The Silver Lining / A Guernsey Story

ts of Dis

month of June-the sea was calm, the

g up her basket. On the west side of the bay, two air-starved Londoners were sitting on the sand, basking in the sunshine, determined to return home, if not invigora

it, and his polished boots, his well combed hair, denoted that he was an object of especial care at home. He possessed a very intelligent air, a fine forehead, rather large eyes which were full of expression, and his frowning look, the way in which he stamped his li

ed to marry. Upon which Frank Mathers (this was the boy's name) assumed a serious air, and giving his head a little toss he

was saying to himself; "shall I go and amuse myself?" His conscience had a great power over him; but the beautif

you to go;" said his cons

emed to be; how they made the water splash and foam around them. Frank immediately began to run at full speed towards them, and covered the space of sand which separated him from the little boys in two minutes. He arrived breathless near the group

and now and then a few of the little fishes were dislodged from their hiding place. They wriggled in such a liv

the man had yet captured-for he took the trouble to go and see in

ittle fellow laughing, and standing quite close to his basket, he grew angry, and in a rough

. "He must have uttered something terrible," he said to himself; "what an ugly face. Why is this man vexed with me? I have done nothing

of this by directing his eyes successively in the direction of every point of the compass. The "sand-eel man" was still busy, but he was far enough. Frank hastened behind a small rock and began to undress. As he did so, he experienced a se

lothing. He was soon in the water, dancing and romp

all about his mother and the errand

ly. He passed a portion of his time chasing them. Then he waded farther into the water till it came up to his hip

of an hour. He glanced round to see if the

must go and dress," he said to himself, "or I shall catc

the shore, he found that the water seemed to be getting warmer. This discovery was the

lothes?"-the pang-the result of his disappointing glance towards the place in which he had placed them. He was out of the water in the twinkling of an eye. The boot which he had found was in his hand. Where were his trousers? where was his coat? There was his shirt being kno

pearance was one of utter wretchedness. He did not cry; he was too miserable; he only

vexation to discover the man with the sand-eels eyeing him, a repulsive gr

r the more. He put his stocking on the left foot; then he put on his trousers, and lastly, his boot. This boot he put on the right foot so that his feet were both hidden from view. Then with a heavy and repentant heart-what per

hort leg. He stopped again. Some gravel had found its way into his boot, and the torture which it caused him was unendurable. He carefully withdrew all the pain-inflicting pebbles, brushed off the gravel that adhered to his stocking, and resumed his laborious task of walking. When he came into the road, the people which he met laughed at him. "Ah; what nasty people

house called "Les Pins." He heard a pig squeak, and hastened

tied around a porker's snout. Three other men were forcibly pushing the animal along. They made but little progress however

scaffold; the altar upon which he was to be sacr

al's throat. The porker's life-blood gushed out in a red stream. Frank fairly danced with joy. He forgot all his troubles while witnessing those of the pig. The latter tried to shake himself free. He fil

dead enough," said the butcher, "fetch the water and let us make haste." The men obeyed the order which was given rather peremptorily and the half dru

wkward fashion straight in the direction of Frank, who uttered a cry of terror and ran away as fast as his legs would carry him. He forgot all a

e had fallen dead after having run a few yards. When Frank came higher up the road, he proceeded to examine his foot. It hurt him considerably. He tied his handkerchief around it and resumed his walk. Seeing a great gap in the hedge he looked through it and saw that

what he had witnessed, that he did not think so much about his wretched condition as he would otherwis

o inside with this countenance on, mam

miserable expression. But this was not enough to satisfy Frank's idea of the exigencies of the present

e parlour; his eyes reddened and moistened by the friction to which they were being subjected, while his cries were heart-rending. Mrs. Mathers was not in the parlour. He stopped

. His excitement had abated and he was feeling down-hearted. There was no fire in the room. Frank fetched a large coat (his f

accounted for his not h

at her son was about, "what ar

d air. His mother misinterpreted his look. "Don't be silly, c

idated state before the eyes of his astonished mother. "What have you been doing?" she questioned a

himself despite her orders; how he had watched a man who was catching sand-

other wore. Perceiving a cloud of sadness hanging over her brow, he jumped up an

in which he caused her through showing a disposition to do wrong and of the sin which he committed, she instructed him tenderly, and made an impression

mined never again to grieve her. "Now let me change your clothes. You might

I am cold, t

d mother I have," he thought, "I will never do anything contrary to her orders any more." He s

s it my

came runni

what anxiously at her so

re gone to fetch some water, the porker jumped dow

mother had received, had

ld then; her whole soul seemed to shine in that sweet face. This was how she looked as she gazed upon her son that evening, while he was finishing his supper, seemingly not at all astonished at his mother's silence. He had grown accustomed to

s supper, Frank again t

dead pig ru

; "now make haste and go to bed. I don'

f: "The pig was dead. I believe what I hav