Here on olden nights children had tossed laughter lightly to and fro . Here on winter evenings friends had gathered . Dance and music and jest had been here . Here youths and maidens had dreamed . For Captain Jim the little house was tenanted with shapes entreating remembrance . `` It was the first of July when the house was finished . The schoolmaster began to count the days then . We used to see him walking along the shore , and we 'd say to each other , ` She 'll soon be with him now . ' `` She was expected the middle of July , but she did n't come then . Nobody felt anxious . Vessels were often delayed for days and mebbe weeks . The Royal William was a week overdue -- and then two -- and then three . And at last we began to be frightened , and it got worse and worse . Fin ` lly I could n't bear to look into John Selwyn 's eyes . D'ye know , Mistress Blythe '' -- Captain Jim lowered his voice -- `` I used to think that they looked just like what his old great-great-grandmother 's must have been when they were burning her to death . He never said much but he taught school like a man in a dream and then hurried to the shore . Many a night he walked there from dark to dawn . People said he was losing his mind . Everybody had given up hope -- the Royal William was eight weeks overdue . It was the middle of September and the schoolmaster 's bride had n't come -- never would come , we thought .
`` There was a big storm then that lasted three XXXXX , and on the evening after it died away I went to the shore .
Blythe Jim days evenings fro great-great-grandmother night nights week weeks