Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-03-04
a. Returning Sail.
By ELLEN E. II. WILDMAN.
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a.
Tped into the concealing depths OF plue
beyond.
Now she's gone!"
Eyes. It's like the slipping away Oh
a life, isn't it? One instant here IN the
seen-the next beyond in the unseen.
Yet to John, swho is sailing away from
us. it is but pushing forward of his
horizon line. He is not conscious OF
the earth-curve that hides him from US
sitting here on the beach. Perhaps, ne
added musingly, perhaps that IS Wha1
deathsis, simply the curve OF our NE
ocean that draws us below, the line 10
those watching on the shore, while 10
ourselves we are still sailing on level
seas'w with the horizon yet far ahead.
THAT is beautiful thought"
. s"Yes.pzHe shifted hissp ositions slight
slyzleaninss ease -fully against the sandy.
bank that rose behind the drittwood
log on-which they sat He 'clasped his
hands behind his head, staring medita-
lively over the water. -----s--sr 49,
"Yes, it is. found it in a-little poem
that read the other day. Shall re-
peat it for you?"
8 t'Do: | should like to hear 1t.
The sand-bank rose to narrow ter
race above them, where group OF Will
lows threw welcome shade arounu.
The water ran in endless shining rip
ples up the white beach, tapping softly
on the wet sand. A little breeze rus
tied through the, tail bunches OF beach
grass Just feathering into great, grace
full plumes.
"Please, let me hear it."
s trWell. it is a simple thing, but
Something in it pleased me, and Watch-
ing John sail away as we sat here'
called it back to my mind.
81 watched a sail until it dropped
from sight
over the rounding sea. A gleam OF
white, .,-
A last far-aashed farewell, and, like
a thought
Slipt out of mind, it vanished and was
as not.sszszgsSsrss
y ls75cs fsiseFasS So
"sYet to the helmsman standing at the
.s?st WHEEL
Broad seas still stretched beneath the
gliding keel. -.
Disaster? Change? He felt no slightest
sign,
Nor dreamed he of that far horizon
line
ESQ may it-be, perchance, when down
the tide
ssa..s-seazz,anes-xahiSh. Peacefully they
glide
On level seas, nor mark the unknown
81 bound.
We cali it death-to them tits life be-
yond' - -
His voice dropped to silence; his
Gaze still searched the L1anSweri2g dis
lance. The girl beside him sat notion
less, her head turned slightly away,
holding in one hand a willow branch
with which she had beer idly brushing
the warm, dry sand at her feet.
He unclasped his Lands, bending for
ward TO look at her.
''Well?" he said,-"well?'
Her fingers swept the willow switch
slowly back and forth over the sand,
and she still turned away her head.
When she spoke, her voice was not
quite steady:
.I likeyit',pery much. 1t is beautiful,
and if we knew that it was true, how
comforting it would be. OH" with a
sudden passionate note of longing in
her voice, why can't. We know that it
is so? have known what it is to watch
some one slip out of sight that way,
andshoW r have longed for some token
Just a word or the sight OF a face to
show that death is not the end, and
that all Is. well. But" she added, after
a pause, during which his eyes studied
her sayerted face sympathetically, 1T
has never come"
Shesturneds toward him: "Do you be-
lieve it, ever does come to any one?"
"I think,'Ahe said slowly, -"I think
no, / know it does-somejmes. May |
tell you an experienc of my own, Miss
Evans?"
"Yes,"sshe said, eagerly, "te.i it to
me-" 80 ss,<' zss
Again his eyes searched the misty
horizon line.
"I had very dear friend with whom
was intimately associated for num-
ber of years. We were almost like
brothers, and knew we'll what a thor
oughly good fellow he was; honest,
kindly, and as tender-hearted as he was
y strong and manly. " ''S-''''
"He5 5hada wife and baby girl about
two years old. His wife was azlovely
woman, and they were the fondest,
happiest pair of lovers it has ever been
my fortune to meet But Bess, the baby
was the very core of his heart, and she
adored her father. He used to spend
hours talking to me about her, plan
ming her future, which was to be all
brightness if he could make it so. There
was nothing he was not willing to dc
for her"
Miss Evans stirred slightly, and the
willow branch in her fingers tapped the
sand protestingly. He glanced quickly
at her.
mo, Miss Evans, you must not think
that Bess never ursurped her mothers
place in his heart, but between her and
her father there was a peculiarly strong
bond. of sympathy % ~
Frank fell ill, of fever. At first il
did not appear to be, serious, but sud,
den change took place, and we soor
saw that the worst was to be feared.
During his sickness, whenever he
reused from his stupor, he would cal
for Bess: Bring me ethe baby, Mary,
heywould say to- his wife, and y sht
would bring Bess to the bed. The child
would euddleq qdownFby him. looking Sc
wise and grave, and stroke his hot
face-with her dimpled fingers. calling