Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-09-15
An III Wind that Blows Nobody Good"

With the exception of Mr.. Bruce, who,
with an interest in the Ice Company, was
going out to India, accompanied by his
wife and two children-with the excep-
tion of this family, Miss Serena Selden,
and Mr.. Arson Surrey, there were no
other passengers ON board the Fairy,
bound for India and Japan. Indeed, Mr..
Surrey had no idea that they numbered
so many souls, and was quite stunned
one morning, when they had been some
weeks at sea, at the sight of real live
young lady sitting on deck, crocheting
and talking with Mrs. Bruce as if she
had not rained down over night.
"Where in the deuce did that heaven
ly creature come from, Bruce ?" said he,
tossing his cigarette away. "Have the
skies fallen that we catch larks ?"
"That is our friend Miss Selden," re-
turned Mr.. Bruce. "She has been too
i'll to leave her berth before since we
started-Tom and Amy's governess. Let
me introduce you, Surrey; it's pity not
to embrace all the advantages of travel.
We're small family on board. We
really ought to know each other; it's
duty we owe society,"" and Mr.. Surrey
was Immediately presented in due form.
could hardly believe my eyes, Miss
Sellen, when saw that we had another
passenger just now," said Mr.. Surrey.
1t is most agreeable surprise, as
sure you."
"Thanks," she returned. "I hope
you will have no occasion to change your
mind. They tell me that long voyages
are very trying, and betray ones natural
infrmities of disposition. We shall
probably,discover all of each others weak
points. D."
Mine are at your service, If they will
amuse you, - laughed Mr.. Surrey, not at
all certain that he had any.
"You are really too generous. Don't
expect to hold out so good-naturedly.
We are all pretty sure to quarrel and
hate each other before the voyage is
ended, you know. Doubtless, Mrs.
Bruce and [ would be at swords points
this minute, if my illness hadn't post
poned the entertainment"
"When my lessons done, Miss Sell
den, will you play cats cradle with me,
please ?" interrupted little Amy. "It's
such long day."
"You see the demoralizing effects
of travel already, Mr.. Surrey" she
said. eyes, Amy, anything to pass the
time"
"Well, it's done now, this minute
Three tums two is six, three tums three
is nine, " rattling off her table in a breath
"Haye you got string ?" Miss Selden
offe d the ribbon on her fan. "That'll
do splendid. We won't leave Mr.. Surrey
out, will we? He might feel mis'ble, "
suggested Amy.
c. You might pass the compliment to
him."
"O-h, I don't like to do that"
"And why not2"
"Cause heard mamma tell papa
not to give her such things-before
peoples"
Compliments |" laughed both listen
ers; and by the time that Amy had
wearied of cat's-cradle," they were
established on easy terms of conversa-
tion, and had found mutual acquaintance
to discuss.
"How narrow the world is, to be
sure p said Serena. 1t seems SO odd
that you, total stranger yesterday,
should know some of my friends, perhaps
even better than [ do.
We were speaking of Professor
Lombard. L believe his nephew, Ned,
is in India somewhere; perhaps you will
meet him out there"
"Who knows 2" murmured Miss Sci.
den, struggling with knot in her thread
and smiling to herself. "Have you evei
seen him?"
"We we've classmates at Yale. We
played many foolish prank together.
He used to swear that he should die q
bachelor, in those days."
"Like Benedick, because he didnt
expect to live to get married. Tell me
about your foolish pranks at Yale ;
and as everybody is aware that these
stories have family resemblance tc
those of Scherezade, one being only the
sequel to another, it was luncheon -timS
long before Mr.. Surrey had finished the
recital. On shipboard one generally
grows into closer acquaintanceship il
q briefer season than would happen else
where. A handful of people drifting
about together, cut off from communi
cation with the rest OF Christendom, con
tract tne hdDlb Ol relying on eacn OJne
for comfort and entertainment, and be
come more intimate with each others re
sources than would happen on terri
.frDad. Thus Mr.. Surrey came to know
great deal about Miss Selden'
thoughts and habits of mind, the senti
ments she expressed, the opinions sh
formed of men and things, and he tool
a great deal for granted. In the mean
time they spent their leisure hours talk
ing about everything, from Utopial
plans for the amelioration of the presen
condition OF the poor, to theories con
corning future existence and the in
habitants of the farthest planet, MI