The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-05-15

blow most violently, we literally flew
along the water. The sensation was
overpoweriug, exhilarating, and deeply
exciting. sat very still, but the sight
of the glttering water, over which we
passed with such breathless rapidity,
the desperate sense of having let go of
any slight hold we possessed of the ele
ments, caused me for some moments
TO close my eyes.
"There was whistling, keen cry in
the wind, and we were hurled along by
sheer force of the current of air and
water Opening my eyes, | was sud-
denly aware of change in the scene.
An ominous blackness lay on the water
Immediately around our little boat.
The sun still shone at distance, but
We seemed in night. The cry of the
wind was raised to wild shrek, the
water rose unanimously, the fierce gale
came down one of those 'chines,' as
the Devonshire folk call them--one of
those narrow clefts between two hills.
The sky, too, had changed; the sail al
most struck the water; rain and sleet
fell abundantly.
Just before this change of weather
| had been saying to Mr. Froude, l
cnhll nCNGl DClCNC llldl Il ndNC DOtn
here-it is all like dream to me--this
experience And my companion had
said, You are like the lady who saw a
ghost in her dream and would not be-
lieve in it. Shall l grasp your arm, and
leave a black mark as sign? or is
there any other way?'
His dark eyes were very close to
me, and l added nervously, o, am
only joking
But he continued, will nothing
remain to you of these sights and i'm
pressions after you leave us?'
"'To me- said, all will remain;
but l despair of ever conveying any
true impression to another
6" He made no reply. The squall re-
peated itself furiously, and we shipped
a good deal of water, the sail again dip.
ping terribly. The little craft could
not be righted. Froude, who still held
the tller ropes, said, with what seemed
to me sardonic smile, and perfectly
unmoved:
care you afraid?' He spoke loudly,
for the roar of the elements made it
needful
81 met his look and said quietly,
Not in the least!' on which he turned
his head from me.
"The storm now grew more violent.
Miss Froude, who was lf.possessed
but very pale, said, go as to be heard:
GO think we are in danger, father
To which the reply, given without a
tinge of emotion, was:
Every likely
at flashed through my mind, with
the strange rapidity that is born of such
moments, that near possibility lay at
hand of our all being drowned-since
the capsizing of a pleasure boat in deep
waters has often led to such an end
saw, in my minds eye, the submerg-
ing of that little unmanageable craft.
l thought, Here is Mr.. Froude, sew.
enty years of age, myself fifty; he not
longing to live, not longing to live
touch him, but with the violent move
ment of the boat felt an inclination to
catch at his arm, but did not. STILL
thought /, 'if we drown it will be to-
gether'; and, conscious myself of en-
tire physical disability, it might, after
all, have been that we should have
chung together in that supreme mo-
ment. 1t takes me more time TO write
this than was allowed for the thoughts
to flash through my mind. For again
Froude's voice said, close to my ear:
care you ready?'
"And something nerved me up to
add distinctly:
"'Quite ready. The place, and the
hour, and the company will do very
well, if ii is to be now and here!'
WWell,' said he, dreamily, if it's
not now It's yet to come-the readiness
is all
"And almost as soon as the words
were spoken the boat righted, the stress
of the storm abated, and we got under
shelter of some rocks.
Then Froude said, coldly, Don't
trust to first impressions, Mrs. Ireland'
And he gave me one of his unfavorable,
searching looks.
"The men pulled the boat up into a
little cove, and we got out while they
put all to rights as well as they could"