The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-05-20

| last rose boldly against the blue sky. Tit
stately and wellremembered form was for {
time 80 near aud yet so far" that we silently
questioned whether 1t moved at all. Our I'M
patience did not hasten its movements in The
least. With the cautions tread OF belle who
does not will that the solcs Of her dainty white
kid slippers shall be needlcssly solled, The
Hutchinson glded by devious turns and wind
lngs to the wharf.
At last our ocean Bird with its rich plum
age of scarlet and white, and black, had folded
IN rest the mighty pinions 50 soon to bear Us
In ceaselcss flight over the restless waves. The
bell rang the planks were thrown out, and
over them tramped host OF travellers with
loaded hands anxious faces and hurried steps
They numbered torty.ive ladies and gentle
men, who, having spent portion Of the WIN
ter in gay Havana were returning northward
via Florida
1.-THE early bird catches the worm," but
there are exceptions to the rule, as we proved
TO our cost. We rushed on deck to regret our
haste, which, rs we afterward learned, caused
us to lose the rare privilege Of beholding Tn,
Gle Sam go through the trunks and valises of
foreign passengers in his search for contraband
articles. We seemed to be sole occupants OF
the empty and deserted saloon. The officers
had disappeared, the passengers were lnvisi-
bic. Stepping to the deck, however, we saw
that the shore presented very different scene.
1t glowed with the lively movements of mui,
titude Of people whose thoughts and energies
were bent upon one obect-the present care
and future destination of their various articles
of baggage. The trunks marched and coun-
termarched from snip to shore, and from shore
10 ship. Their anxious and somewhat ner-
vous owners hemmed the busy baggage.mas-
ter in, until he looked like very prominent
clover.head encircled by large and industri.
GUS cluster of bees. The heavy gold braids of
The purser's cap flashed in and out through
the throng, closely followed by the equally
natty one resting upon the brow OF his able
assistant, the first clerk.
The time, however, came when the hustle
on shore ceased, when the trunks, like the
tents OF the Arabs fitted away, when the silent
cabin blossomed into life, and staterooms sud-
denly doomed into the first place IN the atten-
ton Of the public Once more the purscr
proved himself to be "a friend in need and
therefore friend inueed" to the many whose
questioning chances rested upon the long line
OF closed doors extending down the saloon.
His kindly offices secured for US a jewel IN the
shape of stateroom. 1t was situated mid
ships, and freed from the rocking of rooms
nearer the ends of the boats, presented as I'M
fortress against the attacks of our
dreaded foe, seaslckness, as any room resting
on the heavy bosom of the ocean could pre-
sent The good work of settling the passen.
gers IN their coy quarters accomplished, the
bell sounded its sharp, clear warning, the line
was drawn in, the wharf began to softly re.
cede and the Hutchinson as cautiously and
daintlly as she had catered foated out over
the still waters OF the harbor to meet the spark
ling waves of the Gulf.
The group who with us watched the fading
shores OF the lazy mans land, strangely MIN.
gled unknown faces with the familiar features
of old friends. Our lady of the flashing dia-
monds and rustling silks was there and she
drew her heavy mantle around her form with
the same touch.me.not air that she had used
three weeks before. Baby was one of the mum.
Der, and winsOme blue eyes were as cloudless-
ly serene as If he had either forgotten or was
resolved to meet with undaunted bravery the
terrible sickness whose helpless misery he had
on former voyage keenly felt, but whose
name and nature were to him a sealed blank.
His court circle surrounded the little monarch,
papa, mamma, uncle, and our friend, his
girllsh aunt Miss D.. But
that incest OF old gentlemen from Southern
Illinois, and the lady whose dark eyes, dark
hair, smooth, dark skin, and Havana winters
gave the impression that she was Cuban
" to the Manor born" though her home was
really in New York, and Mr.. and Mrs II. Of
Fernandina, Florida, with their gracious words
and ways, and the young gentleman from Chi
Cago, who, with his attractive little wife, were
homeward bOund-these were all new acqui.
sitions.
Slowly the shores grew dim, changed to an
indlst,nct line on the far away horizon, then
vanished. The lazy mans land was no longer
a tangible thing, for 1t had taken its place with
the delightful memories of the past. A heart
at peace with its God and perfect trust In the
captains watchful eye the pilots guiding
hand, and the engineers skill, all contributed
to make our ocean pillow as soft and restfully
attractive as the one on our own bed In dis
tant home
The breakfast table the succeeding morning
emphasized one pretty but curious fact. When
the Hutchinson went out as BRIDE to meet
her bridegroom the sea, her wedding outfit
was slammed in blue, not with her own name,