Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-09-14

| Bruce, and chess by themselves they evel
composed little farce, and acted II in th'
saloon, with the captain and mate and th,
Bruce family for audience. Mr.. Surrey
read aloud during the long afternoons, and
chatted In undertones during long twi
lights, or sang her little love songs fall o
tender sentiment and regret, while they
watched the shining wake OF the ship
Sometimes they sighted another craft
which, like a ghost, trembled an instant
| upon the "Gar horizons RIM" and vanish
ed sometimes they spoke homeward'
bound ship, and felt as If the strange ship:
crew and passengers were dear friends
whom they would like to hug; sometimes
storm crept upon them like a painted
Pawnee, and shook every stout cable like Q
ribbon, and again they swung in latitudes
Of calm, aud watched strange fish dart like
sunbeams through the sea; and during
these seasons Mr.. Surrey and Miss Selden
must have grown desperately weary or des-
perately interested unawares-seasons dur
ing which the flight of a sea-bird, the
plunging Of some restless sea-monster, the
floating fragment of some wreck, was an
episode and an excitement.
"Dear me !" yawned Mrs. Bruce; "even
a water-spout or a tornado would be well
come change. This is utter stagnation, isn't
it, Nr. Surrey?"
"Do you find ii so, Miss Selden7" be
asked, relegating his reply TO that young
lady. "Would you welcome the sea-ser-
pent, or a piratical crew swooping down
upon us from no matter whereH"
"I-I shall be very glad when we reach
Calcutta" said Serena. meanwhile am
not unhappy"
81 don't believe we shall ever reach Cal
cults," grosned Mrs. Bruce. "I think we
are just like that phantom ship which sails
on and on forever and ever"
81, for one, shouldn't object" said Sur
rey lightly.
Certainly not. You are going round the
world pour pdsSer le temps merely. Heav-
ems can't understand any one choosing
this everlasting voyage OF his own will for
pleasure. It's perfect marvel 10 me that
Serena consented TO come"
"And perfect godsend to me-" interpo-
lated Surrey.
$50 some other people ought to think.
But wonder you are not more impatient
to reach Calcutta, Serena; do indeed"
"All the impotence in the world wouldn't
carry me there day earlier"
"Well l wasn't so philosophic at your
age" as if that were feather In her cap of
peculiar lustre and taking up her novel,
"Here's goose OF heroine who doesn't
know which of her two lovers she prefers.
would like to set her adrift with them on
a voyage like this"
"And the consequence would be that she
would hate both, you think ?" asked Mr..
Surrey.
The following twilight Miss Selden aud
Mr.. Surrey were pacing the deck together,
and he was opening his heart to her-a
sanctuary always pretty securely closed to
most people-telling her of his boyhood
and his travels. his first Irritation, and his
first hobbledehoy love-making.
"And where will you go after you have
done up japan ?" she asked; "and amer
you have made the worlds tour, will you
not long for more worlds, like Alexan-
derH"
"Afler all, 1 may not go TO JAPAN" he
began, drawing camp-stool beside the
deck chair she had just taken. "I-it de.
pends-it depends great deal upon-your-
self, Miss Serena" he said, boldly, and
leaning forward to look into her eyes.
"Upon me, Mr.. Surrey?" repeated Sere-
ma. How can possibly have anything to
do with it?"
at all depends upon-upon-whethe
you could consent to love me, Miss Serena,
as have learned tolove YOU"
Love you, Mr.. Surreyf" rising and
Withdrawing the hand he had taken in his
own, while the light that broke in upon the
proceedings of the last few months showed
her no 6attering picture of herself in the
attitude OF fiirt. "Love you? Oh, Mr..
Surrey, don't you knowf Has Mr.. Bruce
never told you? Don't you know that 1
am going out to Calcutta 10 be married."
"To be married?" repeated Mr.. Surrey,
in stihcd voice-"to be married? give
you my word, Miss Selden, that never
dreamed OF such thing. Perhaps it would
have been well to have mentioned 1t your
SELF 1 supposed you were Mrs. Bruce's
governess-Mr. Bruce did tell me as much
as that. beg you will pardon my confess
sion and forget it. Shall take you to Mrs.
Bruce?"
"Yes, thank you. 1 ought to have men
toned it only 1 thought you knew, or 1t
wouldn't signify to you" said Serena,
humbly. "You will pardon me for taking
so much for granted. 1 never meditated
mischief, believe me. was Mrs. Bruces
governess belore-before Encouragement,
or rather till decided TO lake this journey.
Good night" Then, hesitatlng, and offer
ing the hand she had withdrawn, ave are
friends still, Mr. SurreyS" timidly.
"'Only friends the merest keep much that
i resign,'" he quoted. "I don't feel dispos-
ed to veryify your prediction that we should
be sure to quarrel before the voyage ended,
though it might prove a diversion. Pleas
ant dreams, Miss Selden."
In community so small, Imprisoned in
space so limited, two people could hardly
avoid each other without remark, especial
ly two who had been almost inseparable the
day before; therefore, by tacit consent,
they fell into the same apparent intercourse
in the presence of others. To be sure, sm-
barrassments and anuoyances waylaid
them; but people who will fall in love, or
inspire the tender passion NAL a propos,
must suffer the consequences, There were
not as many tete G-tete as previously; or II
unavoidable circumstances threw the two
together, there followed oppressive silences,
or conversation upon every topic but that
which occupied their thoughts. They no
Ii a. L. 81
or read from the same page. For want OF
other recreation, Mr.. Surrey unearthed his
Cremona, and drew melancholy, beseech-
ing airs from 1t which made Serena shiver.
at is like the song in a sea-sbell,n she