The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-01-08
UNLOOKED-FOR JOY.
"Over the sea, over the sea.
Charlie is coming fo map,

Trilled the sweet voice again and
again, mindless of the rest of the song.
and, indeed, hardly conscious of what
she was singing was the beautiful girl,
as, with her heart full of love and hap
piness, she sewed away, putting the
last finishing touches to the dainty
dress which was to be her bridal robe.
Her lover was a very different
Charlie" from the one in the song,
He was not royal wanderer, but in her
eyes he was as much of a prince as
though he had been born to the purple;
and he was even then upon the broad
ocean, counting the days and even the
hours and minutes which were to bring
him to his betrothed bride. So. un-
consciously, she had hummed the re-
frain of the pretty Scotch sopg-for
was not her own Charlie coming over
the sea to install her queen of her own
rightful realm of homep
All! the day-dreams in which SYLVIA
had been indulging of latel But they
had not kept her white fingers idle-far
from it. All the stitches had been set
with her usual neatness and precision:
but they had put into the fabric so
many hopes and suoh fairy-like
visions of the on-coming future, that
if inanimate things could have spoken,
each garment could have given an in
teresting insight into a young girls
heart.
Sylvia Willis was an orphan, but al
though far from rich, she had an in
come sufficient to supply her moderate
wants. After her mothers death she
had been so fortunate as to find a
motherly landlady in Mrs. GREY. who,
although she kept boarders for a living,
could still find room in her heart for
! those who were worthy of interest, and
among them Sylvia stood first. In re-
turn she lavished rich treasure of love
upon good Mrs. Grey, and in time
grew to look upon her as she might
have done upon one connected with her
by ties of blood.
Charlie-Sylva's lover-had been a
boarder in Mrs. Grey's house for
several years before sylvia chose it for
| her home. He had come to it as a
penniless lad from the country in
search of employment in the great,
bustling city. He had enlisted Mrs.
Grey's sympathy by his manly resolute
boar ing and sne mad msraTIeu nfrn IN
tiny attic room, and had given him
his board in return for his services as
an errand boy, until he should succeed
in getting position such as he wanted.
1t was not long before he obtained
one, and from that time he had risen
step by step, until at last he had been
chosen by his firm to go to China and
attend to their business there.
Meanwhile love had grown up be-
tween him and Sylvia, and they had be-
| como engaged. The parting was, of
course, trial to them, but it would
have been like thr owing back her good
| gifts into the face of Dame Fortune to
| have refused the opening thus offered.
So Charlie went lover the sea-" and
! Sylvia stayed on in her home with Mrs.
Grey, a lonely but happy-hearted girl,
| for the separation would not be long
one.
The time of probation had passed
swiftly by, and upon the morning in
which our story opens Sylvia was in
momentary expectation of receiving a
telegram announcing the arrival of the
Leila, the steamer in which Charlie had
taken passage for his native land.
But day after day was to drag its
weary length along without bringing
tidings of Charlie. Then came the in
telligence that an outgoing vessel, the
I Vesta, had sighted large steamer in
distress, but it was in a terrible storm,
and the captain had been unable tC
render 1t any service, and had soon
been carried out of sight of anything
but the wide waste of turbulent waters
threatening to engulf his own vessel al
any moment.
| Then, as time went on, and brought
no tidings of either the Leila or of hel
passengers, it became almost q GER
| taintv that she had been lost in the
storm described by the captain of the
Vesta.
Poor Sylvia! What wonder is it thai
she sank under the blow?
A long illness followed the shock
She lay for weeks without any con
seriousness of what was passing arounC
her; in bodily anguish which shook hel
slender frame as though in an ague
and threatened to extinguish the fires
of life.
Mrs. Grey had called in DR.. Frank
lyn.
| He was a physician, who, thougl
young in years, had already prove'
himself master power in his pro
fession; and he did battle bravely TO
the young life thus suddenly strickel
down.
At last youth and strength rallied t
his assistance. Sylvia began to ment
slowly, and in time she was restored t
health.
..Well, Miss Willis" said DIR. Frank
1yn cheerfully, Il think you no longe
need my prescriptions, and after te
day nv professional visits will end. Viii
you allow me to call occasionally in
social way to see about my GONZALES
cents health?"
II shall esteem it privilege if yo
will take the trouble, doctor. l shal
never forget your unwearied care an
kindness to me. fancy l must hav
been very troublesome patient, fror
what Mrs. Grey has told me-"
mo, poor lambm said Mrs. Grey
wiping a tear from her eye as she spoke
''you weren't that, l assure you; yo
were as good as good could be, but 20
did suffer so that it most broke m
heart"
Sylva's eyes were fixed intently upo
the blue-veined hands which la
crossed upon her lap. With a sudde
motion she raised them, and said earl
estly.
will these hands ever be stron
enough to do any work, doctor?"
Now, Sylvia, what are you going
talk like that for?n exclaimed Mr..
Grey, in as aggrieved tone as such
good-natured pair of lips could emf
you've got enough to live on, an
you'd be sure of being taken care of
you hadn't. You are just like my ow
child"
Il know it, dear Mrs. Grey, but tn;
is not what 1 mean. want to do som
good in the world, or shall surely
miserable all the rest of the life whic
you and DR.. Franklyn have fame
again into existence. would like
be sick-nurse, and shall depend u
on you to get me a position where
|. can learn to be one. Will you, doctor!
You must get strong and we'll tirs
Miss Willis; and then we will talk tt
matter over"
!. Then you do not discourage it? o.
thank you, thank you? l will pro'
to you what is in me when the tin
comes"
Il have no doubt of it." said D
Franklin gravely. ''The bravest sou