Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-15
The Romance Of ocean Travel.


Every ship has its romance. You feel that
your fellow passengers are bound to contribute
to your entertainment and amusement, and,
therefore, you have no scruples or comp unc-
tions at watching any love-making going on.
Who was to blame when sitting idly on the deck
one night we heard above the noise of the screw
that delciously frank avowal made bv young
German to an American girl, possessed possibly
Of destinations rather than positive beauty
''Mein Lieblng, thought me never could lofe
one Madchen who is not beautiful; but lofe
you" Is it SO they make love in the Vaterland?
But coming home, We had genuine romance
on board. Among the passengers was demure
little Germen maiden, a veritable Gretchen, with
her blonde tresses a Ia Marguerite. She knew
not word of English, and was with her aunt,
also a German, but whose home was In
America. This aunt. growing confidential, told
US soon after starting that she was bringing her
niece to America for a year, at the request OF
her parents, who wished her to forget lover
upon whom her heart was set, but of whom
they did not approve because of his lack of
wealth and title. The aunt had never seen this
lover, and could not describe him to us; but she
evidently meant to do her duty and fulfil her
trust. Now, this maiden, with her firm little
mouth, reserved and silent, did not look as
wretched as she ought to have done under such
circumstances; but we concluded it was because
of her nationality. She had our sympathy:
There was man. tall and stern and scholarly,
among Us, whose English was broken, and who
showed little disposition to be social, till on the
third day when, the purgatory of the NAL de mer
being safely through, he begged the aunt to pre-
sent him to the little Fraulein. This she did read
lily, and the acquaintance rpened into an intimacy
This pleased the aunt. who cOn1ded again in u.s.
and said that she was happy that her charge was
willing to be entertained and was 80 rapidly for
getting the old love. That couple took posses
sion Of the cOsiest places day and evening; and
If you approached too near, you heard him read
ing aloud always from the same page. and she
demurely listening. When we reached New York
the tall, dark man took the wee blonde maiden
by the hand and led her to her aunt, and said: II
am -, the lover from whom you fed and
from whom nobody can take the Fraulein he
loves. And now. Gnadige Frau. we will all three
drive directly to a Lutheran clergyman" And
they did-the poor aunt looking SO helpless. the
demure Gretchen with fresh ribbons in her hair,
and the man whose will was law to those two
women. May fortune smile on them all!
Death Ascertaiued by electricity.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.
A correspondent writes to us: ''There can be
little doubt that premature burial does occa-
sionally take place in France and Algeria, also
in Germany, in consequence Of the laws ordan-
ing prompt interment. 1t Is no wonder, there
fore, that the following discovery signaled in
LE9ct,icite has been received with great salts
faction. According to this journal, it has been
ascertained that the application of an electric
current to the body is a certain test of vitality.
Such test being applied five or six hours alter
presumed death. the non-cOntraction of the
muscles will prove beyond a doubt that life is
extinct. So, at least, we gather from the jour-
nal LElectricite. All kinds of precautions are
TAKEN from time to time, in France and Germa-
ny. to avert the horrible catastrophe of prema-
ture interment but we were assured in Germa-
ny last year that nothing is trusted to but Gre
nation. All who have witnessed the CELEBRITY
with which the bodies of the dead, or supposed
dead, are shoveled into the grave abroad must
cordially hope that the facts cited are incontest-
able and may be widely made known. Crema-
ton is not costly process, it is true, but it is
not within everyone's means to visit Milan or
Gotha when living, much less to order urn blu
rial In either of those cities from fear of prema-
ture interment.