Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-11-23
LOVE
MTDDLE-AGED
STORY.

They had come, a little group of
friendly faces, to watch me of, with
waving handkerchiefs and kindly
Uood-bves: and l stood on the stern
1odding and waving back, till the
steamer swept down the river out
of their sight.
knew 1 should have their pray
ers that the great sea might be gem
tie with me; ! knew they would
watch the weather, and look for the
telegram of the arrival of our ship;
vet / knew / was taking nothing
from their lives, and that they each
would 60 home hardly missing me;
so il was with no great wrench Of
heart that l saw the pilot put on
from us, and took the last look at
NV native shores.
During the most Of the passage, l
was lust comfortably sea-sick, so /
sat all the day long in q reclining
chair on deck, watching the white
caps on the purple and green a
blue waves that noun ed and fell.
Town aud up, up and down, away
out to the TAR horizon. l saw the
shining nautiluses float by, and now
and then a whale or a shOal of pOr-
poises, or sail speeding white and
/ iull across the water.
! saw a good many other things
nearer by, for l didn't put my eyes
in my pocket along with my short
-ighied glasses; and nobody was
much likely to mind middle-agec
woman in ood and waterproof.
The first thing / saw was young
girl with dark eyes and brown hair
hat rippled itself into tangle o
| rougl curls whSnever she took OF
her net. She was not so very pref
~. nor so very brilliant, but ihert
wa. a piquant charm about her tha
attracted half the passengers befor
The first day was over. BY the en'
nt the second day, everybody from
the captain TO the ships surgeon
and from the surgeon 10 the cabin
bov, was eager TO show her atteH
lion, and everybody was met by IN
same genial smile and lively rotor
She won her way at once into m
heart by the kindly thought tbs
ed her TO bring little relishes frOI
the able to tempt my sicEly RpDt
tite, and to sOothe my forehead wit
baywater and gentle touches OF ht
shapaly brown hands, where a grei
emerald glittered, encircled by dii
| mOnds. Very soon she got into II
habit of drawing her rug beside N
chair, and sitting on the deck leal
, ing against me, so that l might "p
her." as she said.
This was how it happened tn
nv quiet, out-of-the-way corn
=. became the centre of the life, al
gaiety, and romance Of the who
shipbOard.
1t seemed this young girl, Ro
Armour, was an only child and
> orphan, going to an uncle in GC
many, her nearest of kin.
Dear heart! / nope her uncle W
be wise SIS well as loving" said l
myself very often, for she seem
! too fragile buoble of humanity
DRIFT on through life alone.
The tips of her brown curls We
rs lighter than the rest, and here a
there were little bright touches
over her hair, as though the s
were shining in spots on IL. q
Il morning I sat coiling these glea
of sunshine around my fingers, 8
watching a flock of Mother Care
H. chickens skim restlessly over
surface of the restless water, thll
N. ing these thoughts about Rose,
having her soft presence alone
myself for few moments.
n many, however; soon up CAM
W New Zealander-of course IN
was a New Zealander or an 4
y tralian on our boat.
"You are very lOwly, Miss
,o mour," said he; .Ict nae bring yc
L , chair"
"Thauk you; l prefer to sit |
~ on nv rng, and have Miss W
pet me-" replied Rosa, turning
. her ewes languidly. "The decs
to nv favorite seat, if 1 can only h
ng. an excuse to sit on it."
& 81, "But you need something {
,%iv vou," persisted the New Zealan
an going away, and coming back
'our his own heavy gray wrap. 1
rket he seated himself on low ca
as ns'1 stool beside her, folding the Y
n over the two. 81 never saw So