Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-09-19

final adleu to the English friends from
whom she had just parted. She hardly
felt that she was going home. The five
years that she had spent in London and
Paris perfecting her education had al
most had the effect of extracting all pa
triotism from her nature; the friends she
was leaving had grown very dear to her,
and she could not accustom herself to the
thought that the farewell she had Just
said was final one.
It was not until the ship was under full
Roadway, careering down the broad Mer-
sey with all the force of her mighty en-.
gines, that far-away America began to
look like reality. and the prospect of
home, father. friends and the welcome
awaiting her to grow clear. The effect of
this was to send her down to dinner with
sharp appetite and q moderately good
temper, though enough of a vague, inde-
Unable discomfort remained to render her
more than usually observaut and critical.
Miss Gray had had somewhat un-
pleasant experience on the occasion of
her voyage five years ago. Falling in
with the usual laxity of etiquette preva-
lent upon the seas, she had formed the
acquaintance of a young man, who, before
land was reached. had presumed far
enough on her condos censiOn to render
himself intensely obnoxious to her. The
memory of this experience was very
sharp, and if there was one thing she had
resolved to pguard against on this trip it
was such an adventure as this. Con-
sequently, when she seated herself at the
table, her first impulse was to scrutinize
her low-passengers closely and dis
cover in just how much danger she was.
Being alone and therefore under the
especial charge of the captain, she oc-
cupied the seat of honor on that gray
headed, hearty old salts left. 1t did not
take long for her to effect her examina-
ton. for there were not more than six
teen or eighteen cabin passengers, all
told. Six OF these were ladies-she noted
with sigh of resignation that she was
the only one OF her sex who stood in
really imminent danger of molestation-
and all of the men but two were devoid
OF any outward excuse for considering
themselves attractive. Que Of these two
was dark, of medium height and appar-
emily good manners, but the rather
vacant expression OF his features forbade
the young lady's feeling much anxiety on
his account. As to the other she was
not go certain.
She was forced to acknowledge inward.
ly that he was q splendid looking fellow.
Tall, supple and light haired. with a pair
of mischievous blue eyes twinkling under
broad. white forehead. ''Vain as a
peacock. and twice as saucy. no doubt, +"
o vas Hiss 0Idy . IA0At6A COIHmouG, as So0
. noted the gentle caress bestowed from
time to time by a fair. womanish hand
upon his dropping, yellow mustache.- She
looked no more his way, and vowed to
herself that upon his very first advance
she would request the captain to warn
For the next two days, naturally
enough, Miss Gray stood in no danger of
annoyance from any body. On the third
morning her robust constitution and
vigorous frame reasserted their sway,
ana she was assisted to the sunny end of
the hurricane deck, just above the smok-
mg.room' where, lying full length on a
reclining chair and enveloped in luxuri-
GUS rugs. she could watch all that was
going forward on the broad expanae of
deck below. =
She was the only lady passenger ON
deck. The ship was bowling along plo.
riously over the giant swells with roll.
licking. sideway motion far from mn.
pleasant to the now rapidly. recoverino
patient A game of shufae- board was b.
progress beneath and Miss Gray expe.