Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-09-21
CHAPTER vIL-THE CATASTROPHE.

And 50 these two fair women talked,
making plans for the future as though all
things injured forever, and all plans were
destined 10 be realized. But even as they
talked. somewhere up in the high heaven,
the Voice that rules the world spoke 3
word, n the Messenger of Fate rushed
forth TO do its bidding. On board tn,
great ship was music and laughter ant
the sweet voices Of singing women; but
above it hung a pail of doom. Not tn,
most timid heart dreamed of danger
What danger could there be aboard O,
that grand ship, which sped across tn,
waves with the lightness and confdenc,
OF the swallow? There was naught Z,
fear. A prosperous voyage was DRAWN.
TO its end, and mothers put their babes t.
sleep with as sure a heart as though the,
were on solid English ground, Oh! surel,
when his overlooking load of sorrows ant
dire miseries was melted out to oman, som,
gentle Spirit pleaded for him-that h,
should not have foresight added to TIN
tale, that he should not see the fallins
knife or hear the water tapping that ON
day shall entomb himg Or, was it KEEP
back because man, having knowledge
would be maa without reason;-for terro,
would make him mad, and he would II
his fears by hurrying their fulfllment! A.
least, we are blind to the future, and le
us be Handful for it.
Presently Lady Holmhurst got up froD
her chair and said that she was going I.
bed, but that, first Of all, she must kis
Dick. her little boy, who slept with hi
nurse in another cabin, Augusta rose II
went with her, and they both kissed III,
sleeping child, a bonay boy Of five, ans
then they kissed each other and separated
for the night.
Some hours afterward, Augusta woke
up, feeling very restless. For an hour or
more she lay thinking of Mr.. Tombey and
many other things, and listening TO the
swift LAP, lap" Of the water as it slipped
past the vessels sides, and the occasional
tramp Of the watch as they set fresh sails.
At last her feeling of unrest got too much
for her, and she rose and partially, very
partially. dressed herself-for in the gloom
she could only find her fiannS vest and
petticoat-twisted her long hair in q coil
round her head, put on a hat and a thick
ulster that hung upon the door-for they
were running into chilly latitudes-and
slipped out on deck.
1t was getting toward dawn, but the
night was still dark. Looking up, Angus
Ia could only just make out the outlines
OF the huge bellying sails, for the Kanga-
roo was rushing along before the westerly
wind under a full head of steam, and with
every inch of her canvas set to ease the
screw. There was something very exhil-
arating about the movement, the fresh
ness of the night, and the wild sweet song
of the wind as it sang among the rigging.
Augusta turned her face toward it. and,
being alone, stretched out her arms as
though to catch it. The whole scene
awoke some answering greatness in her
heart; something that siumbers in the
bosom of the higher race of human beings,
and only stirs-and then but family
when the passions move them, or when
Nature communes with her nobler chill
dren. She felt that at hat moment she
could write as she had never written yet.
All sorts of beautiful ideas, all sorts Of
aspirations after that noble calm, and pur-
ity OF thought and life for " hich we pray
and long but are not allowed to reach,
came flowing into her heart. She almost
thought that she could hear her lost Jean
MES voice calling down the gale, and her
strong imagination began TO paint her
lowering like a sea bird upon white wings
high above the mainmast's taper point,
and gazing through the darkness into the
soul of her she loved. Then, by those
faint and imperceptible degrees with
which thoughts fade one into another,
from JEANNE her thought got round 20
F,ustace Meeson. She wondered IL he had
ever called at the lodgings at Birmingham
sfter SIZE left. Somehow, she had an idea
t.iGt he was not altogether Indifferent to