The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-10-18

/
ander shivered as he spoke, and drew
his wrap close over his knees. 1--WE
have the most charming climate in New
Zealand" he went on 1--WE are never
too hot, and never too cold. In fdct we
never think of the weather. And the
soil is the most fertile In the world"
"Pity it is in such an out of the way
part of the earth that nobody can live
there" said Miss Armour.
"Beg your pardon, Miss; there are
several English towns of 10000 inhabit-
ants each, and we never think of our
selves as being out Of the way,but rath-
or feel sorry for those who live so. far
off, returned the other, bending his tall
figure earnestly forward.
Rose leaned her pretty head toward
him in confiding attitude of interest,
and laughed: ooh, so you are the peo.
pie, and wisdom is going to die with
you," said she. "But what do you do
out there in the heart of the universe ?n
1--WE dig gold for one thing, and raise
sheep for another-millions of them
from thirty to forty vessels are constant
ly plying to England with the tallow
and pressed WOOL"
"What do you do with all that NUT
ton?" asked Rosa, looking idly at the
light in her ring, and then as idly at
the light in the speakers eyes.
"We use what we can," was the re-
ply ;"and sometimes,I am sorry to say,
we bury the flesh-not usually; but
sometimes an order will come TO one
farmer for thousand sheep, if you
please, and all he can do is to clip off
the wool, get out the fat, and bury the
carcasses.n
"What pity the meat can't be sent
| to the hungry poor at home! Why don't
somebody condense it as they do the
beef in Texas ?" / said in my practical
way.
SIN good time, dare say, somebody
will but we can't do everything at
once" replied the New Zealander, look
ing with sudden interest at the game Of
shufileboard being played beside US.
Just then along came the ships sur
geon, blonde youth in uniform, with
his hair parted in the middle.
"Miss Armour" said he, "the gun is
to be fred at the bow; will you come
and see it done?"
Miss Armour started up at once,turn-
ing the same half conflding glance and
ready smile upon him she had been CIV
ing us.
81 am going to leave my rug with
you; 1 shall come back" said she,
beaming over her shoulder upon me as
she took the surgeons arm and went
away.
The New Zealander looking after her,
tried to console himself by drawing his
wrap in another fold across his knees,
did not succeed, and finally got up and
went away. OF course it was not worth
his while to make himself agreeable to
amiddle aged woman in hood and water
proof. So 1 sat, and looked at the like.
ness of lake among the sunset clouds,
and tried to decide whether 1 had better
take oatmeal cruel or biscuit tea for my
| oupbSi tlS NhllCy lull
consciously, about the old chord in my
memory that was always being struck
by certain musical ring in the New
Zealander's voice.
After an hour or so the gun was fir
| ed, and presently Miss Armour came
back, and with the disorder of the
strong sea wind in her hair, and its
freshness in her pretty pink cheeks.
"I've come as 1 said," she murmur-
ed, dropping at my feet again, and
smiling up, as though she had got
where she best loved to be-just such a
smile as she would have given to the
stokers down in the engine room, or the
ships cat. But it was lovely to look
upon while it lasted and we middle
aged people have learned to warm our
selves in any chance ray of sunlight
without stopping to consider whether II
is likely to be perpetual.
This time the bit of sunshine did no.
stay long ; for there came up an artist
with his sketch book {; and when Miss
Armour had sufficiently admired his
graphic penciling5 of the captain and
the quartermaster, and the sea sick oc.
cupants of an upper berth, it was time
to throw the log and so he bore her
off, to find out by her own eyes wheth'
er we were actually going at the rate
of thirteen knots, or only twelve and 9
half.
That was how the days went. The
passengers read and paced the deck
played games and guessed riddles, ant
were always hungry; the pilot stoot
+ steady and firm at the wheel (; the sail
ors ran up and down about the rigging
like overgrown spiders, and were for
ever securing and scrubbing, tying ant
untying, drawing up and letting down
! Thus, at last, we had come safely al
: most to our desired haven. With fai
, sailing, we were only one day out from
port fond as we had grown to b
I of each other, we were getting impa
+ tient to part.
y Miss Armour, during all the voyage
Q had kept on as she begun, beguilini
r every one with her trick Of lip ant
v eye. They ran after her like boys a
n the string of kite. Well, they hat
e nothing better to do just then ; ant
g when she had faded out as rainbow
fades, made no doubt she would be a
), easily forgotten, or only remembers
as a midsummer's day dream, by all
n unless it might be solitary, warn
- hearted man like the New Zealandel
/. To tell the truth, l was a little sorr
!. for him. Evidently, life had not brougi
n him all it might and he was hungr
for the love and confidence that ha
- never been his. So L was afraid /
O would miss this little sparkle of CIR
n hood and warm youth, and find IL
,e void deeper when it had gone out.
OIL To the very last day, Rosa kept h'
n 49, Il