The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-06-28
some near wateringplace, or at all

some near Waterlngplace, OF AZ al
events to the Liverpool shore. Indeed
Thad pointedly recommended Tanmert
where, as | stated to Mr.. lie Poer, there
was living an aunt OF MIR. Sutherland's
who would have taken lodgings OF
done anything in her power for her
nephew's ward. To my surprise he OBJ
jected to this plan. After staying a
night in Liverpool, instead Of crossing
to the opposite, shore, as l expected, he
put us all-that is, Zillah, the two girls
and there we found ourselves floating
across the Irish Channel!
The two Misses lie Poer were cOnsid-
erably frightened; Zillah looked most
happy. She said it reminded her of
her voyage to England when she was a
little child. She had never seen the sea
since. Long after we got out of sight
of land she and l sat together ON the
deck in the calm summer evening, talk
ing OF this Indian voyage and what it
was like, and what people did during
the long four months from land to land.
She gave me much information to
which listened with strange interest.
well remember, fool that | was! sit
ting on the deck Of that Belfast boat,
with the sun dipping into the sea before
us, and the moon rising on the other
side - sitting and thinking what it
would be to feel ones self on the deck
Of some India-bOund ship, alone, or else
in companionship that might make the
word still correct, according to its orig
inal reading-all one. An etymOlogic-
al notion worthy Of poor govern
ess!
The only remarkable event OF our
voyage was my sudden introduction by
Mr.. lie POer to parsonage whom / had
not thought existed. MY son, Miss
Pryor; my eldest and only son, Lieut..
Augustus LIE Peer"
/ was very considerably surprised. as
had never heard Of the young gentle
man. could only conjecture what l
afterward found to be the truth, that
this was the son OF former marriage,
and that there had been some family
quarrel, lately healed. The lieutenant
bowed to me, and to him. Zillah, who
sat by me, had no share in the intro
duction. until the young man, sticking
his glass in his eye, stared at her ener-
getically, muttering to his father some
question, in which just detected the
words, "odd fish,"
"Only Zillah," answered Mr.. LIE Poer
carelessly. Child, this is your cousin
Augustus, lately returned from foreign
service. Shake hands with him."
Zillah listessly obeyed; but her
cousin" seemed not at all to relish the
title. lie cast his eyes superciliously
over her. | must confess my poor
child's appearance was not very attract
i've. did not wonder that Lieutenant
Augustus merely nodded his head,
twirled his mustache, and walked away.
Zillah just looked lazily after him, and
then her eyes declined upon the beauti-
full expanse OF sea.
For my part l watched our new
friend with some curiosity and amuse-
ment, especially when Caroline and
Matilda appeared, trying to do the
agreeable. The lieutenant was to them
evidently the beau ideal of brother.
For myself / did not admire him at all.
Unluckily, if I have three positive
aversons in the world, it is for handles.
men with mustaches, and sOldlers-and |
he was a compound of all three. Also, |
he was small man; and |, like most |
little women, have great reverence
for height in the other sex Not uni
versally, for Some Of my truest friends
noble, admirable ZaccheuseS. Still, |
from an ancient prejudice, acquired
no matter how-my first impression of |
any man is usually in proportion to his |
inches; therefore Lieutenant LIE Poer |
did not stand very high in my estima-
ton.
Little notice did he cOndescend to |
take of us, which was rather a salts |
faction than otherwise; but he soon be-
came very fraternal and confidential
with his two sisters. | saw them all |
together until it grew dusk;
and long after that, the night being
fine, I watched their dark figures walk
ing up and down the other side of the |
deck. More than once l heard their |
laughter, and detected in their talk the
name of Zillah; so / supposed the girls |
were ridiculing her to their brother.
Poor child! she was fast asleep, with
her head on my shoulder, wrapped
closely up, so that the mild night |
could do her no harm. She looked al
most pretty--the light of the August
moon so spiritualiZed her face l felt
she had not died, but that I'M
der Heaven, my care had saved her
for what? Aye, and for whom? Ii, as
/ kissed the child, had then known
But no, | should have kissed her and
loved her still
Our brief voyage ended. we reached
Belfast and proceeded to IIolywood-a
small sea-bathing village few miles |
down the coast. To this day | have
never found out why Mr.. lie POer took
the trouble to bring us all over the wa
ter and settle us there; where, to all
intents and purposes, we might as we'll
have been buried in the solitudes of the
Desert of Sahara. But perhaps that
was exactly what he wanted.
| think that never in her life, at least
since childhood, could Zillah have been
so happy as she was during the first
week or two of our sojourn at Holy
wood To me, who in my youth, when
we were rich and could travel, had
seen much beautiful scenery, the place
was rather embarrassing; to her it was
perfection! AS she grew stronger, life |
seemed to return to her again under
quite new aspect. Certainly it was a
great change in her existence to have |
no one over her but me-for her uncle |
and cousin Augustus had of course
speedily vanished from this quiet spot |
to be able to do just what she liked,
which was usually nothing at all. She
NOT m a1a for activity. cha would |