Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-08-04


two or three then wee, very wee daugh-
ters. From what / can recollect of
them their means were cramped, not to
say scanty, but they were of good blood
and form, One of the children, the
eldest if my memory serves me, was
called Efie-Effie Neednm-and prom
ised to be bonny, for can family recall
her blue eyes, faxen hair, rosy COM
plexion and jimp little figure. If she
is alive she must be close on thirty for
it is many years since I came out here a
STRIPPING and was Cuinna Doray -
Argice, little master-on the Paycock
estate. as my kind employer styled that
| property. Mrs. Medium knew me well
better, indeed, than. knew her. I
wonder if she and the BARNS be in the
land of the leal or the living
"Write directly and inquire
And Sandy did so, and ascertained
that his old acquaintances, Miss Effie
included, were still alive and proudly
bearing up against the res augusta donsi
Armed with which intelligence he once
again returned to LIE Geste.
It is all right now, Mac said he !;
your course is as clear as day. Send
"chit" to materfamilias N; tell her that
you are well-to-do in the world, own
lands and cattle, men servants and maid
servants that you want to settle that
as a whipper- snapper you liked = no,
better say loved-Miss Effie, and ask
her in plain English to come out and
marry you. Above all things, though,
be sure and send your photograph you
are not such very, very bad-looking
chap, Sandy, if you would only dress
like Christian and not like coolie.'
So the letter was written, submitted
to LIE Geste's inspection, sealing, post
ing, and in due course was received by
the Mediums, in whose little household
it created no small amount of astonish-
ment, and was much spelt and pondered
over, especially by the damsel most con-
cerned-still comely if even some
what passe body and who, after
while, consented to go out and wed her
suitor.
AFTER all, mother DEAR she said,
he has house and home for me; may
be, by-and-bye, f ,r you, too, Jennie; and
I'll do all I can to help you. It's the
best thing for me. And really, Mr..
McPherson-or suppose 1 ought to
call him Alexander-is yet young and
not bad-looking. Quite the contrary
very, very nice-looking. See the photo
he has sent u.s.
"And Miss Jennie quite agreed with
her elder sister that Mr.. Mcpherson was
beauty.
" Well, my BARNS, said the old lady,
Il can't gainsay you but that the pof-
trait is winsome and douce enough; but
as call to mind the boy Sandy, the
son of the minister, ne was not nearly
so seemly and well favored. But it is,
indeed, lang svne since I set eyes on
him, and likely he has got handsomer
as he got older; some men do
Z" "Then, everything being settled,
Miss Medium accepted her kismet,
agree to go out, and her lover-open-
handed, honorable, true, as I have al
ready told you he was sent the where
withal for passage and outfit.
"And pending the many, many weeks
that elapsed, and while the good ship
Queen of Serendib was sailing round
the Cape for her destination, change,
a radical change, came over the life and
habits of our bride-expecting friend.
He cast into the limbo of things done
with his coarse cumlies,' rough dun
garees and other country clothing, and
burst out into Europe muster linen,
tweeds and serges. He purchased
largely house furniture and knick-
knacks; he bought lady's horse and
Peats sidesaddle; he whose equine pro-
cHvities had never extended beyond
shaggy mountain pony, and a tattered
and torn pig-skin. He told his old
flames and chums that he was going in
for the Benedict, and bashfully lis
tened to the rifles and jeers of the one,
and the chaff and laughter of the other.
"As the time for the arrival of the
Queen of Serendib drew nigh awful
were the fdgets of our hero and many
days before it was possible for that slow
and sure craft to reach her port he was
there walking about with big binoc-
ular in his hands, looking out seaward
and entreating all sorts and conditions
of men for the very earliest news of her
being sighted. The fact was that the
rough-seasoned old fellow was on the
very tenterhooks of anxiety and expec-
tation, as nervous as schoolgirl and
behaving himself as such.
"Then at long last it was told him
that the vessel was in the ofing, was
rounding the point, was at anchor IN
the harbor, and in the Master Attend
ants boat, cushioned, tagged and be-
decked for the auspicious occasion,
Sandy Mcpherson, Esquire, of Ailsa
Craig, planter, rowed alongside, same
like he governor the native spectators
observed.
Scrambling up the side he took a
hasty glance at the many passengers
assembled on the poop, and, instinct
lively guessing that Miss Efie was not
among them, he diyed below and con-
fronted the stewardess.
"' Miss Medium on board, and well 2
asked he.,
"sYes, SIR replied the matron, and
a very nice, good, kind, pleasant young
lady she is, and I've taken the greatest
care of her. She felt sure that the
gent was Miss Ms husband to be, and
that there was money in his purse for a
gratuity, Notwithstanding that, accord
ing to the terms of the passage money,
stewards and stewardess' fees were in
cluded= "a fiction, gentlemen, a pleasant
fiction, which you will find out when
you go down to the sea in ships.
"sTake this card to her. said the
pale and trembling gentleman. : I'll
wait her coming up in that far corner of
this saloon
g CHANGING at the pasteboard the
woman disappeared, and presently
there ascended, step by step, from the
regions below, first neat straw hat,
trimmed with bright ribbons, beneath
that hat face somewhat worn with
years and cares, but still fresh and
comely enough; then asslight, compact
figure, draped In plain, well-ftting
| garments, shawled snd ready for the
IN