The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1882-03-11

JUST hs one ulgnlueu Ola gentleman was
raising the crffee-cup to his lips as sol
emnly as if he were taking poison, the
ship gave sud lurch and the boiling
ccffee flew like a fountain jet into bis
spotless shirt front, making him wrigGle
like speared eel.
But by the morning of the fourth day
the gale se' med to have spent its force
and we were enabled to turn our atter.
ton once more to the mysterious rassen-
ger. and his equally mysterious box.
The former seemed quite as al xious to
preserve himself from contact with any
thing on board as he had been to preserve
bis package, for he never spoke to any
one, and always answered as shortly as
possible (when he answered at ail) when
any one spoke to him.
As for the box itself, it was a greater
puzzle than ever The steward reported
that he had warned them so earnestly
against touching it, or even going near
it, as to imply that the contents. what
ever they might be, were something very
dangerous indeed. But. as if be had his
doubts whether even the fear Of some un-
known peril would be strong enough to
keep them from meddling with the pre-
cious package, if they got the chance he
spent most of his time below, and, rs he
had taken whole stateroo m for himself,
or, rather, for himself and bis box, there
was no risk of any one disturbing him
there.
II think he's Fenian carrying over
one of those dynamite torpedoes to Liver
pool, said young British officer, home
ward bound from Canada.
"Mote likely bank clerk, absconding
with specie" grunted a big, red faced
cotton spinner from Lancashire.
"Box Amt heavy enough for that" OBJ
jected lapky New Yorker.
perhaps, after all it's nothing more
wonderful than a rare statue or picture
for some museum"
Everyone looked disappointed, for this
last idea, which had somehow never oc-
Cured to us, now seemed natural and
likely enough, and 1t was a sad come
down after all our romantic imaginings.
But Just then new turn was given to
the conversation by long, wiry, keen
eyed Cape Colder, who had hitherto been
perfectly silent. Taking his short pipe
out of his mouth, he said slowly and en-
phatically.
"Tain't that boys; but reckon could
tell yer what it is"
"What2 what?" cried every one, eag-
erly.
"a baby" answered the Yankee, with
the solemnity of perfect conviction.
AT this there was shont of laughter so
uproarious that passing steward peered
amazedly into the smoking room to see
what all the fun could be about. But the
gentleman from Cape Cod was not whit
abashed.
''Laugh ms much ps You like, boys:
but, what say l stick to. Every day,
reg'ler at breakfast and at tea. I've seen
that air critter, after he'd had his shnre,
start for his stateroom with cup of milk
and hunk O. bread, and if that don't
mean baby somewhar roun', I'm Mex
ikin r.
There was general start, for we now
remembered to have seen the stranger do
this and wondered that we had not no.
ticed it before
For few moments every one was in
high glee at the apparent solution of the
riddle; but the remorseless New Yorker
speedily bligbted our newborn happi-
ness.
"Guess you're considerable ont there,
stranger" objected he. "For the baby
that could be four days aboard ship, or
anywhere else, either, without raising one
squall, has got to be discovered yet. I've
got three of EN- myself, and I guess ]
ought to know"
This uuanswerable argument throw MS
all back to where we were before, and a
sullen silence followed, broken Mt length
by dashing young sophomore from
Harvard--one of the brightest and bold.
est spirits of our company.
"Baby or no baby" said he firmly
I'm bound to get at the ins and outs o.
this job, somehow. Either I'll know
what's inside that box before it goe.
ashore, or I'll never wear the crimson O.
old Harvard agaiuT'
But this valiant pledge seems likely tc
go unredeemed, after all; for as IL tht
man of mystery had known of the plo
Matching against him, he seemed to be
if possible, more vigilant than ever.
Day followed day, until at length ",
came in sight of Queenstown, where tn
: stranger was 10 land, and the secret o
5 the box was a secret still
But the time came at last Breakias
was hardly over that morning, when
osO"oiu ASSh" oh pNtpoSO ~ wv ihbSbi
Gus sophomore) tapped at the door of tn
stranger-who had retired as usual will
his milk and bread-annouucing that th
captain wanted him. Scarcely had b
disappeared when the Harvard youtl
popped into his room.
The next moments a terrible cry startle
: us all, rushing to the spot, We found III
: mystic box open, and the sophomor
struggling in the coils of huge blacl
= and white snake.
For a moment all was confusion, bu
the stranger, who had inst returned
sprang like lightning to the breakfas
!, table, filled cup with milk and set it i
y front Of the snake. Instantly the latte
, unwound itself from its captive. who reel
y ed helplessly against the wall.
: You're more frightened than hurt
T" young fellow" said his rescuer, coolly