Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19

she could pass the boat house without
turning aside to see If by any unlooked-for
chance 1t had been left unlocked.
1t was my study also to keep Kate so
constantly In the open air that she should
sleep soundly at nights and rest as long as
possible in the morning. Indeed, sleep she
did, and that infinitely sounder and longer
than I. Often I was out by four-of-the-
clock. For in June and July 1t is scarcely
ever dark there, and even If I CHANGED to
awaken early it was no hardship to walk
on the hard, close-felted turf of Inch Jonet,
the rabbits all safe in their holes, and moth
Ing but the sheep moving restlessly about
or lying down with a sigh, like a tired
man, only to rise again in five minutes and
fall to their champ-champing and CROP
cropping again.
1t was the pleasure Of my life Tor at least
one of them) to teach Kate as much of
birds and flowers as 1 knew myself, which
indeed at that time was no very great
deal. But by peculiar mercy there was in
the dining room under the great sideboard
three tall volumes of Curtis Flora Lon
donenis,' the more ancient edition, with all
the colored plates. This I studied dill
gently and was soon able to identify all the
plants which we found during our daytime
ramblings.
Generally managed matters so that Kate
should find the flower or herb, and 1t was
to bring this about naturally that first
TOOK these morning strolls which in time
grew so dear to me. Then also I could
think undisturbed about my father and
John and all the things which were to be
or might be.
And, oh. above all. the freshness of the
timei I used to steal to the door of her
bed room after had dressed me and listen
to Rates quiet breathing, sometimes even
venturing to steal In and close the shutters
lest the light In her face should awake her.
for We slept with the windows open in that
fine far-carrisd air and genial summer
weather.
Then with a bounding heart would slim
out (Hamish and his deaf wife being with
drawn to their den in the mysterious back
parts IN the rear Of the kitchen) and, shut
ting In the collies lest their bounding should
scare the sea birds. would set myself to
spy out the Astounding richness Of the land.
There, above me. were the gannets al
ready hard at 1t all the way from Ailsa,
which they must have left betimes indeed,
turning on their backs at sight of some fer
lie In the water. falling plump like a stone
and sending a great Jet Of water straight
up, then leaping out again. boiling their
prey ~ and ao then anon heavily taking wing
Sea news. gulls and terms mingled their
screams. and. truth to tell, never heard a
concert that I liked better: sweeter was
have since heard singing on the vine ter
races Of France or among the gardens Of
Como. ~
Al this eased my mind and made me
on the Isle Of Inch Jonet / knew that
was doing my duty. Until the fullness Of
the time could do no more. Kate was INV
charge as surely as If she had been com
mitted to mo by our father. Also, / had
time to think, which in the press of study
and work ! never seemed to have had in
all my life before. ~
Day by. day, therefore, we went to and
FRO searching for plants, rock plants, sea
kale, whorled caraway, pale butterwort.
green seaspleenwort and filmy fern nestled
In soft, messy places hard to find and hard
er to reach when found
These and other treasure troyes were a
continual delight to Kate and I never re-
vealed the fact that in the earliest morning
1 mad marked down most of the covies II
was, besides, the greatest of pleasures to
me to see her pale cheek glow as we came
upon some treasure hitherto undiscovered.
We left the root to bloom again another
year. carrying away for our portfolio only
the flower and stem. with perhaps seed
or two. 1t is impossible to tell the distrac-
| ton and occupation all this made for my
| dear sister, and how the constant change
and open-air exercise kept her from brood
| ing upon her troubles.
We had always breakfast together in the
| Kitchen, with sometimes not a little laugh
ter in trying to make old Jonet understand
| our meaning by dint Of finger play and
| choosing such scant words Of English as
she understood.
Then out again to the copses or along the
| shore with baskets and canisters. Some
| times we would battle in the clear green
| water to the westward Of the bar at a
place where the fine gravel ran far down.
Coming back NE ate purple dulsa from the