Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-07-05
SAVED BY A SWEETHEART.

of the steamer Norma, that piled between
New York and New Orleans.
Soon after our arrival in this city one
day I was walking up Broadway, when
| came face to face with an old sweet
heart of mine named Fannie Forten,
whom had not seen for years.
In a few minutes conversation
learned that she was married to Mr..
Frank Allison, who she informed me was
Of decidedly jealous disposition, and
that by singular chance they had en-
gagged passage to New Orleans on the
Norma, which was to sail in a few days.
The day on which the Norma was to
sail arrived. My place, of course, was
in the engine room, until the vessel
passed through the narrows-then | went
on deck. l found Mrs. Allison standing
near the cabin companionway alone.
well, Fanny" said, "Im glad you
got aboard all right.
"Yes Harry, but we nearly missed the
steamer, for my husband-ah, here he is!
Frank, this is Mr.. Selinder, the chief en-
gineer, an old acquaintance of mine.
NIuttering something about being
pleased to make my acquaintance, he
seized his wife by the arm and led her
down stairs, growing at the same time:
Fanny and Harry, Ell? You SEEM to
know each other pretty well. Where
did you meet the fellow"
| did not catch Mrs. Allison's reply,
and soon after went to attend to ms
duties.
We had only about a dozen passengers
with us that trip, and except Fanny and
two or three of the masculines, did not
see any of them until dinner time. when
| found that the steward had so arranged
places at the saloon table that Fanny was
my vis-a-vis, and alongside of me sat one
of the most bewitching little damsels
that ever caused a susceptible bachelors
heart to palpitate beneath an embroid-
cred vest.
The captain addressed her as Miss
Everett, and I soon discovered that she
was journeying to New Orleans alone,
her friends having placed her in charge
of the skipper of the Norma.
AS the weather was very fine Miss
Everett spent good deal of her time on
the deck, and though it was usually my
custom, when at sea, to devote the
greater part of the watches during which
was off duty to reading and sleeping,
this voyage did not seem to have any
desire to do aught but enact the part of
shadow to the pretty passenger who had
won her way so easily to my heart.
At length, one starlight night, as we
sat together near the stern OF the vessel.
watching the white trail that marked
our pathway over the somber waves,
summoned up sufficient courage to ask
her if she would be content to share my
destiny.
"Say you will be mine, darling!" i'm
plored.
"Keep our engagement secret until
we arrive in port" she said an hour after
as | kissed her good night
Before | left the deck Mrs. Allison
came up.
Il wish you joy, Harry! You'll marry
a Fanny after all, you see, she said.
l thanked her, and then for the first
time the similarity of Christian names
between my old flame and my present
betrothed struck me.
Fanny was always my favorite name, I"
! said.
"The deuce it was! I-hic-like that"
cried Mr.. Allison, appearing suddenly.
and | went off to bed.
Next morning my betrothed was re-
ported to be very sick.
At noontime she sent me little note,
however, begging me not to be anxious
about her, and when l came off watch
at o'clock l wrote her a reply full of
glowing expressions of endearment.
ran upon deck and went down into
the saloon. No one was around, SO l
tapped lightly at Mrs. Allison's door, and
slipped the letter through the venetians.
Give that to Fanny, please" whis-
pered.
l went down into the engine room,
and, having seen that everything was in
order, leaned my arms upon the guard
rail, and indulged in "A pleasant dream of
future happiness with the dear girl who
had consented to be my bride.
l heard somebody coming down the
iron stairway that communicated with
the deck, but thinking it was the oiler |
did not even turn my head, until found
myself grasped in pair of snewy arms
that held me with vice like tenacity.
"You make love to my wife, you hound.
You write her letters! Curse you, I'll
kill you." cried Mr.. Allison, for it was he
who had seized me.
1t instantly flashed across my mind
that | had only addressed the letter that
had slipped through the jalousies in his
stateroom door to Fanny, and his dis
ordered brain had at once led him to con,
clude that AN improper intimacy between
his wife and myself existed.
l struggled to free myself; but wa: