New Ulm review., 1921-02-02
WHEN TIDES LIFT
BY w. BERT FOSTER.
Copyright, !,

AAC uCsWd1lS upon no man. Ihefe-
fore, the farmer-fshermen of Block
Island watch its moods and fancies
closely; for the sea, tickle mistress.
holds the island in an embrace which
is today caressing, but may tomorrow
be as the clutch of ravening beast.
In the spring and fall, when the heavy
tides bring in their burden of rock
weed and other deep sea vegetation,
torn from it's roots by the ground
swell, the windrows cast up along the
shores must needs be secured to feed
the sterile farms.
Shore rights. are jealousy guarded
then, for the weed, together with the
shacklefish from the traps, constitutes.
the islands main supply of fertilizer.
When the proprietors of these tide
water privileges have stacked such
weed as they need for the year, their
less fortunate neighbors are allowed
to CLEAN as they may among the rocks
and along the stretches Of beach. And
it CALLED Abram Biddle nightly to be
classed with the cleaners.
The Biddie place had fallen to him
heavily mortgaged, however, and when
he sold the home lott to Anson
Sprague the shore rights went with it.
1t is, ill for one man to consider an
other lucky" when he himself has
been unfortunate; but Abrams feeling
had been passive until the day he saw
Arson walking about the old farm with
Belle.
And so Abram, sore and heartsick,
went his way, and no longer fingered
at the church door for Belle on Sun
day evenings, or drove roundabout
way to the harbor for the sake of pass
ing her fathers door.
His gloomy eyes noted the tide lift
ing among the rocks, heavy with it's
burden of brown and green weeds.
He turned his team at the foot of the
bluff. and then, with the fork in his.
hand, waded into the water and began
to draw the green masses Of weed
ashore.
Suddenly the rattle of another wagon
smote upon his ears. He glanced swift
ly upward, to see Anson's span of
grays coming over the bluff.
"Hullo, Abel" yelled Anson. "Got
ahead of me, didn't ye?" Abram
grunted and lifted a huge forkful OF
dripping weed into his cart.
Abram kept at his work fever
ishly. He feared to speak. He de-
sired to get his load and depart.
''Them hosses O. yourn don't draw
much, do they?" shouted Anson.
"Belle said to me she didn't think ye
was sdoin' as well as common"
Abram dropped the reins and turned
on him in a rage that smothered in his
eyes and whitened his lips.
$50 you and she discuss me atween
We, do We? Amt ye got nothin better
to do?'
a"Oh, you'm mad this morning, Able"
!, There was a hot mist in Abrams
eyes. Through it he saw the leering
face of the man he hated, and at this
he struck. Then Abram delivered a
mighty blow and his antagonist went
down.
Anson fell fiat upon his back, his
head coming in contact with stone.
A single gasp, and-he did not move
again.
Abram, unsoftened by the sight,
turned away. He picked up his reins
and chirruped to the horses.
He rode on past the Allen house with
his head on his breast, not noticing
the girl who watched him from the
window. He was throwing off the
last weed in the barnyard when Uncle
Bozzle puffed into view. 80. 6.
"Jes' what, I been tellin' em!'
wheezed the old man. Another slice
of it gone. Some O. you boys II have
a wreck over there yit.'. Abram looked
at him duly. More Of the bluff
gone. Jes' seen it myself
1'The bluff caved again??"' gasped
Abram. Where z"
Abram sllrieked aloud, and, leapins
from the cart, seized the, first imple-
ment to- his hand--a shovel-and start
ed for the shore. Uncle Bozzlc
watched him breathlessly.
..NNal, tn dern fool!'' he calculated
mt last.
Abram plunged down the side of the
bluff. his heavy boots blowing deep
burrows through the clay. Once upon
the beach he began to dig madly into
the heap.
'sWhat, in tarnation ye doin' there,
Abe burrerin' like a ground-haug
"Anson-he's under there!"
.Git aout! He. amt nuther.'
''He is, Istell you, Allen! See his
team along Yonder? He was drawin'
weed this inornir = 81
ssYa-as, I know. An he left things at
siSes. an sevens, bout as us'al. He
fell an hit his head, he said. an got
me ter draw; weed for him the rest o.
the day. I seen him a-startin' off for
the harbor half an hour ago. JIM
Unity, man! What's the matter O.
yep
He he amt dead?" whispered
Abram.
Not very. But you.slook some as
though We might be. Ye're atcherly
white, man! Ye're weaks a gal. Say.
chat remin's q me. Abe Sister Belle
wants We te,rs sion AT the house most