Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-10-28

From the front OF MeghOrn's dwell
ing-place the down, or grass-grown
rock, sloped off gradually to plat
form or terrace below, where were
erected rustic seat or two, and which
thoroughly sheltered by the wall Of
rock, which hid too, from view of the
house, and favored by the warm sun
and soft south breeze, was as pleasant
a resort as any hereaboutG.
Beyond these the cliff fell suddenly
off to the beach, two hundred and fifty
feet below. The wide terrace contin-
ued, for some quarter Of a mile, to the
right, then narrowed, and, by a sud-
den sweep upwards, led to the open
space or downs, crossing which, and
again descending, you reached the viii
lage; though tie nearest, but less safe,
roa.d was by descending a precipitous
natural path among the rocks.
Though the view from the summit
was the finest on the coast, though the
rarest curiosit of the sea-shore had
been found upon it's beach, though it's
bay was smooth as glass, and the
cove as secluded as a bathing-room,
Deepgang was deserted, and the
| lovely Chine desert,
De0DS0ng was haunted!
The storm peopled it enough that
night,
| With deep echoes, out from the very
bowels OF the rock, as if, far within,
some mighty ogre were forging the
vast thunderbclts, and that, as he
opened his forge's mouth to cast them
forth, the red flames leaped out, and
| lighted up sea, earth, and sky-With a
| hundred weird shadoWs-with wall
ing, and bowling, and pitiless beating
! of the storm, that night the Deepgang
was peopled, and alive, as with it's
! own proper inhabitants.
The while, in the deepest corner of
the bay, where the oyerhanging cliff
threw a perpetual shade of midnight
from between the chinks OF some
masses of fallen -glimmered a
fixed light, faint but steady.
"Such folly a-shadin' and a-hidin'
of it, as if one mighn't make a bonfire
o. the church upon the Point, and not
a creetur'd heed it, grumbled man,
as he nevertheless placed the lamp be-
hind an inner niche of the cavern,
where he sat with a companion.
GAS well to be safe, mate; and as
long as you stick to orders, all's fair
sailing as far as it goes.
sOrders!" grumbled the first, replac-
ing in his mouth the pipe he had re-
lighted at the lamp,
eye ha' said ORDERS, but that's not
what | calls 'em; / calls it all just
foolery now
He pulled his pipe till it glowed in
cheerful contrast to himself, for he
was evidently ''put out"
The place where these men wer
seated was a natural cavern in the
rock, which had apparently been
adapted for point of watch; or resort,
or even an occasionl dwelling-place.
From some small projections hung
several coats, caps, and leggings, such
as seafaring men we;sr-a basket or
two, and some nets, of phe fisherman
property style, were there; some oars
and SOULS leaned in q corner-cook-
ing utensils, with brazier of ingited
charcoal, were in a recess that gave
by some crevices upon the sea; on an
and, resting each an elbow upon the
shelf, their feet stretched towards the
brazier, sat the men, with pipe IN
mouth.
They were dressed in the ordinary
attire of fishermen, but, in addition.
each wore broad, thick, belt about
his loins, to which was attached
short cutlass; their coats
were off, and their brawny shout
ders, in red wooden shirts, covered by
a loose rug Of shaggy blue; a similar
article half hungfrom a ham mock sus-
pended overhead.
'.You said ORDERS" calculated the
man who had first spoken; he took the
pipe from his mouth, laid it slowly on
the rude table beside him, and, lean
inghis hands upon his knees, bent for
ward, as he addressed his cOmpan-
ion
'sSimeon Foulkes, if you could re-
member, as / do, the times when we
stood on deck of our Own-ay, OF as
fine a bit of timber as ever were af1oat
if you'd seen her, colors flying, and
set sails spangling along, like cloud
afore the nd-fve-and-twe fine
boarded a enemy"
His voice grew louder and his eyes
cleaned, while he continued to speak
more rapidly
e'Her decks like a bit o. driven snow,
not ropes end awry-taut and trim
as a maid on her wedding-day; why,
her very guns shone again! | say,
Simeon Foulkes, if you'd known what
it was to walk the seas abroad that
brig, and second only in command to
hin-well, you'd say, as | do, O. this
here milk-and-watery, hide-and-seek,
stay at-home business, --foolery,
you say and that's all about it,"
He returned to his former attitude,
took up his pipe, and relapsed into 81
/ lence.
"Oh!" said his mate, II have heard
all that before a pity. Wonder
what made him give up such stir
ring course Of things?"
''Idon't know, no mor'nyou. Itcome
over him when first he took to COM
ing ashore too much, that's what al
ways said it were. Spoilt me too, for
| II ~ ~ ~ a l.,