Omaha daily bee., 1884-07-12
THE MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE.
p 1,
BY THE SEA

on tiny Colu, gray stones, " sea!
And | would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
TENNYsoN.
81 wonder what is bobbing up and
down in the water over yonder!" and
Mabel Maythrop to her cousin, George
Grafton, as they stood on the beach at
Coney Island watching the waves come
tumbling in.
"Your eyesight must be better than
mine" he said; ''for ! can't see any
thing but some water.soaked beings who
look like a lot of submerged scarecrows.
Where is the object that attracts your
attention."
"Right over there. See? 1t is com
ing this way" exclaimed Mable. Do try
and get it, wont your"
George looked down at his peaked
toed, patent leather shoes, then at the
roaring surf and then at Mabel.
81 believe she only wants to test my
love-" he thought; shut I'll be hanged
if l spoil my shoes just for a woman's
whim."
Meanwhile the object upon which
Mabel had fixed her gaze bobbed nearer
and nearer until it was almost within
reach.
"Now, George. you can pull it in with
your cane" she said.
swell, that's better than wading in
after it," he remarked, leaning over and
stretching out his walking-stick. Ia his
frantic endeavors to capture the floating
article he clipped and fell headlopg into
the surf. With a cry of disway he
scrambled up, seized the object and flung
it at the feet of the young lady.
"Why, it is a bottle!" she ex.
claimed.
.'Yes, a COMPOUNDED old bottle" bitter
" retorted her companion, casting a rue
full glance at his wet feet and drenched
trousers. 81 might have bought a bet
ter one than that at the hotel and saved
myself from getting wet"
swell, George" she said, laughing,
''as you're neither sugar nor salt you
wont melt. OF course I'm sorry for you,
but if you go up to the hotel you can dry
yourself in the laundry. I'll wait here
till you come back, if you don't stay too
long,
George dewarted grumbling, and vowed
that he would never be such a fool as to
take Mabel to the beach again, unless he
wore a water proof suit and a pair of rub
Der boots.
"It was very foolish of me to put
George to so much tronble," unused Ma
bel, ''iust for the sake of an old soda
water bottle; but something seemed to
tell me that / must do 30. Hereafter
I'll never have any faith in my impuls-
es."
She looked for a long time at the bot
tie, when suddenly she saw that it con-
tanned something. Picking it up she
found the top sealed with wax bearing a
peculiar monogram. She Held the bottle
up and saw that inside was a curious
looking package wrapped in white paper
and stamped with the same monogram
which was on the wax that covered the
cork.
She took up a horseshoe which lay
close at hand and broke the bottle. The
package which fell out bore this inscript-
ion:
"NIay fatesspermit thee to fall in prop
err hands"
Just as she was about to break the
seal George returned, dry as a bone and
cross as q bear with a sore head.
"Well did you find a prize package in
that bottlel' he growled.
"You can see for yourself" she re-
piled, pointing to the bits of broken glass
on the beach.
''Just what l expected, he muttered.
81 don't mind doing you a favor, Mabel,
but | draw the line at fishing for second
hand soda-water bottles in the surf with
out a scalp-net."
''Then do me the favor to take me
home," she said, ''for I'm tired of hear
ing you growl."
K Mabel said not a word to George about
the precious package she held in her
hand, but as soon as she got q chance
slipped it into her pocket.
ON THE OCEAN
William Walston stood on the deck of
an outgoing steamer with o soda-water
bottle in his hand. When In the dis
lance he discried along tho horizon the
faint white line which he knew was
Coney Island he threw the bottle over
board.
"What folly" he exclaimed. Sand
yet I'm q believer In fate to SOM extent.
Who knows but what my message may
reach the right person after all2"
So saying, he went into the smoking
cabin and joined a party OF jolly card
players.
William Walston was a rich young
bachelor, rather romantic, but possessed
of sound common sense. He had retired
from the produce business with a fortune
which he more than doubled by success
full speculation in Wall street. He was
one of the few who knew when to ''get
out" and the consequence was that he
had nothing to worry him-nothing ex'
cept the thoughts of matrimony. Like
many a wealthy young man with moth,
ing to do, he imagined that if he could
find a proper mate his happiness would
be assured. He was now or route fol
England, for no other purpose than II
get rid Of himself, as it were.
After an exceedingly short voyage III
arrived at his destination, and for many
! weeks, wandered aimlessly amid tin
/ NINA and ~nalaces of the land on whose