Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-03-01

ocean in the shape of mammoth
star. Kate had lost her husband and
only child of contagious fever during
the winter, and I was alone during
the absence of my liege lord upon a
business trip to Germany; SO we were
desirous of avoiding the crowds at
gay watering places, and spending q
summer in seclusion and comfort.
Star Point, Kate wrote me in June,
after she had been there three weeks,
was almost a solitude, where we could
sew, read, write and chat without fear
of intrusive visitors, and where sea Dir
could be enjoyed without the necessity
of ten or dozen changes of dress in
one day. So one July morning found
us sauntering along the little strip of
beach between two high rocks, talking
quietly. As we stood looking out upon
the water, calm and sunny, rolling in
with curling waves, there passed us
the prettiest trio I have ever seen.
The central figure was an immense
dog, black and shining, with long
curling hair. Upon each side of him
was q golden-haired boy, of three
years old, dressed only in close-fit-
ting suit of scarlet flannel, which left
the round white arms and legs bare.
The little chubby feet battered by the
side of the great dog, the little hands
holding fast to his shaggy black sides,
till with merry shout the boys
plunged into the water, and swan out
from shore. They were buoyant as
little ducks, sporting in the waves,
and evidently at home there, but the
great dog watched them constantly,
ready to catch either, if the curling
golden hair should sink for moment.
'Did you ever see anything 80
pretty?" I cried.
81 knew you would say so," Kate
answered. 81 have seen them every
morning. They live in the cottage
you see beyond that great with q
young mother as pretty as themselves,
and an old man, who I presume is their
grandfather.
But the occupants of the cottage
were nearer than Kate supposed, for
as she ceased speaking, a suppressed
chuckle behind us made us both look
round with start, to face the pretty
young mother and the venerable old
man, who said respectfully:
"Beg pardon, ladies, for laughing,
but" and broad grin spread over his
whole face, 'those are my boys. This
is my wife, Margie."
Margie blushed and dropped a.cour-
tesy.
John is 80 proud of the boys" she
said, as if apologizing for her hus-
bands tone.
"Well he may be" 1 said; "they are
beautiful children. Are you not'afraid
when they are in the water?''.
"Oh, no; Rover goes with them al
ways, and they were taught to swim as
soon as to walk"
'"The ladies are wondering, Margie,
how you are my wife, and not my
daughter, said the old man. "You
can tell them while go down to the
nets. I'll bring the lads in, if the
ladies will rest after their walk"
MarQie half bashfully led the way to
the cottage, and gave us each seat in
the neat sltting-room. When we we're
near the house we saw that it was a
pleasant sized dwelling, made by
throwing two little cottages into one,
and the furniture and appointments
proved that the occupants were in
easy circumstances. With true coun-
try hospitality, Margie offered us fruit,
cake and milk, and Kate, while eating,
.delicately led the conversation back
to the point where John had left it.
"Well," said Margie, blushing
prettily, "John seems always to think
that it looks odd for me to be his wife,
when I am but twenty four and he has
turned seventy; but nobody that
knows him can wonder at it. You see,
my father lived in the half of this cot.
tage, when it was two houses, and
John Martin, that is my husband,
lived in the other half. / was but a
bit of girl when my mother died,
and I used 10 go with father and
Uncle John, as 1 called him then,
everywhere. They were both fisher
men, as all the men are around here,
and both made enough money to live
on in comfort. But twice week we
took fish to market at M, where the
train stops, four miles inland"
Kate nodded to signify that she
knew the locality mentioned, from
which point we had been driven in a
cab hired at the town. to Star Point.
s'You may have noticed" said Mar.
gle. "a large brick house on the right