The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-02-14
A REVELATION FROM TIE SEA.

4 may write to you, Alice, mayn't
IW
Alice shook her head. "Beter not, "
she said g much better not" Still
the denial was faint
But I shall write, " said the young
man warmly; cit is all the comfort [
have. | don't ask you to write to me,
but | will write to you, and"
He would be angry said Alice,
shaking her head; "no, you really
Mustn't"
"All right" said the sailor with a
warm sunny smile; ito your sister,
then-all right. | know you'll go and
ask her for a letter sometimes. Good
bye, darling-one kiss.
The kiss was given hurriedly and sur
rephtiously, ana the sailor sprang from
the landing stage into boat that was
waiting alongside, and presently the
oars were flashing in the sunlight as
she made rapidly for a bark lying in
the stream. Alice stood and watched
the recedIng boat, watched it till it
reached the ship, and was hauled upon
the davits. Presently the CHEEKY song
of the sailors was heard over the water,
the clink Of the Windlass, as they
hauled the anchor home. Then she
shook out her sails and departed. A
sbore-bOlt, however, had put off from
the ship at the very last moment, and
came SLOWLY against the tide towards
the land. 1t reached the landing stage,
and wizened, elderly man landed and
came up the stairs.
tIWal A]ioa - ba cold 1ro1I
you've waited long time for Dicky-
good girl, good girl Now, my birdie,
Well go home to our little cage"
Alice sighed aud put her hand in bis
arm, and they went off, he with a
springy, shambling gait, meant to be
sprightly and juvenile 4; she with a slow,
lfeless step, that yet kept pace with
him.
Richard loft, the ship. owner, who
had just landed, was seventy years old
or more, and he had married Alice
Graham, who was only nineteen But
! then loft was the richest man in the
port OF MedfOrd Regis, and everybody
said she had done well for herself.
There had been some silly love pas
sages between her and William Black,
| the son of Widow Black, of Woodbine
Cottage, but he was only a mate iii one
of Richards ships, and could never
have made home for her. to say moth
ing OF the misery of marrying a sail
or, and being q widow, as it were, four
years out OF five. Now it wasn't IN the
course of nature that Dicky loft
should live forever; and then, if she
played her cards well, what happy
woman she might be She would have
to play her cards, mind you, for she
was poor girl when she married, and
Dicky had kept all his money at his
own disposal; but then what fool ike
an Old fool? aud pretty girl, like
Alice, ought to be able to wind him
round her little finger.
Certainly Mr.. Tot was wonderfully
proud of his wife, and with good
cause, for she was one of the prettiest
girls IN Melford. TO be sure, after
their marriage she seemed to fade a
little, whilst Dicky seemed to grow
young and green again, and responded
to all The ralliery OF which he was the
subject as archiy and wickedly as any
grlzzled old monkey on a perch.
Nothing was too good for Alice ia
Mr.. lofts opinion. He bought her
shawls from the Indies, beautiful mus
Inns and silks that would stand on end:
he gave her jewels, too, and decked her
out with chains and trinkets and ear
rings till she grew ashamed of her
splendor.
BY and by Willie Black came home
from long voyage. and one of the
hrst to welcome him and invite him to
his house was Dir. loft, the ship
owner. He had heard all about this
little love affair, but he had such conf
dence IN his wife-she was such a lew
ell, so devoted to hlm-he was anxious
that his rival should see how complete
ly she had forgotten.
You brought him yourself" said
Alice III her own heart, looking rather
hardly at her husband, as she toiled up
the steep hill that led to their house.
painting and shaking, but refusing to
acknowledge that she was tired. Il had
schooled myself to be content, but
your own hand you shattered all nv
good resolves"
Let me stay here for moment,
said MIR. loft, land admire tins pleas
ant view. Oh, I'm not tired-no. no
not at all; but see the ship standing
out to sea. Shes capital sa1ler, eh 3
all, yes.
Her sails were spread out far in the
distance, rosy with the beams of the
setting sun, but a chilly mist was creep
ng up, and presently the glow van
ished and the white sails were blotted
out, disappearing IN the great vague
world of mist and sea and shadow.
Why, what's the matter, Alice ~
said Mr. Toft, turning sharply around. |
$ Tears An, well, yes, yes, we know |
= little hystereal. eh Don't excite
yourself, dearest. My dear Poppets. |
we will walk home very quietly, and |