Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-09-20
NO. 225.
From Chambers Journal-l
4 MIDDLE.AGED LOVE STORY.

sloou on the stern, noddlng and waving
back, till the steamer swept down the riv-
er out of their sight
knew should have their prayers that
the great sea might be gentle with me; l
knew they would watch the weather, and
look for the telegram of the arrival Of our
ship; yet knew was taking nothing
from their lives, and that they each would
go home hardly missing me !; 50 it was
with no great wrench Of heart that saw
the pilot put off from us, and took the last
look of my native shores.
During the most of the passage was
just comfortably sea sick, so sat all the
day long in reclining chair on deck
watching the white caps on the purple and
green and blue waves that mounted and
fell, down and up, up and down, away
out to the far horizon. saw the shining
nau,iluses float by. and now and then
whale of shoal of porpoises, or SAIL
speeding white and full across the water
saw also good many others thing
nearer by; for didn't put my eyes in my
pocket along with my short sighed glass
es; and no body was much likely to mind
a middle-aged woman In hood and water
proof.
The first thing saw was young girl,
with dark eyes, and brown hair that rip.
pied itself into tangle of rough curls
whenever she shook off herne She was
not SO very pretty, nor so very brilliant;
but there was piquant charm about her
that attracted half the passengers before
the first day was over. By the end of the
second day, every body. from the captain
to the ships surgeon, and from the sur
geon to the cabin boy, was eager to show
her attention; and every body was met by
the same genial smile and lively retort.
She won her way at once into my heart
by the kindly thought that led her to bring
little relishes from the table to prompt my
sickly appetite, and to seothe my forehead
with bay water and gentle touches Of her
shapely brown hands, where great eme-
raid glittered encircled by diamonds. Very
soon shs got into the habit of drawing her
rug beside my chair, and sitting on the
deck leaning against me, so that l might
pet her." as she said.
This was how it happened that my quiet.
out-ot-the-way corner came to be the CEN
ter of the life and gayety and romance of
the whole shipboard.
1t seemed this young girl, Rose Armour
was an only child and an orphan, going
to an uncle in Germany, her nearest Of
kin.
Dear heart hope her uncle will be
wise as well as loving" said | to myself
very often; for she seemed too fragile q
bubble OF humanity TO drift on through
life alone.
The tips of her brown curls were light
er than the rest; and here and there were
light bright touches all over her hair, as
though the sun was shining in spots on it.
One morning sat coiling these CLEANS of
sunshine around my fingers, and watch
ing q flock of Mother Carey's chickens
skim restlessly over the restless water.
thinking these thoughts about Rose, and
having her soft presence alone to myself
for few minutes. Not many, however;
soon came upa New Zealander; of course
there was a New Zealander or an Austria
lian on our boat.
"You are very lowly, Miss Amour"
said he Let me bring you chair"
Thank you prefer to sit here on my
rug. and have Miss Wells pet me, replied
Rosa, turning up her eyes languidly
THE deck is my favorite seat, if can
only have an excuse to sit on it.
"But you need something over yon,"
persi,ted the New Zealander, going away,
and coming back directly with his own
heavy gray wrap. Then he seated him.
self on "a low camp stool beside her, fold
ing the wrapper over the two. II never
saw so rough a sea as this all the way
from Honolulu to San Francisco said
he, looking out upon the gentle swell of
the lazily-mounting waves.
Rough - cried Miss Armour. Il am
sure the ocean is as smooth as mill
pond" ar..
"Oh but not as compared to the Pacific
peaceful; 1t was rightly named. We
have never such gales on that as sweep
the Atlantic, but only the gentlcst wester-
" breezes" The New Zealander shivered
AS he spoke, and drew his wrap closer
over his knees. I'VE have the most
charming climate in New Zealand" he
went on 1--WE are never too hot, and nev-
er too cold. In fact 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 sew
eral English towns of thirty thousand in
habitants each and we never think of
ourselves as being -the-way, but
rather feel sorry for those who live SO far
off" returned the other. bending his tall
figure earnestly forward.
Rosa leaned her pretty head towards
him in coniiding attitude OF interest, and
laughed. "Oh. SO you are the people, and
wisdom is going to die with you,p said
she. But what do you do ont there In
the heart of the universe ?"
1--WE dig gold for one thing. and raise
sheep for another-'millions and millions
OF them; from thirty to forty vessels are
constantly plying to England with the tai
low and pressed WOOL -,
..What do you do with all that mutton ?"
asked Rosa, looking idly at the light In
her ring, and then as idly at the light In
the speakers eyes. asg.d
"We use what we can,n was the reply;
land sometimes, am sorry to say, we
bury the flesh-not usually; but some
times an order VIII come to one farmer for
thousand sheep. you please; and all
| a. -