Flora Lyndsay

sh, and wants to see you," said Flora's maid one morning, as

"I have not seen him for such a long time!" and, with b

eaten. The person of the old man had been familiar to Flora since she was a little child; and many a stolen trip had she taken with he

nting aloft, like a feather floating on the ridge of some toppling surge. The old man seemed to bear a charmed life; for at all seasons, and in almost all weather, the little wiry

e town. It was considered a privilege by the young fry to pat Neptune's buff head, a

seamen from a watery grave, as the collar he wore

, watching the accumulating pile of fish entrusted to his care. Sociable, affable, and gentle, he submitted good-humouredly to the caresses of all the youngsters who passed that way; but if any one dared to lay a finger upon the fish, the l

ons of the place. Gentlemen had offered large sums for the buff Newfoundland dog, which Jarvis had reject

was accepted. The old man was rather averse to the match; for, in his eyes, no man was worthy of his Nancy, who was not a genuine son of the sea. Robert Green at last succeeded in overcoming his nautical prejudices; and a day was fixed for the wedding. Nancy's rosy, artless face was all smiles and sunshine, as night after night she sauntered past Flora's windows, leaning upon the arm of her betrothed. Only two day

o the pier and flung herself into the sea, when the tide was running out; and her distracted parents never succeeded in recovering the body of the poor maniac.

eye-witnesses of this fresh calamity. Every fine afternoon the young Davy was in the habit of going off with another boy, of his own age, in his father's boat. When they had rowed a c

tumble himself from the water into the boat, which was left rocking upon the billows, and st

s, with a stiff breeze. Lyndsay was reading aloud to Flora, as she sa

or a swim. They must mind what they are about," said Lyndsay; "

d swimming, that the lads regained their boat, which driven before the wind, seemed determined to reach the shore without them. They succeeded at last, dressed themselves, and stood in for the land. A long line of heavy surf was beating violently against the beach, and by some mismanagement, the boat got capsized

that the lad could perish within the reach of help, and so near the shore. The shrieks of the mother, and the mute despair of t

ep fell feebler, his hair was bleached to snowy whiteness, and his homely, tanned features assumed an expression

fisherman's side, and whenever he paused in his unsteady aimless ramble along the beach, Nep would thrust his nose into his hard brown hand, or

, his eyes shaded from the rays of the sun by his bony red hand, as if he expected the return of the lost one. During these fits of abstraction Nep would stretch himself along the beach at the fisherman's feet, his head sunk be

n, however, the fishing season returned, Jarvis roused himself from the indulgence of hopeless grief. The little cockle-shell of a boat was once more launched u

s glad to observe something like cheerfulness once more illumine the old sailor's face. She always greeted him with kind words, and inquired aff

ed seamen in the pilot-boat, to put a pilot on board a large vessel which was toiling her way through the storm to London. Coming back, the wind rose to a gale, and

t of the others, two of their number being rescued from death by the exert

still suspended between the poles where it had been left to dry, and she concluded that Jarvis had not survived this la

ow. The old sailors' wrinkled face, once so ruddy and bronzed, was as white as his hair; his cheeks had fallen in, and deep hollows had gathered about his temples; it was painful to observe the great alteration in his appearance

glad to see you; I was afraid you had b

le, but just a little present. I he'erd you wor goin' to cro

ou for your kindness. I am very fond of eels,-we get them so seldom, the

e and measter are all worn out together. I've parted with the boat; how'somever. An' as to the sea, I allers look'd upon i

and she tried to divert his attention by asking him

embled. "Ay, I shot my good dog-my brave, faithful dog,-the best, the

e now raining down t

obeyed, with his chin sunk between his hands, and his elbows resting on his knees.

ins high, Sam Masters ran the boat plump upon the pier, an' we wor upset on the bar. Nep saved Sam Masters and Ben Hardy, but he let my Harry drown. I never rebelled agin' the providence of God till then; but I trust He'll forgive what the old man said in his mortal distress. Instead of thanking Him, when I sor that so many wor safe, an

e blamed me for taking the poor brute's life-for they wor mortal fond of 'un. The next morning I wor up b

ds. The force of the waves had driven him upon an iron stauncheon, which extended some distance from the pier, the woodwork to which it belonged had been wrenched away in the storm. It had passed right through Harry's body, and held him fast. And the dog-the poor dog-had tried to get him off

ou for what you did in such a distracted state of mind," said Flora

long; I feel I'm goin' the way of all the earth, an' it matters little when we cast anchor in that port, whether our voyage wor short or long-rough or smooth, when the r

y the Lord grant you prosperity! an' bless you an' your husband an' the little 'un, an' bring you safe t

ought how intense must have been his agony in that dark hour of utter bereavement, which had tempted

of the dark valley that stretches its long night before you. The grief which has bro

to co