The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-02-10
rus srrwaaDs.s STORY.

souihwArd bound steamer, where there
wa nothlag 10 remind one of he bless
Cd sesAon Of peace and goodwill save
solitary cross Of evergreen which one
passenger bad fastened over hcr state
room door. Il Was Wild night. We
were just Of Cape iias1erAs, and the
vessel was rolling ike = playtmug ~
TOE bands Of The stormy sea. a yio-
lenl snow-etorm was raging, and on
deck the scene was drcary aud arctic.
snow And ice covered everything, and
The muffied forms Of the sailors passing
to and iro under the glare OF The lam
lsrns appeared like the wierd ghosts OF
dead arctic yoyagers ! was glad 70
seek the warm saloon and gather myseli
into a corner OF lounge. To watch the
movements Of the passengers was amuse-
mept enough, and served TO prevent me
7 from thinking too tenderly Of the home
circle where was missed from the fee.
! liyities OF Christmas-eYe.
{ The usual crowd WAS collected which
one always sees on q steamer southw ard
bound in the winter time. Here around
table were gathered group Of men,
/ probably sugar merchants, striving, IN
/ spite OF the motion of the ship, TO play .
quiet game of enchre. Stretched on The
sofas were ladies 10 all stages Of sea-
4
sickness. a few children not yet put 10
bed, were orouching on the floor with
I their nurses, aud in warm corner near
the heater lay poor consumptive girl
carefully watched over by her mother
and brother. She was going 10 die uu-
der the orange trees. Only the old story
repeated over and over again every win
ter.
Moving round among all those who
were sick was the trim, plump figure OF
the old stewardess. She was carrying
/ bowls OF broth, tumbers OF chopped
ice, and sll those little delicscies SO wei
come TO sufferer from sea-sickness'
The quiet placid face of the old lady in.
terested me and In those few days al
ready passed since leaving port we had
become firm friends. With the quick
instinct Of woman who had to do With
all kinds of people, she felt that liked
her company, and she had already form
ed the habit of coming for quiet chat
with me the last thing at night after all
her sea-sick charges were safely tucked
in their berths and her duties for the day
over.
| was impatient tonight for her leisure
hour TO arrive, for | saw a strange ten
derness in the old lady's face, and felt
sure that the season was arousing old
memories in her heart, which perhaps
could induce her 10 tell me. So when al
last she came and sat down on one end OF
The Tongue where | was lying, ] said
trying to lead the conversation TO what
felt was uppermost in her mind, It's
rough night for Christmas-eve.
Yes, ma'am, she replied, smoothing
the folds Of her kerchief across hel
breast; but I've seen many roughei
night at sea in my day, and-thought
fully-sadder Christmas-eves, too.
Have you spent many years on the
ocean, | asked.
Yes, ma'am, but not in this way.
used to have my own little cabin in my
husbands ship-a cozy little place, where
| used always to be at his side, and neye
felt afraid Of storm or wind.
Tell me about it, said. Surely lft
ike yours has had much of interest in il
Well, ma'am, I've been thinking il al
over tonight, and If you don't mind, II
tell you some Of the things sailors wifi
I has to pass through, and how her hear
gets wrung very hard sometimes.
| hadn't much knowledge Of thos
things when married Charlie, for wa
{ a slip OF girl then, and kuew no NOR
OF The sea than one learns in watching
the vessels sail out of aud into quie
land-bound harbor. So when Chafi
asked me to be bis wife and 90 to sc
with hiln--for although he WAS young h
had a ship OF his own-l said yes with a
NV heart, for | loved the honest-hearte
sailor, ma'am, ever since we were littI
:, children together. only thought the
e Of all the strange sunny lands Charlie hs
:, told me about, and 10 20 10 see theI
with him, was TO take trip TO paradis'
Well, We were married just before i
was 10 start on voy age TO brazil.
mind me so well of that voyage, ma'an
Just as If 1t all happened yesterday.
was late in November when We starte,
aud right here of natterss we had a te
) ribe gale. was so frightened when Il
wind howled aud whistled through Il
er rigging, and almost wished myself bu'
:, =, in the old cottage with mother-for
bad a dear mother then, God bless b
memory
( The old iady's voice broke, and 81
stopped to wipe away the tears whi
~ ran down her cheeks.
But when the wind blew the Wide
Caarlle only laughed, and At last cri
myself To sleep 10 bis arms like frigl
ened child.
.pe And when we came down into
.e warm tropic sea. was 80 happy w4b
~ Ing the schools Of flying-6sh aud
ses great floating fields Of gulf-wsed aud
ID. night, when the sea was shining and
- sip seemed passing through a lake
/ silver, sll my dreams of paradise vi
~ reslized
Tten came the foreign land, W
strange, swaTthy faces, aud words
didn't know, and odd fruits, and