The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-10-27
ON THE CLIFFS.
by E11en n. Hr1es.

wood which skirted the cliffs, Jasper
taking the lead in everything and Mar
jorie trotting about willingly under
his directions, only too pleased and
proud at having so big boy to take
any notice of her. At home her broth
ers thought her much too small for
them to play with; but here in the
country her Cousin Jasper, who was at
least II years old, seemed to find her
very good company indeed.
In few days Marjorie's pale cheeks
had burned ruddy brown, her eyes
danced with new light and her pref
ty frocks were in a sadly torn condi-
ton. Already she had learned to
climb a tree, to ride in hay wagon
and to go fishing; and her mother be-
gan to fear that whole month of this
life would transform her little daugh
ter into veritable tomboy.
And she won't have a whole dress
to go home in," she added, sadly, hold
ing up a small pink skirt with jagged
rent in the hem.
But she will have a pair of rosy
cheeks and good stock of health and
spirits to begin the winter on" said
Aunt Hetty, gayly; land that will be
worth the destruction of few gowns.
Let her alone, Eleanor. My boy can
be trusted to take care of her, and
little romping will do the child no
HARM"
But was Jasper taking care of her?
At any rate, be thought he was, and
when she fell with a crash from the
lower limb of big fir tree where they
were keeping house together and
stood crying, with long scratch on
her arm, the boy was by her side in
a second, washing the wound and ty-
irg it up carefully with his handker-
chief.
''There!" he said, soothingly. "Now
it won't hurt you any longer. And we
sha'n't climb uE that ugly tree again.
Well go down to the beach and watch
the tide come in"
"But mamma said I wasn't ever to
go to the beach, sobbed Marjorie.
"And my arm smarts so, and 1 dom
like these horrid woods any more"
''Of course you DON'T" said Jasper.
"And Aunt Eleanor only meant you
were not to venture on the beach
alone. It's all right when I'm with
you"
''But she said never to go a all,'' re-
peated Marjorie, wavering between
obedience and desire.
"Never at all! Why, she took you
herself only last evening""
eyes; but then she was along" said
the little girl, sagely. II wish she were
here to take me now"
And once more the tears looked
ready to fall.
"What a goose you are, Marjie!"
said Jasper, loftily. "Can't take as
good care of you as your mother?
Why. go to the beach every day of my
life, and I know every corner of it
a great deal better than she does. So
come along, and don't cry any more.
There is quite enough salt water down
here. without your adding so many
tears to it,
Marjorie looked up with a laugh.
She thought this very funny. and she
loved dearly to watch the great waves
come rolling in. Of course Jasper
could take care of her; so she put her
little hand in his and climbed cheer
fully by his side down the narrow,
winding footpath that led from the
cliffs to the sand strip below
1t was a cool, cloudy day, and the
wind was blowing hard from the sea.
Already they could hear the sound of
the water tapping at their feet. and
In half an hour they had made the de-
scent and stood breathless on the strip
of beach, the sea before them and the
frowning cliffs behind.
"Come where the sand is WIDER"
said Jasper, "and we shall have more
room. Don't get your feet wet, Mar
jie. Right around this rock there is
lovely place for Shells"
! but how very noisy the sea is to-
day. sad the child, wonderingly. II
can hardly hear you speak. But, oh,
.Jasper!"
And at the sight of the smooth white
pebbles she let so his hand and darted
eagerly ahead.
While she hunted anxiously about
the boy stood looking at the sea.
drinking in the power and beauty of
which he had never tired. and wonder
ing vaguely what far-off shores those
f6aming pillows touched. They were
higher than he ever remembered see
ing them before, and his heart leaped
with delight as they fell crashing at
his feet, the salt spray wetting his lips
and hair. He could hardly bear to
tear himself away, but he knew it was
not safe to linger longer.
In the high tide the water some
times covered the sand strip entirely,
and they had better go at once.
He turned for Marjorie, but she had
strayed far ahead of him. He called,
but the noise of the waves drowned
his voice, and she never even raised her
head
Frightened, he knew lot why, he ran
after her and seized her arm.
She held up her apron half full of
shells and pointed out to the ocean.
Look, Jasper-look!" she cried.
''There's big one coming now"
The boy raised his eyes and saw
across the roughening sea wave high
as a wall sweeping rapidly toward
them, and beyon that another. higher
and blacker than the first.
There was no sign of storm, but the
wind blew fiercely and the whole sur
face of the ocean was flecked with the
SnOW-White foam.