The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-04-15


The sunshine of the next day lay
like morning veil of gold over the
gently ripping surface of the great
deep, as Mr.. Barton's little boat, light
ly rocking close to the shore, creaked
beneath the weight of Uncle Percy
Wingate.
Gently, sir, If you please; keep ex-
actly in the middle of the seat" mis-
chievously counseled Hugh Barton, as
the old gentleman looked nervously
from side to side. "The least devia-
ton from an equilibrium would proba-
bly, consign us to watery grave"
"Perhaps-perhaps we had better
turn back" faltered the old man, look
ing anxiously toward the fast-receding
shores. Il cannot swim, and"
'Oh, by no means, sir; it's all right"
cried Hugh, pulling vigorously at the
oars, and looking contentedly at the
blue eyes of Pennie, who sat directly
opposite to him. Don't allow yourself
to be worried; we shall soon be there"
And then, by way Of cheering up his
companions spirits, he related vari-
ETY. u anecdotes concerning deaths by
drowning, shipwreck, etc., while Pen
MES concealed smiles contrasted oddly
with Uncle Percy's look of open
mOuthed horror
Here we are, sir" said Barton, at
length, as the keel of the little boat
grated on the sand at the rocky point
which was the rendezvous of the vari-
GUS picnickers, II hope you've enjoyed
your sail"
Uncle Percy tried to SMILE and said:
"Oh, yes, have; very much indeed"
But he didn't look it.
AS soon as the impromptu lunch,
eaten under the shadow of beetling
cliff of dazzling white rock, was over,
Mr.. Barton and Miss Wingate strolled
casually off, followed close by Uncle
Percy.
1--WE are going toward Clyndale
Point" carelessly observed Mr.. Bar
ton. II think, Mr.. Wingate, you would
be apt to find finer variety of water
shells on the Crooked Mills shore"
ooh, it doesn't matter" said Uncle
Percy, II dare say shall find enough
at Clyndale."
And he eyed the two young lovers
with glance which was, to say the
least of it, malicious.
Clyndale Point was a superb mass of
rocks, belted here and there with
crags and rifts-a broad stretch, or
floor, over which, at high tide, the
waters swept like q flood, but which
was now bright surface of rock or
sand with tiny shells, and trails of
dark seaweed strewn here and there.
Here Is delicious shady spot I'M
der these rocks" said Mr.. Barton.
Shall we sit down and rest?"
Certainly" interposed Uncle Percy,
before Pennie could answer; certain
ly! I'm tired to death climbing over
these uneven crags!"
So Hugh Barton chose convenient
seat on the rock for Uncle Percy, while
he and Pennie picked up shells, and
gathered strange, shining pebbles and
bits of seaweed, conscious the while
that the old gentleman's gray eyes
were on them, keen and unwearying,
as the gaze of falcon.
Don't go out of sight, Pelelope!"
sharply cried he, as Hugh Barton
evinced desire to pass beyond his
keen, and, unwillingly enough, both
turned back.
"Pll fix 'em!" thought Uncle Percy,
chuckling gleefully to himself.
But man is only human after all,
and Uncle Percy was very much ia
tigued by his long walk, to say moth
ing of the fervid heat of the August
day, and by degrees he felt himself
growing drowsy, his eyelids dropping
lower and lower, and delicious sense
into every crevice of his being
This won't dol" thought Uncle
Percy, this will never dol" and he
himself up, and stared
very fixedly at the two figures on a
ledge of cliff little below; but in a
the somnolent influence again
him, and he leaned back,
fitting his spinal column into a con-
venient niche of rick, and, spite Of his
resolutions to the contrary, fell fast
asleep.
When he awoke the sun had, by
some celestial hocus-pocus, turned IT.
self directly around, and, instead of
shining on the rocky headland back
Of him, was poking its burning beams
directly into his half-opened eyes, re-
f1ecting itself, In a dazzling ribbon of