The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-24
From Appleton's Journal.l
The Daphne.

One day there sat at lunch in their own
cottage at Spripgtide Beach, pair of veter-
ans in marriage. AS such, it was the custom
of all their young minated friends to apply to
them for solace and advice in moments of
need.
Suddenly there was heard upon the re-
sounding piazza the rapid rat-a-tat-tat Of
ladies' feet.
'sMore trouble" said the gentleman.
SIT sounds like Mamie Armitage," re-
soonded the lady, listening with her hand
lowering like dove over her tea-service. -.
There was a passage OF bell-ringing and
part. Then there was sound of rushin 6
OF skirts. The matron arose and fastened
into the bijou parlor adjoining. The door
was burst open, and there appeared wild
and gasping fairy, all in blue and white.
She had bracelets on her wrists; jingllng
chatelaine depended from her belt; and
some of her pretty blonde hair had struggled
down upon her round forehead. She seemed
to be violently REFRESHING herself Her bosom
was in a tumult, and she wrung her soft
hands. She gazed for an instant at the tea
room door, which was slowly closing, and
then she opened her red lips, threw out her
arms, and in the very fury of sorrow darted
upon her friend, crying:
"Oh Polly, Polly-Pve quarreled with
Georger'
"Quarreled with Georgep'
eyes, quarreled with George. It's true,
it's true. Oh, please don't make me say it
again, please dont'!' And Dshe cast herself
upon her friends neck, and winding her
arms about her, she pressed her burning
cheeks upon that secure and tender refuge,
the shoulder, and gave herself up to grief.
The master of the castle appeared at the
door. But there instantly came into his
wife's face, as it confronted him over the
throbbing form Of the confding one, a sud-
den cats paw. Therefore he quietly retire lated
and returned to his table again.
"Quarreled with Georgep' pursued the
sympathizer, scan it be possible? Is it''-
slowly sis ft-a-tiff, Mamie? or is it,
Quickly "a very serious matter, a."
"Why, we have separated" cried the suf-
ferer; eve have had very hard words and we
have taken our leave of each other forever"
Here there was long silence, one of those
pauses which Away occur inssuch extrem-
tiles, and which are occupied insensibly by
both parties in an approach to a common
ground. One of the two people became more
calm as her friend was calm, and the friend
became more sorrowful even as the other was
sorrowful.
''Poor Nannie," she murmured in her ear
''poor child-you were so happy, too"
"Oh, oh, SO happy, was the return in a
broken whisper; $50 very happy, Polly. And
its all over HOW'LL. think 1 shall die.''
"And what is it about, Nannie9"
"Oh, about the Daphne"
"What? Georges yacht?''
"Y-yes. Oh, how I hate that name! 1t
has made me so terribly miserable. so long
for rest, Polly-so long to hide me some
where out of the way of human beings and
human concerns. II am very weary and
heart-broken-I, oh dear-oh dearp'
There was tale to be told. The shades
were closed, and they went and sat down
where the sea-breeze blew upon them. 1t
was indeed about the Daphne, the boat
which was SO truly famous for sailing on the
wind. She was a schooner of seventy and
odd tons burden, shaped like fish, winged
like an eagle, and poised like swan. She
was only two years old, and had already
out-sailed the club fleet in all weathers, and
had borne away the Ivan Schoonhoven cup"
two years In succession.
Tomorrow" said Miss Mamie with in
terpolated sobs, "you know that this great
great race of 1878 is to come off, If the
Daphne wins it she will retain the cup,
and"
"Oh, know all about it," was the blthe
response; "rom has been telling me for three
weeks. It will be tremendous affair, and I
buOuu butuh tldb oil IuC WOllu Wdo COuuuS
oh, let me ask you before I forget; Do
you know how much the Daphne won by IN
1S71~
'In 1871? queried Miss Mamie, in Fee
BILE voice. "Tn 1871, I think it was by eight
and three-quarters minutes; yes, that is right
eight and three-quarters minutes"
sand in 1872w
Miss Mamie with her pretty finger on her
quivering lips, reflected moment.
SIN 1872 the Petrol, Georges great rival
came in ahead; but the Daphne had time
allowance of fifteen minutes, and so she
really beat the Petrol and the whole fleet by
five minutes. I know George was delighted.
He said he had rather have won that race
than dozen like that of 1871"
"And who owns the Petrol, Mamie ?"
ooh, Clary Vedder." said she.
"Clary Vedder! Why, that little fiyaway?
Susie Stats is his Alliance. She was the one
that was so much in love with George, in the
Trosachs two years ago. But he didn't smile
upon her, and she's hated him ever since.
All, wouldn't she be happy if her Clary's
Petrol would only carry off the cup~ And
the astute tactician shook her head and re-
she returned to earth again with a start:
"Forgive, Mamie; come, poor child, tell me,
tell me all about your trouble" and she
wound her arm about her afresh, and bent
her head to listen.
"But George is so taken up with his pleas
ure, Polly. It Is yacht, yacht, yacht, from
one weeks end to the next. Yesterday he
was doing nothing but experimenting with a
new self-detaching boat-fall. He is all the
time thinking of dead water, and his new
wire rigging, and his copper sheathing. He
is allowing his soul to rust out, Polly. One
can't be playing all the time" Here she ran
off into q un1vQfu dQDunoiofiOn IF GporOo
all his works. She granted him handsome
and generous, and ardent, supremely intelli-
gent, "but alas! Polly" she cried, with a
tremulous light in her soft eyes. che doesn't
see the great world as see it."
"And you asked him to give up yachting.
Nannie?"
eyes, Polly, begged him to think of the
present time he was wasting. l told him
that did not believe he was serious enough,
aud he said he thought he was too serious
already, and"
"Ah, then, what?"
"Why, then, I explained that with his
talents he ought to be doing something great
in some way or other. The world is full of
terrible wrong and wickedness, and told
him that he was very culpable not to be re-
former.n
"And what did he say to that9"
"Well, he said 'Pshawv"
"Did hep"
eyes. I simply replied: L implore you to
stop this waste of youth. Determine to make
up your mind to do greater and better things
than cruising about in pretty boat. Say to
yourself, I will cease urged him to come
to decision at once, to turn about imme-
diately, to make the splendid resolve 10
quench his childish desire for a transient
triumph over the Petrol tomorrow; but
but"
"But what, Nannie?''
'But he only walked up and down very
furiously, while I sat there pleading and be-
seeching until grew excessively tired; am
sure I must have looked very wan and
lonely"
Sand then, I suppose, the quarrel began q~
eyes. Immediately. George was like
tiger. he said he had mind to turn fisher
man at once, and to remain so all his days.
Then, Polly, I began to discover that the
sprinkling of roses on my path was very
shallow one. He finished by asking me in a
very excited manner what it was that L
wished him to do? What particular labor
would seem proper for him to undertake?
What were the terrible faults that he was
committing? George said !, Indignantly,
I leave all that to yourself; your own con-
science Is sensitive enough to furnish you
with convicting answers" Here Miss Nam
ME brldled for moment, and then broke
down into another fit of weeping, and cast
herself for a second time r1nOp tho fender