tude for her suffering mother; fear that
on this terrible night her mother should
die away OF here on this bleak. desoate
shore; ard She alone. No human soul
could be found nearer than the opposite
side Of the island, and on such night as
this, with the specter's cave directly IN the
wooded path, she shuddered at the very
thought. Could she ever brave such an
undertaking! On just such nights as
this the specter always kept his lonely
vigils upon the towering, es-washed
boulders, and she knew,-she felt how
those glaring eyes would glitter from the
rock beside her, even If the darkness was
S impenetrable that she could not see him.
She grew cold at the thought. II could
never do it," she whispered, 'even If
could find my way through the drifts of
snow" Hearinp O low moan from 49,
mother who had sunk into a troubled
sleep, she noticed how much paler and
thinner she had grown Of late. IN do it,
I'll do it," she muttered. IL will procure
assistance; believe can nnd the way if
go at once before the storm grows wilder"
Going to her mother she awakened her
and told her what she had resolved to do
mo, my child" the mother said in a
weak, feeble voice. wait until morning
and then if assistance does not come to US
you may go. l can never consent for you
to undertake such journey on such a wild
night. and, besides. you know the path will
lead you directly past the specter's cave.
1t was just such a night ten years ago,
Mabel, that your father was lost in the
same path. Whether he was captured by
the smugglers that occasionally frequent
this island, or wandered from the path and
fell into the sea, has never been deter
mined. Mabel, you may share the same
morning at least"
| mo, dear mother" answered Mabel, her
eyes cleaning with her brave resolve,
nothing will befall me, l will promise to
return to you in safety. so do not try to
dissuade me from my purpose" Throw
| ing few sticks Of wood on the fire, and
preparing her mothers medicine, she i'm.
printed kiss on her mothers brow, drew
her cloak closely about her. and went out
into the night and storm.
| The wind had arisen and the storm that
had been brewing all day hsd now broken
in all its mad fury. The trees bowed and
swayed in the breeze with cIeaking sounds,
and the snow, falling rapidly, was gather
ed up by the wind into huge drifts. Draw
ing her cloak closer about her shivering
form, aud averting her head TO the cutting
snow, Mabel slowly plodded her way
across the open space about the house, and
into the sheltered path where she was
forced to stop and take breath, stumbling
on through drift after drift of snow,
sometimes upon the very verge of the ex'
posed coast where she clung to the shrub.
berry for support.
None but person familiar with every
foot of the ground could have kept the
path; but her feet had trod this narrow
winding path almost daily since childhood
| On she went past the specter's cave, where
only the bowling of the storm and the
laundering of the waves could be heard
on, until in the distance she saw light
the most welcome sight that had ever glad
deped her lonely life. Tired and footsore
she gained the door OF the cabin at last
made known her errand. and, having re-
ceiyed promise of the old sailor and his
| wife to come to her mothers aid. she sci
ont on her homeward journey.
Mabel had reached the specters cave and
vas on the very point Of congratulatins