The Washington times., 1894-07-15

not follow me about like my dog-in fact. he
does not follow me at ail-and he is veryquiet
and reserved However. he is coming down
here with my father this afternoon; he shall
take me out sea-fishing when he comes; the
girls are not good sailors. and it is dull to go
alone. Maur ce will be here by that time and
two more young men from the barracks, who
are coming partly for the tennis tournament
and partly TO make love TO Muriel, who is a
most abomnable coquette.
Our lodgings are on the cliff close to the
sen. A zigzag path leads down upon the
rocks. Our rooms are very dear aud very
dirty. They get dirtier every day; seaside
lodgings are very irritating. The bedroom
witch l share with Millicent smells of
shrimps and mildew. Our chest Of drawers
wobbles and the wood has warped. That
chest of drawers is sermon on tact and a
lesson in patience. You must vancouver and
coax this sort OF furniture. Once grow an
noyed and you are lost, for when the drawers
come out with a run they come out wholly,
and stay out.
Our dainty water Jug holds meager pint
of water; the basin is shallow; the towels are
flbrous and small; the bath is frying pan:
the window rattles all night long; the bed IS
not filed with potatoes, as l was led to
fancy. bur scantily stuffed with hay and flock.
Millicent and have stormy times there to-
gether, very stormy times-if the looking
pIitS5 ID Oulf uUll lOOl SuudIc ana ClOuuy
there is no reason why she should monop-
olize it.
There is wind enough to-day to blow your
head of as well az your hat
"If tempers are surly
With getting up early
And tempers are short in the morning."
1t is no wonder that a spirited family should
have difference of opinion. We have had
more than differences OF opinion: we have had
a daracfia riot with n violeDt cOupuei0n
1t happened in this wise.
The sea was rough; SO rough indeed that the
bathing woman herself, to the loss of her daily
bread, advised us to forego our intended
bath: but we had not risen at seven o'clock
in the morning for nothing. We do not care
for advice. noHdo We shrink from danger. We
are courageous. ..--......i
Still. as we stood in the break OF the waves
holding on to our ropes for dear life and try
ing to preserve our footing, when We were
buffeted and beaten, when the breakers
dashed spray into our faces. when our feet
were cut as the force of the water drew the
shingle from beneath them, when the cold
wind whistled in our ears, don't know
which Of us enjoyed herself, but own that
did not.
My sister Melanie is thin and fragile; she
likes to be thought delicate-as matter of
tact she is not robust-so when a great wave
came rolling In like n green mountain, and
leapinS over her head. dealt her blow on
the chest which rolled her down among the
pebbles, che thought her last hour had come.
As soon as her head was out of the water she
shrieked, let go the rope. and throwing up
her arms behaved as though she was making
an effort to get drowned
cannot swim. but was near ber, so I
plunged her way, and gripping her by the
hair tugged her to her feet. As she was too
frightened to stand firmly, the next incom-
ing wave knocked her down for the second
time. Sne dragged me over, too, and, as 1.
was screaming at her when fell. swal-
lowed a quart OF salt water and q peck Of
sand.
MeIanie's long, lean arm clutched me round
the neck like vise.- handicapped thus l
could not regain my footing. The retreating
wave sucked the shingle from beneath US
we were drawn out. Melanie's panic was in
fectious; my shrieks Joined hers, and were
only silenced by dashing column OF water,
which broke upon US, and then lifting us on
its breast as though we were globules instead
Of women, rushed OF with rs inland. This