THE JERSEY COAST. 231 



rest drove off to leave them ; nor how he bore his 

 lovely burden — plastic grace and beauty personified 

 ^bravely in pursuit; nor how his foot chanced to 

 trip — accidentally, of course — and they fell and 

 rolled in the sand together. If he would tell, he 

 could not; words do not exist for the purpose. 



He had, however, all he could do to explain, 

 the accident and pacify the nymph. If she had 

 known how much of solidity there was in her love- 

 liness, and how little of romance in the deep yield- 

 ing sand, she might have more readily accepted the 

 excuse of weariness. If the grasshopper becomes a 

 burden under certain circumstances, why may not 

 a naiad ? 



The road to the beach lay through a village for- 

 merly known by the euphonious and distinctive title 

 of Crab Town — a village of a thousand inhabitants. 

 It was evening ere Crab Town was reached, and 

 just beyond, the driver came upon a bevy of female 

 acquaintances. In a moment the suggestion was 

 made that they should ride; after a little demur 

 they accepted, and were crowded in. The stage 

 was not large, but there would have been room if 

 they had been twice as numerous ; they filled every 

 seat, and every lap besides. 



There are days in one's lifetime that should be 

 celebrated as anniversaries ; and if any gentleman 

 has carried in his arms, a,lbeit with true tenderness, 

 one charming Jersey girl in the morning, and has 

 had another equally charming sit on his lap in the 

 evening, he may look upon that day as never likely 

 to repeat itself. 



