The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1886-04-29

man sailing boat on this heavenly
bay dressed in . rcady-made suit and
white shirt! With his Greek profile
yachting costume would make him
look like an AppolloBelvcdcrc =
~ never heard, my dear, says Aunt
SUE. dryly, ''that the Apollo Belvc-
deere wore yachting costume, or any
other, for that matter.
Capt. Neil, who has no idea that his
profile is Greek, mOors his small bark
dexter0usly, and the ladies step or
board. Aunt Sue is nervous about
water, and shudders when their host
announces that they are to have q sail.
but she f0rgets her fear in her delight
as the boat leaves the bed Of ashes of
which the shore consists and floats out,
like swift-swinged sea-gull, on to the
CLASSY surface Of the bay. There Ger
tainly was never such . perfect mimi
ature voyage Us this; or at least Louise
thinks SO as they wind around the
peninsula and just dip into the edge Of
the breakers beyond.
when jacques comes she says to
herself, II will ask the Captain to ex-
tend the same favor to him. Then
she laughs just faint ripple Of laugh
ter, which Capt. Neil finds very be-
witching.
Il am getting hungry she says.
finally. 80 we must make our call on
you and be getting back. =
The Captain, thinking how charm
ingly frank she is. turns the boat about,
warning her TO drop her head that the
boom may not hit it. The sailors are
waiting for them, one throwing rope
ladder over the ships side, up which
they climb. The crew stand on one
side, their faces clean shavcn for the
occasion, all 0bsequious attention.
The ladies examine and admire, and ut
last are taken, IS browning pleasure,
to the tautly-rigged cabin, where .
luncheon is spread. Miss Brantome
has the good appetite Of the steady
worker and eats her macaroOns and
sips her port with relish born of the
sea air.
Now" she says, IF you don't mind
will write few words to my mother.
cannot resist the temptation to say,
On board ship Pelican, thirty-second
parallel of latitude, Pacific Ocean,
You will excuse me little while?' So
she whips out q block of note paper,
and in phonetic characters Of her own
invention safely puts down ship. crew,
and Captain, to be used when needed.
Then they 60 back to the shore, where
the ponies are impatiently stamping.
Come and see US soon," calls Aunt
Sue. Miss BrantOme says nothing; she
is through with the Captain. chip, and
all. But he goes back in an ectasy.
She seemed SO interested in sailors
life. He thinks how she would bright
en- up his little cabin with that laugh.
And she was not one bit giddy, even
when they rolled in the wake Of that
man-Of war, or when she climbed up
the Pelican's hospitable sides. She
would make q good sailors wife If
only she would not sigh for her writ
ing and the mysterious east, which he
has never seen. He goes to see her
the next short tropical afternoon, but
she is out. ''Gone to Juan Espada's,
her aunt says, 'whcre you may find
her."
She is winding orange-trees for Juan.
50 that the gophers cannot gnaw the
bark. 1t pleases the old man, and then
there are many things about his quaint
ranch upon which she wishes clearer
ideas. The Captain rolls up tho ashen
walk. Juan is delighted; the cigarets
have given out. The master Of the
Pelican does not find Miss Brantome as
sociable as usual Has he offended
her? The saints Forbid as Manuela
would say. Juan hears an ominous
barking from the dogs and goes to
find its cause. The Captain plunges
boldly at what is nearest his heart.
Miss BrantOmc, would marry a
sailor?' "a clumsy way to WOO, Capt
Niel)
'.Wise sailors do not ask mo such a
question, she says gayly, showing
him the young trees that the gOphers
have been making such havoc with.
She does not wish to hurt this honest.
tiresome man. But the bellies Of Hum
boldt County do not evade declarations.
miss Brantome,' he SAYS. Il ask
you. never saw the woman before
! no made me long for home outside
my ship"
She has bunch Of dark red roses
at her belt to-day-Jacquemino
my friend she replies, Il would have
spared you this. am to be married
in December
But he catches straw. why, then,
have you shown such interest in me,
questioned me, asked me to visit you,
pinned roses on my coat, said sweeter
things to me than ever heard before
in all my life?'
Because. Captain. l am going to
put you into book.
Course you and ycur book!' he cries,
striding away. regardless of Juan's
young trees.
And Juan. pottering back. wonders
why the Captain left SO hastily and
without word of the cigarets. But
Miss BrantOme does not explain.
There is the gum" she says. 1.-The
steamer is in and it is getting dark, but
| will be over tomorrow to hear the
rest about the Padre
Then she goes back, to be met at the
top OF the hill BY tall dark man who
has come on the steamer to give
her pleasant surprise.
(Which is just like YOU dear Jaques
Minot," she says.
i =
And SO the Captain summer idyl il
ended. A faded yellow rose floats on
the bay, and q dark red bunch i
picked by shapely hands each morning
for the belt Of the little writing woman,
But the Pelican is far at sea.
The manager Of tho Fort Wayne.
Ind. gazette, Mr.. B. NJ. Holman, says
| ho has nffAn read If the wnnd0rfuI