The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-08-04

during the meal?" At last a young Malcolm Macdonald, vol unteered to immolate himself on the altar of beauty, and, animated by a grateful glance from the widows soft brown eyes, he disappeared up the companion-way, holding the screech- ing baby upside down, which was perhaps excusable, it being the first time he had officiated as dry-nurse.
 The captain, in his capacity as host, did his best to make things go cheer fly. He set the ball of conversation rolling, and if 1t was pot fairly bowled onwards, 1t was no fault of his.
 Meanwhile, game of speculation was being invisibly carried on; tele- graphic communication was being passed from eye to eye, conjectural phrases flew round, and the current of observation set it toward the young widows quarters. She meanwhile seemed quite unconscious of the curi- osity she was creating. She sat silent and reserved, with a shade of melan- choly upon her countenance, equally unconscious of the admiring glances of the one sex or the critical appraise- ment of the other. She was mono- syllable in her answers to special questions, and in reply to general ob- servations she merely glanced up and smiled-with such a smile! One longed to catch the upward glance and smile again. She had beautiful brown eyes, and her black dress set off to the best advantage her fair complexion and curling golden hair.
 The young bride Mrs. Howard, looked across the table with a super cilious air. She had caught her liege lords glances wandering that way oftener and with warmer admiration than she quite approved. Once he ventured to nudge her elbow, levying an unlicensed tax upon her admira- tion. She refused to honor his de- mand, and obstinately turned her eyes in another direction.
 After dinner all went their several ways, some to the smoking room, some lounged over the bulwarks, oth- CTS joined the cry of "Yo, heave ho I" and helped or hindered the sailors in hauling the ropes, for the wind was freshening. All sails were set to catch the breeze; and the vessel, like beau- tiful white bird with outstretched wings, floated along, cutting her way through the water with a steady rap idity that had an exhilarating effect upon everybody; we felt as ii we our selves were floating over the water. The "briny kisses of the great, sweet mother stirred the soul into open re- joicing, and bursts of laughter and cheerful voices echoed on all sides. Meanwhile, the pretty bride and her athletic bridegroom paced the deck in gloomy silence; she, because she was wrathfully disposed; he, because he had nothing to say; he rarely had much to say; conversation was not his strong point. Presently he became vaguely aware that there was some- thing unusual in the continued silence, and he broke it, adding insult to in- jury.
 "I say, Kate!" he exclaimed.
 "Well."
 "Isn't she stunning creature2"
 "Who?"
 "Why, the widow, of course; one doesn't often see such a fine woman: clean and smart-not bad point about her."
 "You talk as though you were studying horse," was the freezing reply.
 "So she is, she's mere, mare? Not bad that don't you see? mere-moth- CT; mare, horse?" He laughed heart- lily at his own wit, and nudged his wife's elbow, as means of widening her understanding to full apprecia- tion. She smiled faintly, and he fol- lowed up his advantage, adding, ,"wou. derfully reserved, though, and quiet, isn't she? Never once opened her lips"
 "She opened her mouth, though, and put plenty into it. The way she ate was perfectly disgusting; putting the knife into her mouth, too. I thought she was going to swallow it."
 "Ah! that looks queer-very," he observed sagaciously. "I should like to know her history-I'm sure she's got one"
 Here MT. Jaggers, the tall, strange looking man who had first attracted my attention, joined them in their promenade, and somehow, after a slight passing observation concerning the weather, the conversation drifted towards the beautiful Mrs. Oliver. MT. Jaggers protested he had not seen her face. "Besides, he did not pay much attention to women-didn't be- lieve in 'em."
 r. "Jaggers don't believe in any ything . rejoined his young companion, whom he called "Charlie," but who was reg- istered as "Stokes." "Now, I believe in everything, especially in women, from my 0xn rrandmofhar dom,s to