much better escort than none at all."

CHAPTER EIGHT

IN WHICH MR. POMPER DECLARES HIS INTENSHUNS AN' GIVES HIS VIEWS ON
MATRIMONY

CHAPTER EIGHT

IN WHICH MR. POMPER DECLARES HIS INTENSHUNS AN' GIVES HIS VIEWS ON
MATRIMONY

As our party sort o' swep' gracefully down into the hall, we thought
we would step outdoors for a minute for a breath of fresh air. It
looked gay and almost fairy-like out there. The two broad piazzas wuz
all lit up with colored lights and baskets of posies hung down between
'em full of bloom, and the broad piazzas and wide flight of steps
leadin' up to 'em wuz full of folks in bright array, walkin' and
talkin' and laughin' makin' the seen more fair and picture-like. And
in front wuz the long grassy lawn with its gay flower beds, and the
long walk down to the wharf all sparklin' with lights, and beyend, in
front of it all, lay the deep river, with its sighin' voice borne in
on the stillness, jest as in the hearts of every one of that throng,
way back beyend the gayety and sparklin' mirth lay the deep sea of
their own inner life, with its melancholy hantin' memories, its
sighin' complainin' voices, its deeps that nobody else could fathom.

And while we stood there, I wrapped in reverie and a gray zephyr
shawl, a broad beam of light wuz cast from somewhere fur off, shinin'
full and square first one side then the other side of the river.
Nearer and nearer it seemed to be comin' towards us, and wherever that
light fell a picture wuz brung quick as a flash of lightnin' out of
the darkness.

It seemed some like the day of Judgment shinin' through the darkness
of men's lives and bringin' out the hidden things. Way out in the
distance where nothin' could be seen but blackness and shadows, the
beam would fall and a island would stand out plain before us, houses
with men and wimmen on the piazzas, a boat house, a boat with men and
wimmen and children in it. You could see for one dazzlin' minute the
color of their garments, and the motion of their hands and arms, then
the sea of darkness would engulf 'em agin, and on the nigh side out of
the darkness would shine out a vision of the shore with trees standin'
up green and stately, and you could see the color of leaf and bough
and almost the flutter of their leaves. A green lawn, rosy flower
beds, a pretty cottage, faces at the windows, agin darkness swallowed
it up, and broad and brilliant the great shaft of light lay on the
blackness, a