, 1888-01-24

newest nor the most modern. 1t was
round, and stood upon a center pedestal,
and had n great tendency to lurch; and l
had discovered three different catalogue
numbers of sales upon it underneath.
But l am DEPRESSING.
al want but one thing to complete my
happiness" Jack said; and the table
Creaked under him, and caused the cheese
to run a race with the knife along the
dish. 'If only you could get your ap-
pointment and go with U.s."
Now was my time. I looked up with
an injured air. II got the notice that l
was appointed this morning"
''Why in the name of all the gods
didn't you tell a fellow2'
Il should like to know what chance 1
had" / replied. ''For the last six
months there has been only one subject
of conversation between us, and Little
Wasp has,
Here he interrupted me.
Look here, old fellow" he said; 1--WE
must drop that absurd nickname. Her
real name is Ellen
''Absurdl" l calculated. Little Wasp
is Little Wasp and can be nothing else to
any of us who ave known her. But Of
course" l added, with some dignity,
''she will have anew name to be called
by soon, and l shall use that"
''Nonsensc, old fellow" replied my
friend, 1--WE are not going to make a
stranger of you, and you are welcome to
call her Ellen like me-"
1 thanked him with a little of n sheer
in tone, l nm afraid, and respectfully de-
clined.
Gas you like" said Jack, giving the
fnhla n faa-f,,1 ,v,a,,nl T. f4 ~
was the danger, l was compelled to re-
monstrate, and suggest that there were
chairs in the room, even if not of the
most desirable shape and softness.
'tAh, TO be sure, | thought it was rick
ETY." he said, descending from his perch
and seating himself next upon my camp
stool, which collapsed under him, result
ing in bursts of laughter from both of us.
It's only getting my hand in for the
Bay of Biscay, and hang it if l care for
anything" he said, seating himself with
some care in my arm chair, ''now that
angel has linked her lot with mine"
"What are you calling her an angel
for2" Isaid. Somehow l could not bear
10 hear him run on. "Tn allow she's n
very pretty little sinner"
''Sinner ~ cried Jack, knocking down
my cigar case from a cupboard near his
elbow with magnificent indifference. II
like that! She who is as stainless
as''-
Here I interrupted him. ''Don't 20
on l said, 81 know the rest; and you
know we've all been so used to talking
of her lightly (and thinking seri-
ously), l added mentally.
Far too lightly" said Jack with as
perity, ''and l won't hear any more of
it. She'll be Mrs. Pcrcival in few days
time; and if that captain shows his nose
near
'Don't threaten" 1 said. '"Tho land
lady is always listening at the door, and
when / open it she's always just going to
knock. Besides, it would look like dis
trust to be behaving in that manner, and
1 don't think that's fair to her, coquette
though she has been"
"Well, it can't matter much, for we
are all going away" said Jack, rising
and lighting up.
The scene had changed; and /, who
thought myself practical and free of
sentiment, while others made love, or
fooled, as l termed it, around me, was
now feeling, as l leaned, not against q
five barred gate this time, but against
the poop of n vessel with the raging Bay
of Biscay oil surrounding us, that 1 had
n great deal of sentiment in me after all:
and indeed there is nothing like n great
storm to bring out the true woman in n
man, which is there sure enough if it can
only be aroused; just as my poor Little
Wasp proved there was plenty of the
man or manly courage in q frail, sweetly
municipalities little woman.
She was with her husband below now,
cheering and consoling him, l was sure;
for she who had on coming on board
shuddered only lest black beetles might
be in the cabin was now strong and firm,
and even cheerful, since the captain had
told us he feared we could never weather
tho gale.
There were many passengers on board,
l don't know the number, for l could
never read the newspaper accounts. But
Ellen Percival, in her blue serge, was
hithcr and thither, consoling mothers,
comforting children, and even taking off
little trinkets for them to play with.
And how those children played on the
verge of eternity They were not ter
rified, the majority of them; and if they
were, Little Wasp, with her gentle voice,
which had no sting now for any one,
coaxed them into happiness, and hid
away in her own great tender heart all
she must have been feeling then.
"Have you no fear2" 1 said to her, as
q lifeboat was launched and was seen to
go to pieces instantly in that terrible sea.
She was standing with her husbands
arm about her as l spoke.
"Jack is here" was all her reply.
The battered crew of the lifeboat, res
cued all but one, persisted that they
would make no further attempt. They
resisted the captains command to launch
the iron pinnace, which would hold fifty
souls. No, they would go down with the
old craft, they said doggedly.
And now, to make matters worse, half
the crew, who were Malays, refused to
do anything, and went to their berths,
and it became necessary for the passen-
gers to take their places. Jack and 1
were strong, and we went to the pumps.
The storm continued with redoubled
fury. The water was rising rapidly in
the cabin, and there the stewardess
helped the parents to place their children
higher than the water, thus putting off
by so little the inevitable.
II was now rnSOlvn1 tbot tho ,;pr,r,