Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-11-20

ed no other answer, but fled with glow
ing cheeks up the stairs. An hour after
George Manly stood in the shadow 9
the window. curtain, and saw her stand
/ ing with her lover, and the solemn
words fall from the lips of the divine:-
".And whom God hath joined together
let no man put asunder."
Two years passed, and the captain o
the Flying Arrow was captain OF pro
peller which brought passengers ant
merchandise from the upper lakes
Those who know him best were awar
that he was pressed down by some grea
sorrow, but no one had known his grle
except his mother. He had told her hi
story, and she fell upon his neck ant
wept for him, "as. one whom his mothe
had comforted." But she was now a
rest.
The propeller was passing out of tht
last lock in the Weliand, and George
was forward, watching her carefully
when passengers came on board. He
had not time to attend to them then
but when the boat was fairly out of Dal'
housie, and the mate could take care ol
her, he went into the dining saloon, fol
the dinner bell was ringing. They had
few first class cabin passengers that day
though the steerage was full to overflow
ing. 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 a gen
tleman came in, followed by a 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 she sought out Georges face
They came forward, and he rose quick
ly and greeted them as if they had been
his brother and sister. Myra was unaf-
fectedly glad to see him, and asked him
questions of her old home, her father,
and friends. and George answered her
as we'll 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 lightin them which he remem-
bered so we'll, and her voice was as sweet
as ever. When dinner was over, Myra
rose with an important air, and beckon-
ed George to come.
II have something to show you, SIR
You are to come with me at once, and
Tell me Wnat you tnlnk."
George followed her mechanically in
to the ladies' cabin. A nurse sat upon
a sofa near the:upper end of the cabin,
holding in her arms baby-Myra's
child. The young mother was down
upon her knees beside it, pressing her
lips to the sweet mouth Of the child,
which crowed and stretched out its lit
tie hands to her. ---.-.....
"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" i..a
"How could I know ?" said George
II hope he has good name."
"He has the name of a good man and
a brave one," she answered
"Your fathers ?"
"George Gale Mer<ick Now what do
you think oft? aUould have it, George,
because want, when my little child is
old enough to understand what mean,
to point him out a model, and / 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 as he tried to speak.
'You don't know how I 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 will 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 such lone
ly life? There are dozens ofgirls know
who would be proud to be your wife"
ut 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, gaz-
ing upon the sweet face of the child, al
indefinable 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 captain" 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 press
ed against his bearded cheek.
II 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 the rail,
looking out across the tranquil water
They were just steaming past Charlotte,
and the long line of green coast lay
bright before their eyes. George, look
ing at the northern sky, gave sudden
start, and new trouble came into his
face. He did not like the appearance 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 significant
ly at each other. Myra, surprised by
these strange glances, asked.
"What is the matter, George" ?"
IA capful of wind yonder, perhaps
nothing to speak of. You 60 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. Butt 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
piling itself in white masses about her
cut-water. Below her great heart
throbbed and beat, while the firemen,
smoke-begrimed and perspiring, piled
wood in the furnace, and the engineer
obeyed the order which came through
the speaking tube to put on speed
Night came on, and the waves seemed
to 60 down for moment, and it was
almost calm, and then, without mo-
ment's warning, the squalls struck
them on the beam. Many sailing craft
went down in that fierce gust, and even
the steamer felt it. AS she heeled to lee
ward, and everything upon the wind