Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-02-24
THE EVENING STAR.


Pestuous voyage of four months. was an
friend sns IN
tous, sieepless night, and the dreary loneliness
OF the day, now the familiar circle of nv fel.
low yoyagers was broken up. Without rest
ing, was taking counsel with myself, and
forming impracticable plans, until at last the
WEAKNESS and melancholy Of my situation
fell ssles hs IL he sun
dreaming OF the splash Of the waves, and the
cSaktless throb OF the engine as they mad rung
In my ears during the last fe months, l min.
gied them with the indistinct sound of a door
opening, and a mans tread across the floor, or
deck as it seemed to me, and then muffied,
s1bd ued voice exclaiming, " Is this the wild
owT'
MY eyes opened widely at once, and met a
very grave aud pitying gaze, that was fixed
upon me with something of the regard of a
A.RpEerd looking down upon a stray lamb
tail, strong, largely built figure, and a face of
Eassive and marked features, leaned over me,
filling the whole scope of my vision with a
pnwertu breadth and height, which gave me
Just the pleasant sense OF strength and pro.ec.
ton 1 needed at that mement. He turned away
instantly, and energptically stripped off his
rough oyercoat, handed it to the landiady who
accompanied him with an air of amiable con-
Be good as to take It away" he said. 81
had 10 idea she was such a little, young crea.
tuTe as this
Heappeared considerably smaller and smooth
ct, but still colossal TO me as stood before him.
having risen to my feet by this time. With q
gentle hesitation, as if fearful of touching me
too roughly, he took my hand in his own, and
pat,ed it softly with two fingers, repeating, in
the same suhdued tone,
"Not Harry's widow ~
" Oh yes !" cried, bursting into passionate
teafs, and leaning my head against his great
arm. "Oh it was so hard He died before we
mad been on board three weeks, and thay bur-
led him in the sea- I've been alone ever since;
and i he We friends here"
"Poor thing! poor little child" he said, strok-
Ing the hair from my burning forehead. "Don't
give way, my dear. am your cousin-poor
70 II m nv,hr nroi
course am your friend. There, sit down on
the sofa, and tell me all about it when you are
CALM
II twas long time before ! was calm for the
tears Wslied 10 my eyes again and again after
thought had mastered them ; but he sat quiet.
ly beside me, spea king now and then in a hear
ty, genial tone, and in no way betray ing any
lmpstience to bring my hysterical weeping to
an end.
Now, then, my DEAR" he said, when at
length only sobbed at inter vals, first of all
let me- tell you l received Capt Thompson's
letter about You this morning, and / started
down to Liverpool at once 70 fetch you home
/ did not wait for my sister Eliza to accompany
me, as, under the circumstances 1 considered
speed to be the essential thing. NIX dear girl,
do you know that we had no idea that moor
Harry was married ~
- We were only married a week before we
sailed" answered. 81 will tell You how it
all happened, Mr.. Grainger; il was SUCH an
unforeseen event. My brother is a LAWYER in
sydney and when Harry went to his office on
business. William invited him TO stay few
"ttkS At our mouse, ne was so Ill. very.
very sorry for him. 1t made my heart ache to
see him 80 differing and feeble, and in a strange
iand among strangers So [ did all L could to
nurse and comfort him. We went on in that
way till his business was ended, and he came
10 say coed bye TO me, and tell me he had
taken a passage home in this steamer He cried
dTeadfuily, Mr.. Grazing er-like n child and he
SAID lie was so AFRAID OF going this long voyage
1cne among rough St amen and perhaps he
0houid die, with no one near him that cared
shout HIM. don't remember exactly what /
lint a-lre+ hal
20 with kin, II could be a comfort and help
to him -
"Buthe did not marry you for that ~ exclaim-
"He was really very fond CT me IS WE'LL [
ontiDued. @.s But, oh you canno- imagine no y
afraid he was Of dying alone; and the voyage
was so very long. So when he asked M if [
wonld be his W !fe, l told him loved him very
much, and was very sorry for him.
4" But what DID Your brother say to it, my
poor child ~ he Inquired
Girls OF my age in the colony don't ask
the o'hers,'' replied. awe were married
quietly in cha pei in Sydney, and told William
afterwards. But somehow L never believed he
wo Mo surely If after we Were married he
was !ourg, and l had snever seen any one
die. thought be was getting better, a. was
so cheerful and happy. And, oh, he died one
evening "a, wnffe we were watching Ins
sun 90 Gown and ! sat very quietly by him,
or!y thinking he was asleep, till the captain
came up and said he was dead
1hrre was avery perceptible frown upon the
quickly followed by the expression OF profound
pity as he met my appealing glance. l went
On 10 tell him how bitterly bad found out
my Ioliy and self Will in marrying withoutmy
brothers knowledge and how afraid | was
OF beipg a trouble to him and his sister until l
could write home, and hear again from VIII
liam, unless he decided it would be best To send
back by the next ste amer; bat L shrank
from the thought of a second long voyage, with
the ceaseiess dtsge Of the waves wheIe my
husband as buried following me month after
month. MIR. Granger listened to me without
Interruption, and then said In few consoiing,
friendly sentences, that he should consider
himself my guardian until he could hear from
my brothey In Sydney. and hat TO morrow
should return with him to the home which had
been Harry's.
When had left Sydney. the rail way to Far
smatta ouly just beg un, and my first jour-
my by rail was from Liverpool TO Sherwood;
hui could see nothing Of the IS miles Of Brit
ish ground we traversed Witty, for the
carriage windows were Opaque with frost.
Though it was scarcely noon, Mr.. Granger
and two other gentlemen who were cur fellow
passengers, after locking at their newspapers
for a few miles, apparently resigned them
selves TO profound slunber, and continued in
it, with but brief intervals OF wakefulness, un-
til we reached the little country station where
We left the train. We were Immediately sur
rounded by q band OF ser vile OH Gals, whose
obsequlousness was as strange to me every
thing else had been since had left the steamer;
but MIR. Granger hurried me away impetuous-
ly, and lifted me into q dog cart which was in
waiting for us at the gate, where stayed while
he gave his servant directions about my cart
load of luggage.
81 never saw snow like this BEFORE" said,
when he came to fasten the apron at my side,
and fold round me- the rugs which had been
sent for our protection from the Sc we're climate
1t showed in Sydney the year l was born;
but of course don't remember that"
by George. never thought Of that p ex-
claimed Mr.. Granger, regarding me with a
lock OF surprise, while he tore of his rough
overcoat imp patiently. Here. stand up, Mrs
Granger; let me button this right round you,
or you will be froZfn to death before get
hcme. It will be q sorry welcome to Sher-
God"
We drove through white wilderness, spark
ling and scundiess, save for the dull beat of the
horses Goofs upon The snow, and the shrill
chrping Of little buds in the hedges. 1t was
magic scsne To me. The sky was cloudless, of
pale, bright blue, and there was no color in
all the snow co vered landscape, except very
faint and scarcely perCeptible tinge OF golden
piDkish hue. just visible in the shade WIS of the
masses OF pure white. Under the hedge rows
Were huge drifts, twisted and cooled into
tn usand fantastic shapes and every branch
OF the ieafless trees we passed beneath was
bsanched and wreathed with delicate fret
work. 1t was already sunset though scarcely
4ociocE, and the pinkish shao ows were deep
mn dar he lap of no,