The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-12


trivances effected by Roberts ingenu-
ity-the fresh curtains he had nailed
up, and the sofa he had made out OF
chest, covered with chintz, the new
crockery, tae large new family Bible.
And fathers present amt come yet,
Mrs. Fielding said mysteriously. Rose
grew brighter as each treasure was dis
played. She thought of the short win
ter days, when Mrs. Deane was to be
with a brother ten miles away, and she
and Robert were to be alone together.
How sweet the cottage would look in
the early dusk, when Bob came home
tired ana colo TO his bright tre and his
tea. And then the long evenings with
the concertina and a book and her
needle, and his pipe and the pleasant
chat. And then
Come on, Rosie" Robert said, hold
ing the stair-foot door open; mother ID
gone upstairs.
She woke from golden dream to golden
reality, took and returned Robert S kiss,
and followed him up the steep stairs
opening upon the sitting-room below to
the sleeping-rooms above, one on the
right hand, which was Mrs. Deane's, and
one on the left, screened from the open
stair by q partition of Roberts con-
trivance, with an adapted door bought
secondhand and put into rough Intel
Of his making.
That is NICE Rose exclaimed.
why, Robert, you're as good as any
'prenticed earpenter!"
All was made ready, neat and spot
less by Robert deft hands. A salts
fed smile crisped his brown face when
he looked at the simple plenishings and
askek if all were as Rose wished.
The mothers commended and COM
mented Rose, looking shyly on, thought
everything perfect; the new looking
glass, the clean, coarse linen, the
geraniums blooming in the small dia-
mond-paned window set nest-like in the
thatch; the row of pegs fixed against
the gay, new wallpaper for the wife's
gowns; Roberts wedding suit folded
neatly on chair.
Rosy morning sunbeams would steal
in through that window, turning to gold
and tracing cross-barred pattern on
the boarded floor that she would keep
so white-on the strip of carpet and on
the patchwork quilt. Through dark
winter nights the sea would roar its
hoarse lullaby, shrieking winds would
coil themselves round the safe cottage
nest till it shuddered in their grasp; at
times the deep groundswel would boom
through the stiffness of the coming
storm. Summer moonbeams would
weave q silvery glamour about the
room, while soft airs stirred the myrtle
blossom, and the low murmur Of surf
on the beach sounded family through
the charmed silence.
The mothers were busy putting seine
final touches; Robert called Roses at
tention to lettered scroll on the wall:
Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling
place in all generations"
A sudden bewildering, half-grasped
sense Of the deep significance OF life,
the solemnity of human ties, and the
divinity enfolding all, rushed up from
hidden depths to the girls unawakened
soul and broke upon her, just as giant
billow rushes out of the seas heart,
and breaks on the cliff-face in storm;
her face crimsoned; her heart throbbed.
Robert led her to the window.
Look" he said; "a vessel in the offing!
Many a craft you'll make out Of sum-
mer's day. And here's myrtle still
abloom."
He leaned out of the open easement
and plucked spray, leaning over it and
talking of the sea. while the mothers
laughed with nodding heads and hands
held before their mouths, together.
A robin was piping softly in the shell
tered garden. The song Of the sea
came up from below, louder now and
with something more Of menace In it
than q while since. Roberts brown
face was traced upon the wide, slow
heaving sea-plain; and far down at the
mouth Of the chasm, by the white surf
fringe on the yellow shingle, was the
figure Of solitary man, too far Oft to
be recognized.
But it came into Roses mind that it
might be George Attrill, and the thought
was like cloud passing across the sun.
4'Tis pleasant lookout" she said,
taxing the myrJle Dlososm. never
could seem to get on for long without l
could see the sea.
me and you like the same things
mostly" he replied; Il seem lost away
from the sea. Look at her now! Storms
coming. There's groundswell growl-
ing. Mother, she can't abide the ground
swell. Minds her Of father, he added.
in an undertone. But it's meat and
drink to me to hear it. Many time
I've said I should never have nor
wife, only the sea. She was my first
sweetheart.
That's true enough" broke in his
mother, for whose sake Bob had given
up his wish to follow his shipwrecked
fathers calling.
The inspection over, and all pro-
nounced in order, they went down
stairs. The earthenware teapot was
set on the round table, and Bob took up
the mushrooms and potatoes which had
been roasting in the wood ashes, and
they fell to with country heartiness,
while Refer looked on, bolt upright,
with his paws dropping beseeohingly OH
his chest, and Needless and improvi-
dent kitten played will. his tail and
frisked about in irresponsible gayety.
Many details had yet to be discussed,
because. as Mrs. Fielding said. Folks
don't get married every day. and each
arrangement evoked some reminiscence
OF her wedding and that Of Mrs. Deane,
and they suggested some sage counsel
to Robert and Rose, SO that before they
rose from table dusk had begun to close
in, with little shivering gusts of wind
and ominous rumblings in the chimney.
The sea-song was rising in fitful cres-
cendo; the freight played upon Roses
face and bright braided hair. Her
lover thought her more and more like
her own flower, especially when he
drew something bright from his pocket
and fitted it on her finger under the
table.
Its q big 'un for to last" he whis-