The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-01-07
SUPERSTITION.
JUNE s.

Late one evening Miss Genevieve Har-
rington, prima donna assoluta of the
Cosmopolitan opera company, accompa-
MED by very proper and trim French
maid, and very improper and startling
array of trunks, embarked upon the
great steamship Westmoreland, outward
bound.
Upon the same ship Mr.. Henry Win
throp set foot some minutes later.
Everybody knew Mile. Genevieve. Her
wonderful voice and her pretty self had
taken the operatic world by storm.
Nobody knew Harry-he was only
tall young man, fresh from college, with
his triumphs all before him.
The very first sensation that Harry
felt on awakening the following morn
ing was one Of much pain.
The upper deck was drenched with
water. Binding sheets of spray were
sweeping over the rails and coursing in
little streams around the bulkhead.
Harry drew his macintosh tighter
around him, and crouching down under
ifeboat proceeded to light a cigarette.
Match after match sputtered and went
out. At last, after numberless unsuc-
cessful attempts, light was obtained
and Harry settled down for a comfort
able smoke.
"Ohw
Harry leaped to his feet. What was
that? With the instinct of an old foot
ball player, he bent down and braced
himself firmly against the davits.
A bundle Of waterproofs dashed across
the sloping deck with rapidity that
would have made cannon ball ashamed
of its slowness, and precipitated itself
fairly in his arms.
Two hands clasped the sleeve of his
mackintosh. He looked down at them.
Very pretty hands they were, small and
white.
He studied the bundle Of waterproofs
more carefully. Yes, without doubt, it
was woman. More than that fact he
could not learn-she was laughing. A
pair Of dark eyes looked up at him, then
the lids dropped demurely over them.
81 beg your pardon. sir" he heard the
voice say, 81 hope | have not quite killed
you. If you will release me now, think
can get safely back"
Release you, madam" said Harry in
o melancholy tone. Release you! No.
You would be swept overheard, and
would never forgive myself. Cling to
me, despite my years am still strong,
and will rescue you"
But don't want to be rescued" per-
sisted the voice. "Or, if you will, take
my arm instead Of my-my waist
Madam" said Harry, removing his
cap with his unoccupied hand, "forgive
me- In the confusion of the moment !
only thought of stopping your mad rush
to destruction. Had you gotten by me
and reached the goal my reputation as
full back would have been ruined"
A few minutes later they were seated
on the lee side Of the cabin out of the
reach Of the wind and spray.
spray let me introduce myself. / am
Harry Winthrop" began that enterpris-
ing young person.
"And | am Genevieve Harrington
I've seen you before. One evening not
long ago you sat in the right hand box
of the Cosmopolitan"
Harry smiled benignly. eyes, and
last fall you sat on the tallyho l slid
under when we lost the ball. Isn't it
queer you noticed me, though, in the
theater? Do you know what l was
thinking of? I'd have given my head to
have known that you knew was there
Couldn't throw you any flowers, you
know, because didn't have any money
to get them with. Never do have
much"
"Yes," said Genevieve dreamily, 81
knew you were there. I'll never forget
how afraid was when you threw your
self under the frightened horses just to
get that miserable football / was
happy, too, afterward when you won the
game by your long run. My! How they
did cheer, didn't they?"
Lunch is served for the first table,"
shouted the deck steward, thrusting his
head out of the cabin door.
Harry jumped to his feet. "Will you
let me take you down, Miss Harring-
toni I'm awfully afraid l have been
boring you to death, but when | get
started-won't you pledge friendship
with me in little champagne" he said
earnestly. "rd like to be your friend"
But never drink anything at all"
Neither do /" laughed Harry. Lets
shake hands anyway" Genevieve laid
her hand in his, and the impulsive young
couple went down to dinner.
AS Harry said long afterward, "that
dinner settled it." A few miserable
faced people were at the tables, every
now and then person would enter the
saloon with the grim determination TO
get through that meal or die.
But they did neither. Nature would
mercilessly assert its sway, and they