The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-01-01


shirt front was all.
He could easily see the necktie and the
shirt with it's row of studs.
His first impulse was to give it to the
water, but catching sight of Helen's face.
for they were now landing, he decided
to keep it in memory of his meeting with
her. Who would say he might never see
her again? Thus they met at one ferry
slip and separated at the other. On that
short trip two lives had received impress
sions indelible,t the outgrowth of one cause,
but vastly opposite in their termination
A month passed. Helen often crossed the
ferries, but not just at the hour he did,
and hence no meeting. To say that she
had daily occupied his thoug hts would
not express the vividness with which he
remembered her. ae looked forward to
his trips on the boat as the worn out clerk
to bis summer tour.
And how he would scan every black
robed figure in hopes it might be his zone
fair woman"
The fragment of pasteboard he had put
away in an unvisited corner of his trunk
as a treasure, and dreamed of her face at
night, as she stood on a burning ferry
boat scattering scraps Of paper over the
water around about and calling on him
to rescue her.
By all this you will see Cupid did his
work very efectually, and cared not how
his poor victim Jared, so long as he added
another bleeding heart to his trophies.
But Fate, why call her cruel?
If she is stony for awhile, does she not,
by one grandly generous act, repay us
for years of suffering and neglect?
This evening great black fleeing mass
Is of clouds scowled in the heavens; the
wind searched in the trees and visited
rickety sign-boards in hopes of finding
something to hurl at the foot passengers
hurrying home below; hacks, too, did
furnishing business.
When John Moore reached the ferry he
saw graceful black-robed figure de-
scend from one of them, and Il ruetul
face looking at the already falling rain,
and shudder as the lightning flashed
dangerously near. Now at least, thought
he. I may again offer my services with
out appearing presuming or rude.
At last it came about, in the most del
icate yet rather inconvenient manner,
that these two chatted very pleasantly
although the rain came down in torrents
with no chance Of a reprieve.
This time as the boat quivered from
collision with the spiles of the Slip,
sending the passengers this way and that,
Helen Ives had John Moore's arm to
steady her, while he held above her an
umbrella OF unusual size. How he
thanked the rain and vowe to apostro-
phize it at some future day!
"Could anything be more fortunate
than my meeting with you2' said Helen {;
''you always come at the right moment"
II suppose you would consider it
adroit ftattery it were to tell you that
thought of you every day since first saw
you, and only hoped to be of some ser
vice; and unklnd as it may SEEM" con-
tinued John. II do not regret the rain.''
'Oniy custom and gallantry forgive
such speeches. certainly must object.
However, you need not exert yourself in
future to fill the requirements of such ab-
surdities. Here is my home, and am
SURE my mother, Mrs. Ives, will be pleased
to thank you for your kindness to her
daughter. Won't you come in2"
aaving walked so far with him, Helen
thought it prudent to introduce him to
her mother.
with much pleasure" he said; Il am
John Moore,' giving her his card.
mother, DEAR" spoke Helen, bringing
John into pretty parlor and also before
an elderly lady in widows mourning
This is Mr.. Moore, the gentleman who
has earned yoxr thanks and gratitude in
keeping my Grape ana bombazine dry
the one whom met before-you remem-
ber.''
Mrs. Ives gave him an earnest look
then thanked him heartily, and even in
vited him to have tea; although must
say that she was prompted to this kind
ness by glimpse caught through the
open door OF dainty spread table, per
haps as much as from any consideration
of the rain. To this request he was we'll
bred enough TO offer an excuse, only ask
ing permission to call again, which wa:
readily given.
aPoor GIRL" he thought, as he walked
slowly home, IL think she has some Sc
cret trouble; she is thinner and whittier
than she was-thet photograph has some
T connection with it," continued hi
thoughts, "There's sad story about it
l fear; lovers quarrel, no doubt. All
how we'll would love her if might"
The ladies, too, we're talking. 81
think, my desr," SAID Mrs. 1ves,as she ane
Helen said over the tea, "that he is :
gentleman, but one can not be too Cal e