The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-05-30
SELECT STORY.
MISS ELTON.
BY FELIX GRAY.

ANNithNt obii lVi shOttt hNiohNi uhih
nor fair, with hair between blonde and
brown, and eyes that left doubt as to
whether they were gray or hazel. She
was Just such little bundle of uncer-
tainties and contradictions as led the
imagination captive at the first glance,
and offered constant lure to anticipa-
ton.
Whether she spoke or remained 81
lent, whether she walked or sat, expec-
tation hung breathlcss upon her next
word, her next pose. Her eyes, vary
ing as seemed the hue, shone, none the
less, with a candid ray that seemed the
very. light of truth, and her fresh
mouth, with its milky teeth showing
between the not too-smiling lips, ire
sistibly suggested the sweetest uses to
which lips can be put.
The heavily moving steamer had
plowed through half the great Atlantic
rollers, and the few passengers had all
grown heartily tired of each other,
when she suddenly appeared for the
first time upon deck quite alone, yet
calm and self centered as the small
birds that poised themselves upon spar
or bulwark to gather breath for fresh
flight.
1t was Julius Hilder who had first
discovered her, leaning against the
companion way railing, with the air of
having Just come up or down, he could
hardly determine which, looking ab-
sently at the tumbling waves.
julius and his friend Austin Drake
were seceders from gay party who
had made the tour of Southern Europe
together. 1t was Julius who had in
stigated his companion to desert the
Others and take the German steamer
for New Orleans direct, which then
touched at Havre, instead of crossing
by Cunarder and it had all grown
out of the obstinate determination on
the part of his sister to attach her
party to that of Mrs. Smollett.
Mrs. Smollett was bis choicest aver
sion, pretentious, intriguing woman,
in whom the matchmaking instinct
had been so developed by the effort to
establish her own five daughters that
| it could not rest satisfied with the &C
complishment of that gigantic task.
She seemed to have an endless supply
of nieces, adopted daughters or pro
teges of some sort, whom she dangled
ostentatiously before the eyes of all
eligible bachelors. She had improved
a chance meeting with Julius to an.
nounce to him new acquisition, a
lovely young creature, whom she was
taking home with her from Swis.
Pension.
"Mr. Smollett's own niece, Mr.. Hill
der, and quite like my Fanny at hel
age. You remember, Fanny? Sh'
was your first love, l believe" she hat
. said with her ogling dowager smile
and Julius had felt himself seized a
once with an unsurmountable aversion
to the fair young niece of Mr.. Smol
lett.
In the first heat of his indignation
against his sister he had conceived thi
notable scheme of crossing by th
Havre steamer, and though it had no
in its development proved to be emi
nently amusing, he had never omitted
to congratulate himself and his com
panion night and morning upon tn,
good sense they had displayed in adopt
ing it.
mo chattering girls or designing
dowagers," he would say, as he yawn
ed over his book or the dull game wit
which they strove to believe they wer
amusing themselves, "gives ma
time to pull himself together and tax
an account of stock, as it were" Still
when on one of those aimless pilgrim
ages below, which formed the onl
break in the monotony of this occupa
tion, he had nearly run over this prett
young creature leaning against tn
railing, thrill of undeniable pleasur
had coursed along his nerves, and h
had felt himself blushing with pleased
surprise.
Fortunately, the sea-tan had render
ed the blush indistinct, but over tn
light that shot into his gray eyes tn
sea-tan had no power, nor yet over tn
tongue that stanmered as he tried t.
convey his apologies for nearly upset
ting her, and his offers of service i
conducting her to seat.
"Thank you," she had answere
cody, "you did not startle me, as sa,
lyon coming, and / am not sure that
want seat"
There was no more to be said, an
her maid appearing at the momen
with bundle OF parti-colored wraps
Julius could only lift his hat agail
and carry out his purpose of going b'
low. AS he had no reason for goin
except that he had tired of staying o
deck, and as the deck had now a,
quired paramount attraction, he wa
soon back again.
In the meantime the young lady ha
made up her mind about the seat, an
had found one for herself close againl
the ships side, on the weather quartz
1t was net pleasant location, but sh
had chosen it, and had wrapped larg
shawl about her in an exclusive sort {
way, he saw no plausible ground fc
interfering.
Nothing could have been more di
Greet and retiring than Miss Elton's b.
havior, but the perseverance of a ma
. who finds himself bored by too muc
of his own and his alter ego's societ,
is an incalculable force against whic
no woman can successfully entrenc
herself, and so it was not long befoI
Drake found himself eliminated, as
superhuous factor, from the sum of h
. friends enjoyment, whenever Mis-
!, Elton appeared above deck. His su,
cess, however, was more apparent tina
t real, for although he knew her nam
' and was allowed to carry her book an
!; shawl, and arrange her chair in tn
1 most comfortable position with refe
a ence to the wind or the sun, he ha
really made no great progress in h,
g confidence. Who she was, or why ST
2 had chosen to make the voyage in tn
3 unconventional and eccentric way, r
i mained as great mystery as it ha
been on that memorable first day.
!, was the close of the tenth day, datin
i from that of his discovery, and Juil
aaf basiIa har in that ,n,inNa,o coab; q