The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-01-12
"Peoples What peopler' and she laughed
chamng.''

|
Chicago"
The breakfast bell rang in the cabin ant
sent out to them its most discordant call.
An expletive, how impatient the Captair
could only surmise, escaped the young man
~ told you our time was short, Clarice
Sec me soon, darling. Don't keep me wait
ing all day. And snub that old Lord Methu
selah every time he speaks to YOU"
"Dear, Paul!-I mean dear me. PAUL.
that bell is sure to wake Aunt Emily.
must CO." Then louder, for the benefit Of
the public, "Why, the fog has reached usp
and in a hasty, tender aside, "Be careful moi
to take cold"
''Prudent little grandmother ~ murmured
Paul Drexel, as she went around the side oi
the boat and was just about to disappear
| ''The old adobe catacombv'
The latter half of his ejaculation referred
to quite another person.
| A small, gray -whiskcred, austerely-with
cred gentleman had emerged from the cabin
| Just in time to encounter Clarice, whom he
| made a gallant effort to detain.
| She eluded him, however, and passed on
out of sight while he advanced.
He came leisurely, putting a final polish
| upon his finger-nails with a silk handlSer-
chief. Then he looked aloft at the weather,
with an cye-glass glued to such a cold,
staring orb, that it might itself have been
the congealing cause of the bank of mist
that was slowly enveloping them.
Drexcrs lazily-athletic frame grew sud.
denly rigid with desire to clutch and
drown this insignificant creature. That he
should dare to aspire to the notice of q
beautiful woman like Clarice was enough in
itself to merit speedy and ignominious ex-
tinction. He deserved drowning, If that
were not toe honorable.
1t would be a good nervous relish to pick
him up, shake the little pinch of breath out
of his narrow chest, close couple of steady
fingers round his aristocratic windpipe
and hear the small final gurgle that would
ensue.
So much malevolence at the mere sight of
this bank president.
"Something of fog"
ayes sir, from the Captain.
"a fair run, however. Our journey has
been very favorable. Good morning, sir"
to Drexel.
A freezing nod.
sYes sir, tip-top run. Right time of
year for that. the Captain was more
deferential than he had been to the young
people-"thanlS zee sir" he added, accepting
Havana from the case courteously ex-
tended to him by Mr.. Cumberland.
~ don't smoSe,n was DreXcs surly fib
to like proffer.
"Breakfast is all ready, Mr. Cumber-
land, )" said the Captain. Better eat before
you smoke"
And the two went in together.
Later in the forenoon rugs were brought
out and spread upon the desk, shawls and
travelling blankets were adjusted and ar
ranged, and a party of ladies was ensconced
where they could be carefully protected and
yet have the benefit of the fresh air. Mrs.
Winterfield, her mature daughter, Rosa
mond, aud her wayward niece, Clarice.
Mr.. Cumberland was in polite attendance,
and his assiduOus devotion to their comfort
received gracious recognition from the two
elder ladies' but won little favor from Clar
ice She was restless in their company
nervous and restrained.
They had not been long seated before she
expressed desire TO go for a few minutes
upon tho hurricane deck. She wanted to
escape them, and, besides, she had caught
shadowy perspective of Paul's hat round the
corner of the pilot house.
Mrs. Wintcrfield demurred Miss Rosa
mond was Mortified, but Mr.. Cumberland
greeted the proposition with considerable
indulgence, Offering to go with her, if Mrs.
Winterfeld did not object.
He sped up the ladder like cat and
reached down feeble claw to steady
Claricc's ascent.
Rosamond and her mother were left to
two such pale personalities that
where they were could literally be called
solitude.
The Captain was out for an after breakfast
turn, and showed his goodwill by pointing
out tho occasionally visible shore, for the
fog lifted at intervals, giving them CLEAN
of sun, and then settled down again dense
and cherries.
His socability not meeting with much re-
sponse, he began pattering along his path,
as If it were business and he must. leaving
them to themselves.
"Rosamond, think that young man is
sufficiently rebuked You say he has not
been near Clarice this morning!n
sit took heroic treatment, mamma, to
make him understand himself de t,op.
Clarice herself has SO little sense"
81 suppose she thisks him handsome. She
does MT seem to lnsow Mr.. Cumberland
is MT man TO be trifol with. Such an es-
tablishment as his does MT go begging every
day."
"But why should he want such frippery
chit for wifei l could never understand
how Clarice manages TO so bewitch the
man. Such o simpleton, with no style, and
certainly with no dignity, nor much breed
ing, either for that matter if she is my
cousin.n
''But she is young, my dear, and youth is
for woman what money is for man-the
all In ALL"
Rosamond bridled coldly.
ut would have been far more Httingu
her mother resumed, "lf Mr.. Cumberland
had chosen you, Rosamond. But he is 80
dazz ed with Clarlce he is blind TO fitness or
prudence"
"You kn ow very we'll would not look at
him"
A halting and faded pink crept upto Rosa
mond's face as she said this. IL was as near
the heat of anger as could be expected of
her autumnal blood.
The mother and daughter might have
luarreled, had not Clarice just then, stead
fast to her fickleness, appeared above about
10 descend. Mr Cumberland was meekly
waiting to follow, and Clarice was red as a
rose
The secret OF her color was an impassioned
sentence her heart had betrayed her into |
TO Drexel as she had passed SO
closely to him, sitting moodily alone upon
he roof, that her garments brushed against |
lin.
His look had been so dark and threates. |
ng that she had dashed upon his senses ]