Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1888-01-07


cloud LAS, and the brsexss played warm
~ zephyrs amouR the rustlinF leaves Of
the acnnias and lnyrtles. that there ran
quito down 70 the beach, AZ ID 20 ffe.
quently the case upon the sunny shorea
OF the Mediterranean, whose blue waves
Tapped monotonously upon the white
shingle 1T Maud Thornton's feet. The
shores we're those OF the Gulf Of gpezxta,
not far from the beautiful city OF Leg
horn, resort more frequeuted, perhaps,
By the better claAs Of Americnn and
English families, who prefer qniet and
retirement 70 frfvoity and gay ETY., than
any other watering place 10 Northern
Italy, not excepting Nice. Genoa and
even Florence itself. Maud set pen
sively upon the beach, her parasol be.
side hsr, her chin resting on her hand.
6he was thinkfnR-tkinkinR deeply,
earnestly, seriously. Could II be that
Philip HAymes. TO whom her troth was
pliRhted, hsd played her false? Gould
u be that he hsd 90 soon forgotten her7
Not q limo from him for two moutha?--.
and he 90 regular IN his correspond
She could mot divine the reason. Two
months ago he hsd written 70 say that
he would DO at LsRhorn within week
% claim her ~ bis bride--And still he
came not; neither was there . word to
explain his silence.
She felt piqusd, 80 most young ladies
would do In q similar case. A some
what heavy step approached, crushing
tho shells upon tho beach as 10 came
along Maud Thornton looked no. II
was Harry Booihby, young EnRlIsh-
man, who had been most asalduous IN
his attentions 70 her for the past two
months. She was half inclined to vel.
come him, 20 bitter was her feallnR nl
that moment against Philip Haynes.
He came mp TO her, and keat over her
In his usual osressing way.
why do you not give me some hope,
Maud? Way are you 80 unkind2" he
pleaded In pathetic aocents.
"You know " che replied, "thst I am
Pills hted 70 Philip HsymeA How can
on ask?'
"But-Mr. Haymss-why-haye you
not hesrd9" exclaimed Harry Boothby.
excitedly.
"what--vhat 10 the rnattsi?" asked
Maud In trembling tones.
"Neas bias Just come TO some Of his
friends here that he left Losdon for
MarseiileB two months ago, and there
took passage in that little coasting
steamer that plies here, FALLING 1t Genoa
and other ports on the way. The Ga.
iansuomo-yes, that was Its name. You
remember the steamer that left Mar
ssiIles during that stormy period two
months ago. and has never been heard
OF since? He must have gone down
with the rest, poor fellow. The Medi-
terransan IL too small . son to admit OF
the hopes one might still have Of YES.
sci lost on the Atlantic"
Maud was q peculiar girl. She did
not faint or shrek. As other girls would
probably have done In like case. She
simply sat there, immoblle. with her
eyes fixed on vacancy.
Harry Boothby took her behavior
for Gang ffoid or indifference, and In
low, sympathetic tones and words Of
meaning, pressed his cult, bending over
her, and bringing his head nearer and
nearer 90 hers
SIN she remained immoyable, the
same hxed stare In her eyes, the SAme
apathetio expression on her face.
Harry Beothby still misto0k her de.
meanor, and urged his cause, and told
hie passion with renewed vigor.
Just then Q distant object passed
across the dold OF Maud Thornton's
vision. She stared fxsdly ct II. IL
was steamer scarcely mile In the
oniug. and evidently making for Lag
horn
II was the work Of o second for her 70
bring her tiny, but powerful blnocnlar,
upon the smoking object. Upon the
stern she read the word GAlaatuomo.
With one bound she was upon her feet.
"Fooll doltp she almost Missed
through her clenohed teeth. "Do you
think ] could ever love you, even were
Philip thrice buried In the sea?n And
with . gesture Of supreme negation, the
excited girl pointed 10 the passing yes
sci. Liar, zoo, the almost screamed:
There 10 the GalAntuomol"
Then she turned and almost ran to.
wards LsRhorn, little more than mlle
away, leaving poor Harry Boothby to
philosophize wonderingly on the vagar-
les OF woman.
Strange IS 1t may seem, II was indeed
30 Tho little steamer had been blown
out OF her caurss, and thrown ashore ON
one OF those small desert islands TO tbs
north OF Corsica, where II had been ~
ing ever sinoe making shift to mend
the propeller aud repair the hull. All
the boats had been Btoye In while try
ing to launch them.
This was the cause OF the report OF
the little steamer having got lost.
Needless to say, Maud and Philip with
In On hour were In each others noma.