The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-10-20

as a tribute TO custom, IeCcnlnS ner
gloves (Which she put in her pocket
instead Of upon her hands,, set off for
her daily walk. She paused moment
at the gate to wave farewell to her
aunt, who was bent double over her
carnation bed, the surface soil of which
she was loosening with a fork.
THE tide is out this evening, auntie.
I am going to the rocks-the distant
rocks; it's a long walk. l may be
late"
Don't get drowned, love-"
mo, auntie."
Don't get your feet wet"
mo, auntie."
Half an hour later Helen had reacheu
the shore. She loved the sea- the thou
sand lights and shades that tinged its
surface, the restlessnesS, the eternal
variety, the mystery of it's troubled
life. But that evening she had nc
time to watch the waves. She walked
quickly along the sands, skirting the
groups of nurse-maids and children,
with her face turned westward toward
the cliffs, which shelved down into Il
iutting peninsula. Here the low rocks
reached far out into the sea, and then
sinking below the surface showed, like
black shadow, through the blue wa
ters Thither she steered her way.
The bathing woman, who was stand
ing as sentinel behind a long row OF
curious, sand-ingrained faded garments
which, secured by stones, lay suplne
on the yellow sands, addressed her as
she passed:
"Where be zee going to, missY'
'"TO the rocks"
'Then PLACE to mind the tide; her
comes in powerful fast and strong out
Wonder Don't zee go out TIL far, miss.
It's safe enough if you'll be bit care
full"
Helen nodded "She would be care
full" she said, and strobe on fast.
She toiled laboriously over the rough
and broken single which interviewed
between the sands and those splendid
! rocks-her destination. Most girls
would have been daunted by the OBJ
stacles of that long and painful walk,
and would soon have turned back to
! Join those comrades who were content
with pleasures less difficult of access,
but with Helen it was altogether other
wise. An impeachment in her route was
merely a thing to be SurmOunted; II
was no barrier to stop her progress.
When once that formidable possession
of hers, her mind, was made up, her
purpose. she had accustomed herSef tG
consider was indexible.
She found the distance she had to
traverse was far greater than she had
anticipated, and it was long before she
tired. hot and footsOre-reached the
desired spot and sat down on the frst
low rock at hand to rest and look about
her. The air was redolent Of the breath
of the sea; a bright breeze was blow
| inc. which put a ''sharp head on the
chopping waves, and cut them up INTO
busting, zigzag ridges that splashed
and broke continually against the rocks
and tossed and sWayed the heavy layi
ers of seaweed to and fro.
Save for Helen the place was desert
ed; the sea would chafe and fret Sc
fooIishly, it seemed to her, SO sadly.
too as though memory would not lei
it rest though the sky was cloudless.
Helen leaned back against the rock
and watched the water, more thought
full than was her wont. 1t was very
cool in the shade of the Gill; the sea
gulls swooped lazily about the pay
and a fleet Of fishing smacks, their
tawny sails bright in the sunshine,
were sailing past before the Wlnd.
dow and began to cross the rocks, steer
ing her course toward their Iurthest
ledge which formed natural break
water on the west of the reef. She
was light and agile of limb, possessed
a fairly steady head, and a ready eye,
hit the path she tpod was a perilous
one. for the seaweed which grew on
the rocks concealed the pools, and was
moreover. both Shiny and slippery.
To avoid the catastrophe OF spelling
her boots and stockings she took them
off and put them upon an adjacent
rock Then. with an easy mind, and
hannv as q child, she waded through
the tepid pools in which the green rib
bon and pink-tree seaweed fioatedc
where wildly green rock fish darted
To and fro. and sea anemoneS unfOlded
their tinted limbs until they bloomed
like the blossoms of a chrysanthemum
i'm the sunshine Her obSerYant eye
missed none of the beauties at heI
feet. but every now and then she re-
membered the dangers Of the tide,
and kept an outlook on the sea.
She was enjoying herself after
childish fashion; the warm, tranSpaf-
emf water was tempting. She rolled
her sleeves up high, and kneellng down
before a pool she plunged her hand and
arm down among the seaweed and the
stones. She was laughing at the aWk'
ward flight of a tiny crab when a call
a clear, loud call-startled her to her
feet
She stood up, raised her dripping,
white hand to shade her eyes, and star
ed in the direction whence the sound
had come. A little sailing boat, in
which were seated Mr. Jones and the
eront1nnan whom Helen had seen be-