Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-05-11

by ANNIE MARY BELL.
anchor Cottage, stillworth,

am writing myself happy at the ex-
pense OF truth. ! am really enjoying
myself, and feel very cOntented with
my lot just now. l know that accord
ing to human experience such a feeling
will not last, and, when the novelty
and change have worn away, | shalt
begin to sigh after lost pleasure; but
that Is still To come. | have settled
down very easily to the rural isolation
and %quietness of Stillworth, which
plainly denotes the fact that. il you
have taken u stately grdndmere, 1
cave most certainly taken after placid
aunt Prissy, for she and | are living to-
yether like two amiable tabbies.
"Stillworth Is everything to be de-
sired, and In no way falls short of my
expectations. / shall not attempt to
describe 1t with my pen; but | have al
ready heaps Of sketches with which
from time to time / shall deluge you.
1 believe gave you an outline of my
ambitious venture, The Fisher-Lad,'
which ! had commenced in town. /
have discovered "A most desirable mod
ell, and | have great hopes of being able
to finish the picture soon. All this
m%eandering is far apart from my de-
termination to give you a full and par
ticular account of all events, so / will
get back To the commencement and
give you full details.
"On that same Wednesday, then,
that saw ms parted with placid aunt
PriSsy and our discreet handmade Han
nah, after a journey of about four
hours, found myself at Elcomb Station.
Having mace arrangements for u
luggage To be sent Oh, we were con-
veyed in an antediluyian vehicle to
Anchor Cottage.
Anchor Cottage is very diminutive;
but its resources were revealed as time
went on, and We are now very com
Portable. We went to bed early that
night to sleep off the effects of our Jolt
ing, and the next morning | was out
and exploring the neighborhood at 8
O'Clock. Can you, most lazy Of mortals,
imagine itY How enjoyable it was as
j rambled on, with a delightful sense
Of freshness and pleasure in everything
] saw! The strong invigorating breeze
sent the "A on the beach In little
ripples OF foam. played its will with
my hair, and in one ~unguarded moment
carried away my hat. Even this did
not stop my enjoyment, for, making an
imprOmptu bonnet with my handker-
chief, / continued TO fight my way
against the wind, stopping only now
and again TO watch some new object OF
interest.
Meanwhile time was getting m, and
aunt Prissy would be waiting break
fast; so | determined to hasten back. |
Don discovered that had lost my way,
and in which direction To turn to reach
Anchor Cottage | had not the faintest
notion; SO | left the cliffs and made to-
ward "A group Of fishermen who were
standing together on the beach near an
overturned boat.
They turned to me as | paused near
them. and II young fellow who VAS
leaning against the boat, smoking a
disreputable black pipe, Strengthened
himself up, and raised one hand as
though TO remove his cap; but, with "a
lazy sort of "A smile, he fell back into
his old position, and took the pipe from
his mouth instead.
Il moved up closer. and after ex-
changing Good morning with them,
inquired the way 10 Anchor Cottage.
want Widow Miccles's cottage, do
you, miss?' asked II g~ruff-voiced
man. You've come a long way from
there
"'Oh, dear!' | said vexedly, for l was
beginning To feel the effects of my
ramble.
"'You see that black speck over
there, MISS the man went on. We'll,
Widow Miccles lives near about there
Il heaved a heavy sigh at this intor-
nation.
(which is the nearest way2' l asked
YEARLY.
"The fisherman began to point out to
me, when the young fellow interrupted
with
81 can take you there in a boat if
you're tired, miss - in "a peculiar
twanging voice.
could you2' | exclaimed joyfully.
Il should be so thankful!'
"'It's easy enough-I'm going that
way and he turned to the sea, IN Of
the men following to help him with the
boat.
The old fisherman who had first
spoken to me looked after him, and
then grinned at his companions, as if
something had vastly amused him.
The others grinned in return, and one
stuck his tongue in his cheek; but, see
ing that / was looking ut him, he an
nounced very gravel that the boat was
ready.
1T did not look ready, to my eyes,
being too far away from the shore; but
| did not display my nautical knowl-
edge by saying SO. The young fisher
man who was To be my boatman was
standing in the water by the side of
the boat. When | approached he waded
out.
"'You will have TO be carried he
said laconically. Saunders. hold the
boat-Ill bring the young lady,
without more ado, he caught me up
rs though | were a baby, and the next
minute | was safely in the boat.
THANK YOU | said gaspingly, being
rather fiustered by this summary pro-
Push Off" cried my boatman,
clambering in.
Accordingly two of the men pushed
us of; and, with a Good morning,
miss from each, we started on our
short voyage:
Sitting facing my boatman, and
studying his very handsome face, l was
filed with a longing to have him as "a
wished just then for pencil and paper,
fore me, rowing with steady strong
strokes! The dark determined face
was exactly what l wanted. l Won
dered whether he knew how well the
dark-blue guernsey and high sea-boots
he wore suited his fine athletic figure,
and what "A firm round throat the low
guernsey left displayed. Having
noticed the dark fearless eyes and Wa
w black hair, l next turned my atten-
ton to his hands. Long supple-lOoking
MANNERS thew were. and on one finger
q ring of some sort gave out a very
bright flash as it caught the suns rays.
Seeing me looking at it, the young fell
low drew one hand Over the other very
quickly, thus turning the ring round
before | could see what stone was in 1t.
He might have done it without any in
tention to balk my curiosity; but l
could not think so; and, feeling slight
ly snubbed, / turned my attention to a
small vessel We We're passing, and
which / had seen from the cliffs
"'Do you know what ship that tsp I
asked.
"'That's a yacht"
@'Ah! Is it? Do you know to whom
1t belongsp'
"'Mr. Raleigh Hayes. l belong to it,
"'One of the crew. l said compre-
hendingly. What is its nameY' / in
Quired next.
81 believe your eyes are sharp
enough to find out was the somewhat
startling answer that / received.
"'Did you say that because | looked
at you just nowY'I asked, in my usual
blunt style.
"He looked Mt me for a second, with
= slight deepening of his color.
~tYou cqrtainlv can atara hard , ba