The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-11-09
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a MIDDLE-AGaD LOVE STORY.
IFron Chambers Journal.

They had come. ..'tIe -roup of friendly
faces T. watch me OIL .th waving handker
chiefs Auu kiud!y .sondoyS; nd l stood on the
stern nodding and waving back till the steamer
swept down the river or their sight.
| knew | should have their prayers that the
great sea should =" gentle with me- l knew
they would watch tue weather and look tor the
telegram of the arrival Of our hip; yet knew
l was taking nothing from their lives, and that
they each would 90 home hardly missing me
50 1t was with no great wrench of heart that L
saw the pilot put off from US, aud took the last
look at my native SHORES
During most OF the passage was just COM
ioTtabiy o.. s,oa, 60 ! So IL the day long In Il
reclining char on aeck. Watching the white
caps on the purple and er' en- aud blue waves
that mounted and fell down aud up, up and
down, away out on tue lar uu.i-ou. saw the
shining nsutiluses float by, now aud then IL
whale or shoai OF po!Y Uses. or al speeding
white AMI full across the NAtcs.
l saw also great many other Things nearer
by. for l didn't ~. Wv eyes in my pocket
alol with my short-sigh,ei glasses aud no.
body much likely to mind middle-aged
woman in hood and waterproof.
The first thing | saw was young girl with
dark eyes and brown hair that rppled itself in.
to taugle of rough ourls wheHsver she took off
her net. She was not so very pretty nor ~ very
brilliant, but there was piquant charm about
ker that attracted hall the Passengers before the
first csy over. By the end of the second
day, everybody, from the surgeon to the cabin
boy, was eager 10 show her nttention, and every.
body met by the same genial smile and
lively retort
She he: way At once into my heart by
the kindly t"oua.,-. r.. led her to bring little
relishe, IRON the table to tempt my sicky appe.
tite, and to soo.hc my forehead with bay water,
t,,t,,. hna Of hai ahaYa hrn
hands, where great emerald glittered, encir-
cled by diamonds. Very soon she got in the
habit of drawing my rug beside my char, and
sitting on the deck leaning against me, so that
might pet her." rs she said.
This was how 1t happened that my quie: out.
of-the-way corner came to be the centre Of the
Lite aud gayety and romance of the whole ship.
board
1t seemed that this young girl, Rosa Armour,
was an only child, and an orphan, going to an
uncle III Germany, her nearest of kin.
'Dear heart l hope her uncle will be wise as
we'll as loving" said to myself very often; for
che seemed too fragile bubble of humanity to
drift on through life alone.
The tips of the brown curls were lighter than
the rest; and here and there were little bright
touches all over her hair, As though the sun was
shining on it. One morning l sat coiing these
CLEANS of Sunshine around my fingers, and
watching flock of Mother Csrey's chickens
skim restlessiy over the restless water, thinking
these thoughts about Rosa, aud having her soft
presence alone to myself for few moments
Not many, however; soon up came New Zea.
lander; Of course there was u New Zealander
or an Australian on our at.
''Iou are very lowly, Miss Armour" said he.
.Let me bring you chair
THANK you l prefer to cit here on my rug
and have Miss Wells pet me-" replied Rosa,
turning up her eyes languidly. THE deck is
my favorite seat, ii can only have an excuse
to sit on it,"
"But you need something over you" persisted
the New Ieslander, going away and coming
back directly with his own heavy gray wrap.
Then be seated himself on low camp sto III be.
side her. folding the wrap over the two. Il
never saw 50 rough a rs this all the way
from Honolulu TO San Francisco, said he, look.
ing out upon the gentle swell Of the lszily
mounting waves.
though y cried Miss Armour. II tim sure
the ocean is NJ smooth a mill pond"
"Oh! but not as compared to the Pacific
peaceful; it "as rightly named. We have never
such gales on that rweep the Atlantic, but
only tie gentltst westerly breezes." The New
Healander -hiyered he spoke, and drew his
wrap close over his buees. I'VE have the most
charming climate in New Zealand" nc went on;
fact, VT never think or the weather, and the soil
is the most fertile IN the world"
pity it is IN such AZ out.ot.the.way part of
the earth that NOBODY can live there" said Miss
Armour.
beg your pardon, miss there are several
English towns of thirty thousand inhabitants
each; and we never think of ourselves as being
out OF the way, but rather feel sorry for those
who live SO far oft returned the other, bending
his tall figure earnestly forward.
Rose leaned her Pretty head toward him in
confding attitude and laughed. "Oh, so YOU
are the people, and wisdom is going to die with
you" SAID she But what do You 90 out there
in the heart OF the universe ~
1--WE dig gold for one thing and raise sheep
Tor auo,her-lniicrs and millions Of them
from thirty to forty vessels are constantly ply.
Ing 70 England with the tallow and pressed
wool"
What do yon d, with all TIA, mutton 2"
asked Hose, looking idly ut tho light in her ring
and tie" ,s !-'y at the light in the speakers
eyes
I've Use what we can was the rely; "and
sometimes, ! am sorry 10 say, We bury the flesh
not usually; bat sometimes an order will
come 10 enc farmer for . thousand sheep, if YOU
please; and oll Ae can o. i. to clip off the wool
get out the lat aad bury he oarcasses"
What pity ~" meat can't be sen. TO the
hungry poor at home. Why don't somebody
condense 1t as they do beef in Texas ~ l said in
my practical way
sooG time dare say someb body will, but
we cant DO everything at once,' replied the
New Iealander looking with sudden interest mt
the game Of huflleboard being played beside
US.
just then along came the ships surgeon, "A
bloios youth IL uniform, with his hair parted