Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-11-07

bing now on the crest and now in
the hollow of the waves. His first
thought was that it was seal. He
regretted that he had not his ia
theirs gun beside him and then re-
membcred that to shoot a seal in
the water is bad sport. But this
particular specimen of the phoca
was making fast for the shore.
There was twinkle of bare feet on
the sand, the CLEAN of white
shoulder, and before the onlook er
could gather his wits about him
the sea maid had emerged from the
foam and had disappeared in the de,
serted bathing house on the beach.
The young man stepped down
from the Witch 5 hillock, but it
was some minutes before he could
resume his hook. The sea nymph
had turned aside the current of his
dream. By and by a sweet voice at
his elbow, with little note Of con
descension in it, reused him from
his reverie.
. What are yen reaainga
Adam 0gilvie sprang to his feet.
A maid who had just entered upon
womanhood stood within yard or
twoof him. She was simply dressed,
but there We're about her the air of
gentle birth and the aspect of one
by nature a little shy and proud.
Her hair, still moist from the sea
bath, hung in a fleece of FURNISHED
brown upon her shoulders. OF her
features Ogilvie was at first only
aware of pair of startled eyes, of a
blue like that of the sea. She had
fancied that the form, clad in rough
and well worn tweed, curled up i'll
the hollow Of the sand hill, was that
of some studious herd boy or fisher
lad, and was surprised when a tall
young man suddenly stood erect and
looked at her with dark eyes shin
ing under brent hrows.
Adam lifted his cap and handed
the volume to her without a word.
1t was the Vision of Piers the
Plowman, and within it, where the
page opened most readily, were pen
oiled notes of a rhymed translation
into the strong and homelv speech
which came naturally to his tongue
when he bad left the college forms
for the free air Of the seashore.
The eyes of the girl darted at him
bright, quick look of interest
This, then, was one of those studi-
Gus peasant youths of the north
who, as the saying runs, cultivate
learning on a little oatmeal and
who, with a foot once set on the low
est rung of the ladder, raise them
selves by their own sturdy genius
and perseverance to the highest
places of science and of literature.
She had heard of them in her own
land, but had seen none until now.
They We're almost mythical in her
eyes, like the merlnaids. She, too,
had read and unused and had her
own thoughts, which were not the
thoughts Of the people around her.
She looked again at the comedy
stranger youth, and, in the Scriptur-
al phrase, he found favor in her
sight. She made as if to read the
written lines; but. with the shrink
ing natural to the young versemak-
er, he made an involuntary move
ment TO restrain her and then hated
himself for the act Thinking bet
ter of her intention, she merely re-
turned the book with n word Of
apology and asked instead, to be
directed to the postofIice of the ham,
let The pair moved side by side
along the hollow way toward the
group of matched houses and kale
yards fenced with elderberry bushes.
Their thoughts We're closer together
than either knew, but their speech
was only Of trivial things-of the
weather and the path Adam point
ed out the slit in the little half
boarded window to which the fisher
folk commit their correspondence.
They paused a minute before
parting, and the girl said
And do you live here2'
Adam answered Eyes. = He also
was proud and shy; he did not care
to let her know that his home was
FREQ from Su11a1of. and had lie cbara
of comfort and even of taste; that
those of his fathers house were
gently nurtured and had the respect
of the country side.
She looked at the lowly howell
nearest to her; then passed it to the
flag that fioated above the trees from
the castle where she was a guest,
and then at Adam Ogilvie In the
pause the cry of the sea grew plain
er 1t appeared to be imploring, adj
Il.