Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-04-28

has. for that matter. The bellies of Hum
boldt County are not accustomed to
playing on the minds of men as skill.
full player does upon flute.
''Will you be long in port?" asks
Miss Brantome.
1.-Two weeks at least; the lighters are
so uncertain and the Mexioans so
lazy"
20, well. l dined with him in the
spring, and he has visited my ship"
''Ihen you must come and see us, so
that can hear the rest If this most in
terestiDg story of your voyages. And
perhaps some day, if you should insist
very strongly, my aunt and l will make
you little visit on board the 'Peli-
can"
He does insist, and she thinks at once
how she can take notes of his nautical
belongings while he entertains her aunt.
1t will require some adroitness. but at
that she isAno novice.
''Now be sure and come soon, Cap
tain." she says in her unconventional
way, with which no one finds fault be-
cause the world accords many privi-
leges to scribbling woman. And so
he leaves, for the men will miss him,
and as he passes the corner of the palm
cluster he hears again the merry laugh
that goes so singularly with that face
upon which sorrow has sets its seal.
Il wonder if that woman is sincere
he thinks: ''she surely appears so. :"
Then he goes back to the Pelican and
makes three errors on one page of his
neat log book.
Meanwhile Miss Brantome is follow
ing old Juan as he potters around the
orange trees or mends weak spot in
the sheep corral. Then she goes in to
Manuela, whom she makes her friend
for life by asking no end of questions.
But the thermometer is the nineties and
the sun blazing away for dear life. Ex-
istence in Southern California is grow
ing monotonous. She has wild longing
to shorten her holiday and fly back over
the deserts to land where one may
hope for cloud and tread on bit of
grass. And the publishers are clamor-
ing for her next serial, in which Juan
and Manuela are to figure.
"Aunt Sue,'' she says, after she has
told her OF the blonde Captain, Il must
| have the rest of that material"
Aunt Sue understands this technical
term of her favorite niece, and she
never denied her anything in her life.
''But he may not call, and we cannot
board his ship, without his leave, as if
We were pirates.''
"He will call, depend upon it.,
answers Miss Brantome, with that
smile of hers. And he does call, din
ing with the family and wandering
with the dark girl out under the stars.
The moon comes up and adds to the
glories of the night. Far away
wrinkles the lighthouse light, like a
great solemn glow-worm, and they
hear the dull roar of the restless ocean,
while on the still waters of the bay
they can sec the white-winged vessels
riding at anchor.
A painter once in an excess of zeal
| put to a cruel death an unfortunate
wretch that he might have a model
who would satisfactorily represent the
| agonies of the dying. So Louise Bran
tome, in the gentlest possible way,
makes model of the commander Of
the Pelican to bring into play express
sions and emotions wberewith to en-
rich her romance.
"Do you never long for homer" she
asks.
my ship is my home"
"But a real home-a refuge when
the world and your ship are dreary
! Places
"What man does notp' he asks. "But
may never go home, only into port. -
THAT is poetry Capt. Mel.
ut was an accident. l am not po-
etical.''
20 do not say that. You are, am
sure. the truest of all poets-the one
who listens. To appreciate beautiful
thoughts is quite as rare a gift as
weaving them in ones brain"
1T is kind of you to say that, but
you mistake. l have not soul above
cordage and sailcloth.'
They are sitting on the veranda now,
for the dew is almost rain. The air is
heavy with the scent from the beds of
heliotrope and the orange-trees. Capt.
Neil would do we'll to 60 back to his
| ship before the fog rises; and there are
mental hazes, too, through which the
| sirens send so sweet a song that the
sound of the fog-bell cannot be heard.
Louise picks a bunch of roses and
fastens them in her belt.
you love roses, no doubtp" she says.
Eyes, but roses do not grow on
quarter-decks, and l know but little
more of tn EN- than 1 do of poetry.
Then l am going to tell you some
thing that will surprise you. This
rose has your name. 1t is the
Mafechal Niel.''
His countenance lights up: she has
one of those very roses held against
her cheek as she speaks.
''And what is more SINGULAR" goes
on this calm dissector of mems mind,
II know another person who has the
name of a rose."
The Captains face grew dark again.
LOUISE cried Aunt Sue, "Your
mother will never forgive me if l let
you stay out any longer in the night
air.
The Captain rises: Miss Brantome
takes the rose with which she has been
toying and fastened it to his coat, and
he leaves, not knowing as he marches
through the olive orchard with that
slightly rolling gait of his whether he
trcads on earth or air, and she gong
to her room, adds to partly written
letter these words; This has been an
an evening rich in material for the
romance which is to make us famous.
I have been talking with most inter-
esting man, master of vessel. His
boots and his accent might startle you,
but as study he is perfect Then
she seals the letter and directs it to Mr..
Jacques Minot.
The visit to the schooner is to take
place Thursday. Never was there such
polishing of copper and scrubbing
of decks as takes place in the interim.
The cargo of the Pelican
is not finding its way to
the wharf with its usual celebrity.
Capt. Mel becomes blind to the lazi-
ness of the Mcxicans. There is no
such great hurry; what will the differ