Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-11-24

few first.class cabin passengers that day,
though the steerage was full to over.
flowing. Most of these had already
taken their seats, and George had begun
to carve the meat, when the door leading
to the ladies' cabin opened, and gentle
man came in, followed by lady. The
carving.knife dropped from George
Manly's hand; for Myra stood before
him, with the flush of happiness upon
her cheek, and her eyes dancing with
fun as they sought out Georges face.
They came forward, and he rose quickly,
and greeted them as II they had been his
brother and sister Myra was unaffect-
edly glad to see him, and asked him
questions of her old home, her father,
and friends, and George answered her
as well as he could. He could not see
that she had changed in any respect--a
little more matronly in figure, perhaps,
but nothing more. Her eyes had the
same old light in them which he remem-
bered so well, and her voice was as sweet
as ever. When dinner was over, Myra
rose with an important air, and beckoned
George to come
hoNO oOhCbhlnS W 5uOH JOut oil
You are to come with me at once, and
tell me what you think" ,..
. George followed her mechanically into
the ladies' cabin. A nurse sat upon a
sofa near the upper end of the cabin,
holding in her arms a baby-Myra's
child. The young mother was down up
on her knees beside it, pressing her lips
to the sweet mouth of the child, which
crowed and stretched out its little hands
to her. 1...
"Why don't you speak to him,
George?" she said, pouting. You don't
hardly even look at him, you wicked
creature, and you don't know what his
name is" a.t
How could know?" said George.
IL hope he has a good name."
" He has the name of a good man and
brave one" she answered.
Your father's?"
George Gale Merrick. Now what
do you think of it? l soould have it,
George, because l want, when my little
child is old enough to understand what l
mean, to point him out a model, and I
want no better one than have found.
The little fellow was stretching out his
hands to George, who could not resist
the child's pleading gesture, and took
the little fellow in his arms His voice
broke Us he tried to speak.
You don't know how l feel it." he
said, " that you should name your little
child after me. ] am not likely to have
one by my own fireside, and it win be
something to remember with pleasure in
my lonely voyages that somewhere on the
earth there lives a child who bears my
name"
George" said Myra, inexpressibly
touched by the melancholy cadence of
his voice, why do you live lonely
{life9 There are dozens of girls know
who would be proud to be your wife"
1t can never be-" he said, gently.
And the solemn waves seemed to take
up and sound the melancholy words.
Myra had never dreamed of the true
solution of George Manly's sorrow. In
their intercourse she had looked at him
as one immeasurably above her, to whom
her childish chatter was simply amusing.
But that he should love her! she would
have laughed at the idea. Yet as she
saw George standing there, gazing upon
the sweet face of the child, an indefina-
, Bile suggestion crossed her mind as to
the cause of his gloom. Through the
day he came to the cabin often; and once,
when Myra missed the child, the nurse
told her that the Captin" had taken it
on deck. She went out to look for him,
and found him seated in the shadow of
the cabin, the arms of the boy about his
neck, and its little face pressed agains.
his bearded cheek. .'.'-
81 knew you had stolen him." said
Myra. But the boy clung to his new
protector, and crowed defiance to his
mother She drew deck chair near the
rail, looking out across the tranquil
water. They were just steaming past
Charlotte, and the long line Of green
coast lay bright before her eyes. George
looked at the northern sky, gave sud
den start, and new trouble came into
his face. He did not like the appear.
ance of the sky. He had seen it look
like that before terrific squalls, and he
went away to prepare for danger. The
sun set in a blazing sky, but it was the
wrong kind of red-a lurid, fiery glare.
The sailors shook their heads and looked
significantly at each other. Myra, sur
prised by these strange glances, asked:
/" What is the matter, George?"
Aeapful of wind yonder, perhaps
nothing to speak of. You go into your
cabin and never mind it. If there is any
real danger / will be the first one to tell
you, never fear. Take her into the
cabin, Gale, and don't mind the chatter
of my men. If the lubbers had never
sailed the lake wouldn't blame them
SO much. But--vI don't like this. Go
into the cabin" --' ''-
The wind began to rise in fitful gusts,
and the steamer was rushing through
the water at her best speed, the foam pill
ing itself in white masses about her cut
water Below, her great heart throbbed and
and perspiring, piled wood in the fur.
mace, and the engineer obeyed the order
which came through the speaking tube
to put on speed. Night, came on, and
the waves seemed to go down for mo.
ment, and it was almost calm, and then,
withouta moments warning, the squall
struck them on the beam. Many a sail.
ing craft went down in that fierce gust,
and even the steamer felt it. AS she
ANSASNA w iNS"olhI anu
the windward side went laundering
across the deck. . wall, of despair was
heard among the passengers. But, in
obedience to the Captains order, the
steamers course was changed so that its
bow pointed into the winds eye,'
while the fierce squall roared about her
and watery deluge swept across her
decks. George Manly, drenched by the
icy flood, but bold and confident, kept
his station behind the wheel-house, hold.
ing in one hand the speaking tube, and
in the euther atrumpet, for in the roar Of
the elements no human voice could have
any power. A confused shout rose as q
crowd of drenched passengers came
rushing forward
"Silence there, fore and aftp cried the
young sailor. Watkins, take those
people aft. What do they mean by this
conduct when we are busy?"
The mate drove his confused flock be-
fore him to the after-cabin, locked them
l