LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 991, 29 August 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

OUR PICNIC : A C-limi'si; ok a Golden Day. {Concluded.) I could attempt nothing, however, T felt, till we had joined forces again. Uncle had but two idi as in coming to a picnic,—one was to get bis dinner, the other was to get home. Though it was still early, the second had begun to work already, and this scattering of the troop was fatal to its accomplishment. There was a little winding path just ledeath our picnic platform, down winch several of tlv party had vanished. Moved by a dutiful. impulse, I rushed thither also. Though my mother was on the track before me, I might do something towards a fuller sounding of'the roll-call. Scar' ely, however, had I gained its precincts than I felt instiuctively that Tom was behind. At the moment there was a roar from uncle, ' Keep together ! keep together !' _ 'Do you hear that, Jessie darling ?' and in a second Tom's arms were around me.

I screamed, literally screamed ; and fearing that some mysterious pin was being driven inwards, he released me in haste Not an instant too soon. As I sprang pant-

ing and flushed to the other side of the walk, uncle was beside us. ' What's this ? what' this ?' he cried. ' It's you, miss, again !' and he caught me by the arm. ' Vou're always at something.' ' They wont't keep together,' I began incoherently. j But he only swung me round two or three times with such vehemence that I saw Tom's eyes Hashing, and felt that he and uncle would infallibly come to blows. My mother providentially made her ap peavance at the crisis. Her voice was cracked, and her parasol smashed in beatings about the bush, but this was the only result of her sally. •James dear,' she began imploringly, ' the young people are eager, and I can't hold them back. But if we follow on this walk it leads to the seat on the upper rocks. They will all be there. In fact they can get no further. It is the end of the grounds.' L'ncle growled, and as mother at once seized on Tom's arm, he wa* left to my companionship. I certainly was going through a good deal for a pleasure day. But I littJe knew what was to come. Uncle seemed partially appeased when he found that I was missing all enjoyment. His eyes glittered, and there was quite a chuckle in his voice. ' Do you call this scenery ?' he demanded, as my mother attempted to call his attention to some of our 'show bits.' 'You should see the Himilayahs 1 Shear precipices thousands of miles down,gullies that"would swallow up your whole county, and trees where you could wander for hours under a branch.' He had evidently had something stronger than that glass of vinegar to sharpen his imagination. But I was so glad to get him on any topic but our climate and clothing, that I encouraged his ramblings to the hotregions whence he had emanated. At length our voyage of discovery was rewarded by the sight of the whole party of fugitives perched in the ' .Nymph's Grotto,' a nook amongst the rocks, which rose here in fantastic pyramids at a considerable elevation above the stream. We managed to scramble up to them by a path at the back of the height; and then, as uncle panted again, I hastened toj choose him a seat. It was between two wedges of granite ; and I firmly hoped that, once fixed in it, his powers of motion would be suspended, and that it might be difficult even to extricate him again. Lucklessly, however, when he was down some of the others were up, and this cause 1 commotion at once. I don't know how he got out of his cleft with such agility; but he was free like a Samson ; and we heard his terrible shout, ' Keep together ! keep together !' echoing from rock to rock. My mother sprang after two of the children who were on the very verge of the cliff. 'Do come back !' she cried. ' These young people are so giddy :' and she turned desparingly to uncle. ' I think the old heads are the giddiest, as far as that goes' interposed my father, as he retreated promptly from a contemplation of the chasm beneath. ' Who talks of dizziness here ? cried uncle Tawney defiantly. ' This! Why, it is nothing of a height i A merej mole hill—a paving stone 1' and he made a bold stride forwards. ' You should see the Himilay—' But his eloquence was cut short. Whether his weight were excessive, or his step unsteady, something failed him at the moment. The whole bank seemed to give way. Stones rolled downwards, there was a wild plunge, and a last cry from his lips, ' Keep together ! keep together!' as he went head foremost over the cliffs. But there is a bound to obedience. We really could'nt follow him here. Even my devoted mother drew back, and only raised her arms despairly as he disappoared from view. There was a moment of real alarm. Then I felt some one pushing me aside, and Tom's dashing figure came to the front. His quick eye saw the danger in a second, and how its more fatal extent might be averted. Uncle's heavy form had been stopped on a ledge half-way down the precipice; but how long it could find a foun dation there was a question of ' weights and measures.' A precarious footing might be gained in the fissures of the rocks above by a sure foot like Tom's, and without a word he was over the brink and commencing the descent. It was my turn to utter a cry now. Though there was no longer a call to ' keep together,' I threw out my arms towards Tom, and sprang instinctively forward. Hut my mother caught at my dress, and held me so resolutely back that I could do nothing but follow him with my eyes. Ju t above the platform, to which uncle had rolled, a mountain ash had thrown out its shoots, aud into its lithe branches Tom swung himself swiftly. Then I saw him throw off his coat, and holding one sleeve tightly in his grasp, he lowered the other within reach of Uncle Tawney. ' Cati h a hold of it, sir,' he ejaculated. 'Don't let go, for your life.' Uncle could give a good tight grip, as I well knew, and he acted on the mandate with an energy which nearly had Tom, tree, and all on the top of him. But a terrible groan followed on this movement, and announced the fact of some serious iujury which he had sustained. One arm was in fact broken, and but for Turn's atou t ffoits his gallant persistence, ardfcie reckless risks he ran on his own account, the poor gentlemaD could never have been brought in safety to the bank. Tom had to mount with him almost in his arms, while my father and some others of the party as sisted him as well as they could with a sort of improvised rope. Meanwhile uncle Tawney, incapicitated from any other action, gave utterances to the most awful mutterings. But .1 think if his temper was broken, his heart was whole. I know neither Tom nor I had any reason to

regret that day ai'd its adventures. Something besides its golden sunlight enshrined it in the past. Another glitter shone full on its memory from the yellow hoards of uncle Tawney.

Be was not ungrateful, and he was not ungenerous. I need say little more, except that a happy hour, which had once seemed very far off for Tout and myself, drew unexpectedly near, and that wo dated its approach from the somewhat startling scene which had elosed our picnic.