The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1873-04-02
A MIDDLE-AGED LOyE.STORY.

f,ion lily faces. 10 watch mo off, with
waving handkerchicis and kindly
good-byes; and L stood on the stern
nodding and waving back, till tho
steamer swept down the river out Of
their sight.
Iknew,I should have their prayers
that the great sea might be gentle
with me; | knew they would watch
the weather, and look for the telegram
of the arrival Of our ship; yet l knew
was taking nothing from their lives,
aud that they each would go homo
hardly missing me; so it was with no
great wrench Of heart that saw the
pilot put of from us, and took the
last look at my native shores.
During most of the passage / was
just comfortably scasick, so / sat all
the day long in q reclining-chair on
deck, watching the white caps on the
purple aud green and blue waves that
mounted and fell, down and up, up
aud down, away out to the fair hori-
ron. saw the shining nautiluscs
float by, and now aud then q whale. or
shoal Of porpoises, or q sail, speed
ing white full across the water.
saw also a good many other things
nearer by; for didn't put my eyes
in my pocket along with my short
sighted glasses; and nobody was
much likely 10 mind middlc-aged
woman in hood and waterproof.
The first thing | saw was Young
girl with dark eyes, and brown
hair that rippled itself into tanglo
of rough curls whenever she took off
her net. She was not so very pretty,
nor so very brilliant; but there was o
piquant charm about her that attract
ed half The passengers before
the first day was over. by the end
of the second day, everybody, from the
captain to the ships surgeon, and
from the surgeon to the cabin-boy,
was eager to show her attention and
everybody was met by the same genial
smile and lively retoIt.
She won her way Mt once into my
heart by tho kindly thought that led
her to bring little rclishes from the
table to tempt my sickly appetite, and
TO soothc my forehead with bay-water
and gentle touches of her shapely
brown hands, where great emerald
glittered, encircled by diamonds.
Very soon She got into the habit of
drawing her rug beside my chair, and
sitting on the deck leaning against me,
so that l might "pct her. as she
said.
This was how il happened that my
quiet, out-of-thc-way corner came to
be the centre of the life and gaycty
and romance of the whole ship
board.
IT seemed this young girl, Rosa
Ar nour, was an only child, and an
orphan, going to all 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 II bubble of humanity to
drift on through life alone.
The tips Of her 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 in spots on it. One morning
/ sat coiling these CLEANS of sunshine
around my fingers, and watching a
flock of Mother Carey's chickens skim
rcstlessly over the restless water,
thinking these thoughts about Rosa,
and having her soft presence alone to
myself for few moments. Not many,
however; soon, up came Now Zca-
lander; of course there was a New
Ze1'auder, or an Australian, on our
b at.
You are very lowly, Miss Ar
mour," said he. Let me bring You
a chair"
"Thank you; l 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 all excuse to
sit on it,"
"But you need something over
YOU" persisted the New Zealander,
going away, and coming back directly
with his own heavy gray wrap. Then
he seated himself on low camp-stool
beside her, folding the wrap over the
two. 81 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-mount-
Ing waves.
Rough !" cried Miss Armour. at
am sure the ocean is as smooth as a
mill-pond J"
90! but not as compared to the
Paciic-peaoeful it was rightly
named, We have never such gales
| Nh fhaf CxraOt, tIo