Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-04-26
WHY JACK WENT TO EUROPE.
HOW HE WENT.

I.--How HE WENT.
Clara Hall and Jack Henley sat side
by side on the quarterback of q Cunard
steamer one fine afternoon in October,
and watched the shore of Long Island
grow indislinet on the horizon.
TWAS their first trip to the Old World.
They had made all the regulation prom
ises as to letters, remembrances and
errands; and had said FAREWELL with
all the various notifications of voice
which each occasion demanded; and
had dutifully listened to the parting
words of Mr.. Hall, delivered in his
most imposing manner: "Jack, in
trust everything to you; use your best
Judgment and discretion until | can
Join you. Clara, my dear, be good
girl. and do nothing wild or foolish;
above ALL, he added, lowering his
voice to her, "do not allow yourself to
form any silly fancics fer these foreign
Counts and Barons; most of them are
little better than adventures; and it
could only render you and us misera-
BILE. There! good-by, good-by, and
God bless you bothi' With that he
had kissed Clara, shaken hands with
Jack and disappeared over the side
L
the whistle blew, the steamer moved
out of the river, and Clara and Jack
got over the pangs of separation as
quickly as they could.
The officer of the watch smiled to
himself and confided to the compass
that they were n very good-looking
couple. So they were. To be sure,
Clara's face was not regularly beauti-
full one; but nobody with such great
dark eyes and delicate transparent COM
plexion as she had will ever have to go
far for admirers. Her heavy mass of
dead-luster hair, matching her eyes in
color, was another enviable feature;
but her figure was her greatest attrac-
ton; it was little below the medium
size, and probably neither the Old
World nor the New could produce its
superior for grace and symmetry.
Impulsive and passionate and roman
tic she was; wholly free frem all the
paltry affectations of spoiled beauties
in general. This may have been chief
" owing to the fact that she never had
been in the way of being spoiled, for,
with the exception of the youth who
sat beside her, she had seen but little
of men and manners outside of the
works of fiction which she had succeed
ed in purloining and feloniously perus-
ing.
The youth in question, sitting astride
of the camp-stool, his chin, cushioned
by his arms, on the railing. and a SUI
perlative Cabana in his mouth, was a
very fine specimen of young America.
He was tail and strong, with fair curl
ing hair and frank blue eyes which it
was Joy to behold. The reader would
instantly have pronounced their owner
to be a straightforward, efficient and
eminently good-natured young fellow
in which opinion everybody else would
have coincided. He was such good
fellow, as general thing, that we
shouldn't be too hard on him if he
should happen to lose his temper be-
fore the end of the story.
And now it is quite time to allay the
righteous indignation which it would be
our duty to feel were two young people
such as have been described allowed to
cross the ocean together with no other
protection than their own innocence
and honor. But let us be appease1!
The necessary element was at. hand,
though for the moment invisible, owing
to revolt of its internal economy
against the undue familiarity of Nept-
une. In short, the excellent Mrs. Hall
was very seasick, and could not leave
her sJate-room. We are prevented,
therefore, from making her nearer ac-
quaintance at present; and we will con-
tent ourselves with remarking that she
was plain, mild-mannered old party,
whom nobody disliked and everybody
forgot as soon as she was out of sight,
and pass on. What are Clara and Jack
talking aboutP
The officer of the watch probably
thought they were making love, for he
kept down at the further end of the
deck, and made believe not to notice
them. But | don't think they would
have been much put out if he had.
They had known each other all their
lives, and had never had long separa-
ton or serious disagreement; and
however much people may be in love,
they are not apt to find it out under
such circumstances. Clara called Jack
" cousin" but it was merely nom de
guerre; he was not even one of those
distant removes who have all the fun
andnone of the disadvantages of nearer
relations. He was the only son of Mr..
Halls Oldest friend, who, dying when
Jack was three or four years old, had
bequeathed him to Mr.. Hall. He and
Clara had grown up as brother and sis
ter. AS to their falling in love with and
marrying each other, it was a matter
which, at any rate, had never been con-
sidered up to this time.
"Jack," inquired Clara, care all no.
blemen wicked adyenturersP''
The intrinsic popularity of the ques-
ton, no less than its abruptness, came
very near causing the loss overheard of
Jacks Cabana. Having assured him
self of its safety, he replied, with a
laugh:
"Bless your heart, no! What a
deuced queer question: l always sup
posed they were jolly set of fellows"
Nice for me to be acquainted withP'
pursued Clara, indifferently.
"Why, of course" affirmed the un-
suspecting Jack. "Just the kind.
Why?n
"Oh, nothing" replied Clara, care
lessly. :" only wanted your opinion,
A silence. Jacks Cabana finally
went out, as any cigar, suffering from
persistent neglect, will.
/ say?' observed he to himself at
last, "supposing she should fall in love
with one Of them, though! l couldn't
stand that, you know, by Georger'
"Pm glad he don't think they're
horrid," soliloquized Clara, because
if should become acquainted with a
Baron or something, and he were to-
The wind carried away the rest, and
Clara sat staring after it with wide-open
eyes.
Do you know, Clara" said Jack,
suddenly, glancing over to where the
officer Of the watch still continued 10
walk his beat with undiminished alb
stractiOn, 81 believe that old fellow