The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1881-11-19

Peace sat at the piano singing "My vii
| lies OH the Dark Blue Sea-" and with .
shrill cry of j,y she jumped up and flune
herself headforem0st into his blue pilo
coat.
''Oh, guardy! dear, darling guardyl Tn
so glad 10 see you again! So glad-s0 gladn
"And so am l, little Peace Don't choke
me with those long arms my girl. Head.
up and let me see you."
Peace lifted her flushed face and kissed
him ecstatically.
"Why, how my little woman's grown;
getting as tall as the mainmast, by George!
and thin as a shadow. Don't they give
| you enough TO eat, Peace?'
| Plenty, guardy; but growing girls are
always thin-MrS. Lee saws so. Aud now
what have you brought me from New Yea
| lamd?r
Bushels of things, Peace THEY'LL be
here by and by. How does the learning
progress? Let Us hear you at the piano"
Peace sat down and ratified off polkas and
values
And can read French. guardy," whirl-
ing 'rornd ON the st,nl; ''and dsaw pencil
q a wing, yon know. and do fancy work
like everything. And. guardy, when grow
up and am young lady, and my education
is finished. want you tn tit up TIE cabin of
the Lovely Lass with Brussels carpet, and
a piano, aud heaps of new novels, and take
old woman, won't yru?'
OF course Captain ) orms devOutly prom
i>ed and rose up to take his leave.
I'm going 10 China this VOYAGE" h said,
pu ling her long brown braids. IF see
papa I'm to give him his little girls love,
SUPPOSE"
''Ah! if you only wonld see him" Peace
cried, ca>ping her hands. Darling papa!
Guardy, he used TO he in Hong Kong, 1
know. Fry if you can find him for me when
You go there"
Captain storms promised this also and de-
parted. Peace clung 10 him sobbins at the
lasi.
You'll write to me often this time won't
you, dea'. dear guardyP You only sent me
one little stingy letter last time, you
know"
''All right, Peace" the CAPITA n said "I'll
try. [ never was anything Of a scribe, but
ibis time III do my best
So once again the Captain of the Lovely
Lass left his little girl. to sail merrily over
the world; and once more Peace went back
to her books and fancy work.
But the months strung themselves out,
and the years rolled slowly backward. and
Captain Storms sailing to and fro in golden
Z istern and Southern Chimes never came to
take his little girl from school. His letters
were few and far between, despite his
pr. misses. only six in six long years, and in
answers he had received at least sixty
But the sixth ana last announced his
and told her the wonderful news
that lie had met her father in Hong Kong,
and that she must be ready To 60 with him
next voyage to China.
Captain Storms, hale and brown, and
handsome despite his middle age, rang Mrs.
Lees door-belI, AMI strobe like a suuburnt
giant into the bOardng->chOOl parlOr
'-But. of Course. she cOuIdn'I know I was
coming" he thought, as he sent mp his
name; poor little girl. hope she'll be glad
to guardy."
The door opened. and young Indy walked
in. A tall, aud stately, and graceful young
lady. with dark, handsome face. and waves
of sunny brown hair. Surely, surely, this
was not Little Peace"
MY dear guardian, welcome backl Oh,
how happy am To see you once more!"
Yes Peace beyond b lubt; but oh, sO I'M
changed. Captain Storms REDEEM
ed un Ter his brown skin, and actually STAN
mered
You surely know me, 1 see" she smiled
brightly. II dare say have grown out of
all reason. Am taller than the mainmast
nov? 1 was almost as tall, if you remem
ber six years ago"
She recoll,cted what he hal said all these
years, and Captain Storms face beamed.
III expected To see my little Pace. and |
find young lady SO stately and womanly
that am at n ios> what to say to her. I'm
moi used IT, ladies' society. you see"
She laid her hand on his arm, and looked
up in his honest sailor face with deep.sweet-
ly shining eyes
Talk /, me as you used to and call me
Little Peace. All. guardy, how have
lunged for yOIr coming. Ard my father;
tell me of him.
Captain storms told her how, b. merest
accident, they had met; how he Was rich
and lonely and long NJ for her, but unaple
wi h him, and that the steward OF the Lovely
Lass was To take OUT his wife with him To
wait upon her And Peace listened. like
one in a peaceful dream. 1t was being
heroine; 1t was | wing "A chapter out OF one
Of her pet novels II romantic peace.
Sd they sailed for that far-of land OF celes-
Iial tea aud pig tiils-Captain Storms and
his handsome ward. And Peace had her
fairy dreams realized, and there was Brussels
carpet in the cab n, and a piano aud lots vi
new novels, and she was as happy as the days
were long Her music flied the Lovely Lass
with sweetest melody; her clear voice raig
cut over the purple midnight sea. IN songs
sweerer than the siren strains IF the ner-
maids; and her beautiful face liz up the
grim old ship like the summer sunshine
itself. Peace bright aud bewitchIng,
as an angel of liglt; and the Captain-anl
the CaptaIn-adored her. toO. Sailing along,
by day and by night, through days of am
Der sunshine and nights OF misty moonlight,
ro that distant land, Captain Storms, in his
forty-second year - old enough and big
enough To know better-fell nadly, and
desperately. and ridicuIou-ly in love. He
lost his sleep and he lost his appetite and
he hung on the girl : foolish words, and ex-
istpd only i'm the radiance pf "a pS;r of laugh
ing. girlish eyes.
Fool that am for my palms," he thought
sometimes. in bitter moodine>s; 81 am more
than double her age; and am rough. and
black, and weather-bedten as The timbers OF
my old ship. No, no, Harry Storms, the
only wife for you, my boy, is the Lovely
Lass"
And yet. sometimes he widely hoped. She
talked To him So happily, she smiled upon
him so sweetly; she was ever glad wnen
lac came, 50 regretful when he went And
girls of eighteen had married men of forty
five before now; and, oh, why should it not
happen again, aud Harry Storms be the most
blessed among men?
They reached China-they reached Hong
Kong-and Peace was folded in her fathers
arms.
$50 like your mother" he said, his tears
falling. 'Oh, my child, Sd like your moth
er!'
Captain Storms was to stay three weeks in
the Celestial City-to visit it PERHAPS never
again. He made the most of his stay, visit
ing Peace every dav in her palatial with
and growing moOdier and mooder home
every visit. Peace. too, dropped little
and looked at hum wistfully, and lost some
of that bright happiness that made her the
light of all places. Aud when the last dIy
came and he stood to say gond-by, she
broke down altogether and cried like very
child
And shall never see you again" she