The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-22


 the sand. Just have look. 'Tis 2 up. That boats still a-roliing up the creek like a drunken man. Side to side she go, just anyhow
 Mrs. Dowsett threaded her way to one of tae windows and looked out across the sea, and, as she looked, she drew back with cry of terror. Ana the sight was indeed one to strike Tear into woman's heart.
 A long vista of black hollows ana white-crested waves stretched as far as the eye could reach. and the. sur face of the water seemed almost on level with the sill of the window. The whole sea appeared to be poised above the land. only held in check by the wall, and ready to launch it's stupen- dous volume of water over the island All along the wall itfpoured over Tn a continuous cataract like river over a weir. It was not the mere break ing of waves over the ernbankmenf but the steady stream of water. which had risen above the level Of the op- stacie which confronted 1t. Every wave rolled smoothly over with noth. ing to impede it's coupe. and crushed into the eddying lake Belnw.
 "'Tis the Judgment Of God.'' she cried. "'.ris the Lords judgment on
 Don't talk foolish" retorted her. husband. Have a look out of t'other window at the hawk. Iris more peace
 Mrs. Dowsett looked, and saw smooth lake of water stretching as far as the distant hiis few hours ago 1t had all been grassland inter. lsected with creeks. She also saw that. the old dinghy was rocking in the swirl of waters, and that it was held by rope to ring outside the win dow.
 "The boat" she exlaimed. "You'm go- l in in that?"
 "Yes," he replied, -'tis calm enough out there, so long as the bank noids. Send the lass to sleep. and wrap Ter up we'll in blankets"
 Mrs Dowsett disappeared, and her husband returned to the window fac- ing the sea-. The boat. which he had been watching for some time, was now close to the house. and he could see | it plainly in the moonlight. She was fishing smack of about twenty tons, and she had been zigzagging up the estuary from the open sea. under a Jib. A crumpled mass of sail and spars hung over her port side. and Dowsett imagined 1t to be all that was left of the mainsaii. She was pursuing an cratic course. as though some drunk ard were at the helm, and her lib con. tinually shifted from side to side. She was now within hundred yards of the house. and apparently heading straight for the sea wall. Dowsett ;alled to his wife
 Look at yon boat" he cried. as she entered the room. "The lubber's lost his head. or hem blind drunk. Praps he thinks 'tis all open sea, and hem sailin' into calm water t'other~side of wall. GodAheip us if he hits it." He threw open the window and yell- ed, but the smack drove on, with her bowsprit pointing straght at the house. Then his face grew white, for ne saw that the man at the helm made no st- tempt to alter his course. He gave one look at the black hull, I which seemed to be poised above them, and descending in a shower of white foam. Then he rushed into the next room and caught up Laura in his arms.
 The next moment there was crash and shock which sent Dowsett stag gering to the floor. The Lmack had rushed against the bank with such force that she had run half hvcr, the top of it. and had driven her bowsprit clean through the wooden walls of the cottage.