People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-01-05
Excellent idea, my son. Wen do

wish to do?"
why, it seemed to me that, as we
shall return to New York soon, ii
would be very pleasant thing if we
took Miss Johnson back with us for q
little visit"
Capital! Don't say a word, captain.
We will not take no for an answer.
Your daughter must travel with us for
4 week or two and then make us a
visit in New York. | confess I'm tired
of the beach. Suppose we take Miss
johnson to Saratoga with us to-mor-
row."
Mai johnson came slowly back from
the village along the shore path. The
night was calm and pleasant and the
tide was low. The level sands left bare
by the retreating waters lay black
under the quiet night, silent and ex-
pectant The sea would come back,
and the abundant life that dwelt there
waited patiently for the waters that
would bring food and shelter. In
some vague fashion the night, the bare
stretches of sand and piles of rocks
festooned in rock-weed dimly seen
under the stars, oppressed her.
There seemed to be shadow spreading,
half seen, half felt, over her young
life-a something advancing from the
unknown.
A languid breeze stirred the salt
grass by her path, and the air was frag-
rant with the breath of the sea. A
wave broke over the low rocks some-
where on the edge of the shoals The
tide had turned. The waters were
again advancing to cover the land. BY
some odd connection OF ideas she re-
membered how the young flood crept
over the wet sands on the shoal\ She
had many time, as a child, ST Nper-
haps with bare legs at the vert erge
of low tide and seen the first az pc
ings of the flood, seen the water TNn
with tiny fits and starts over the san \ i
gaining little here and little there,
submerging a blanched shell and
trimming little pool where the green
sea-lettuce waved its beautiful leaves
in the limpid water. So it might be in
her young life. 1t had been fair and
calm, with youthly pleasures slowly
melting into womanly joys without a
thought of stress or trial. She had
grown up with Cam. He had been as
brother to her, and now he was to
be more than brother. Even now
she held in her hand letter from him.
She must hasten home and read it, and
forget these dull forebodings born Of
the night and the tide.
At the door she met her father.
Come in, Mai. More'n ordinary
COINS on since you went away. That
lady and the Judge her husband, have
been here, and they are going home to
New York and want you to go with
them for visit. The ladys quite set
on it; and as for the Judge, he wouldn't
hear word but You must CO."
"Go to New York, father! How can
l? What would Sam say should he
come home and find had goneaway?"
81 guess you could get back most as
soon as he does. 1t would do you good,
Mai. They are real nice folks, and
were so set on your goin' that | said l
guessed you'd go; and they seemed real
pleased about it."
I've letter from Sam. Let me
read it and see when he is coming back.
Why, he sent this ashore at Woods
lIoll! They are going as far east as
Mount Desert, and then-yes, then
they sail direct for New York"
IL declare, Mai, it's comm out Just
right. 'Iou go with the Judges folks.
and when Sam gets to New York he
can call and bring you hum"
sam says it will be in about three
weeks. if the wind is fair and there's
not much fog"
Just bout the time you'd be think
in of comm back. Never seen things
work so slick. Pm real glad / told the
Judge you would go. He says they
would like to start tomorrow after
noon"
'Tve never been to New York,
father"
do you good, Mai, to see something
of the world. | can get along first
rate till you come home Mrs. Glass
will run over every day and look after
the house while you're away"
The young girl sat for some time
gazing intently at the little lamp on
the table. 1t seemed as II something
new had appeared in her life. A
rising tide of curiosity, pleasure,
and anticipation had crept into her
heart, stirring new thoughts and new
desires, awakening new ambitions.
Was this lonely spot of land all in the
world to her? We're there not other
things besides the homely duties of
the light, the simple interests of the
little village? Why should she not ac-
cept this chance to see the greater
world of towns? Why should she not
have something Of the experience that
other girls she had met had passed
through? She had one short glimpse
of city life years ago when she visited
Providence. She saw and appreciated
the advantages that women like Miss
Boylston had enjoyed. Why were not
such things for her? To her surprise,
she found new awakening in her
own heart and mind, as If in some