Vesty of the Basins | Page 4

Elder Skates, and receiving no dissenting voice, continued:
"Providence--nor nothin' else--preventin', there will be a five-cent
supper at Cap'n Nason Teel's, on Wednesday evenin'. Beet greens and
duck. I will now close the Sunday-school, trusting we shall do all we
can during the week to help the cause of the burying-ground and of
religion. As soon as Brother Birds'll arrives, we can begin social
meetin'."
"It 's natch'all he should be late; somebody said 't he was havin' pickled
shad for dinner."
"Here he comes now, beatin' to wind'ard," said Captain Pharo from the
window. "He'll make it! The wind 's pilin' in through this 'ere
school-house on a clean sea-rake. I move 't we tack over to south'ard of
her."
This nautical advice was being followed with some confusion; I did not

see Vesty when she came in, but when the majority of us had tacked to
south'ard, I, electing still to remain at the nor'east, saw her, not far in
front of me, and knew it was she.
The wind was blowing the little scolding locks of dusky brown hair in
her neck; her shoulders were broad to set against either wind or trouble;
she was still and seemed to make stillness, and yet her breast was
heaving under hard self-control, her cheeks were burning, her eyes
downcast.
I looked. Nestled among those safe to the south'ard was a young man
with very wide and beautiful blue eyes, that spoke for him without
other utterance whatever he would. Of medium height and build, yet
one only thought, somehow, how strong he was; clad meanly as the rest,
even to the rubber storm-bonnet held in his tanned black hand, it was
yet plain enough that he was rich, powerful, and at ease.
His wide eyes were on Vesty, and shot appealing mirth at her.
She never once glanced at him, her full young breast heaving.
"Can't some of the brothers fix this scuttle over my head?" said Elder
Birds'll nervously, addressing the group of true and tried seamen,
anchored cosily to south'ard.
One, Elder Cossey, arose, a Tartar, not much beloved, but prominent in
these matters. In his endeavors he mounted the desk and disappeared,
wrestling with the scuttle, all except his lower limbs and expansive
boots.
"My Lord!" muttered one who had been long groaning under a Cossey
mortgage; "ef I could only h'ist the rest of ye up there, and shet ye up!"
"I sh'd like to give him jest one jab with my hatpin," added a sister
sufferer, under her breath.
"The scuttle is now closed," said Elder Birds'll gravely, as Elder Cossey
descended, "and the social meetin' is now open."

Here the blow of silence again fell deeply.
The wide blue eyes gave Vesty a look, like the flying ripple on a deep
lake.
She did not turn, but that ripple seemed to light upon her own sweet
lips; they quivered with the temptation to laugh, the little scolding locks
caressed her burning ears and tickled her neck, but she sat very still. I
fancied there were tears of distress, almost, in her eyes. I wanted her to
lift her eyes just once, that I might see what they were like.
"Hohum!" began Elder Cossey, with wholly devout intentions--"we
thank Thee that another week has been wheeled along through the sand,
about a foot deep between here and the woods, and over them rotten
spiles on the way to the Point, and them four or five jaggedest boulders
at the fork o' the woods--I wish there needn't be quite so much
zigzagging and shuffling in their seats by them 't have come in barefoot
afore the Throne o' Grace," said Elder Cossey, suddenly opening his
eyes, and indicating the row of sculpins with distinct disfavor.
"Yes," he continued, "we've been a-straddlin' along through
troublements and trialments and afflickaments, hanging out our phiols
down by the cold streams o' Babylon, and not gittin' nothin' in 'em,
hohum!"
Vibrating thus mysteriously, and free and unconfined, between
exhortation and prayer, Elder Cossey finally merged into a recital of his
own weakness and vileness as a miserable sinner.
And here a strange thing happened. A brother who had been noticing
the winks and smiles cast broadly about, and thinking in all human
justice that Elder Cossey was getting more than his share, got up and
declared with emotion, that he'd "heered some say how folks was all'as
talkin' about their sins for effex, and didn't mean nothin' by it, but I can
say this much, thar ain't no talkin' for effex about Brother Cossey; he
has been, and is, every bit jest as honest mean as what he 's been
a-tellin' on!"

Elder Skates arose, trembling. "Vesty," said he, with unnatural
quickness of tone; "will you start 'Rifted Rock'?"
The blue, handsome