The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-09
A SLIGHT MISTAKE.

Tue wharf. The luggage was all aboard;
the United States mail had clattered down
Ike fire engine and had been conveyed
on countless backs OH board the Atlantic
liner
To George Sargent the curious, bustling
scene was no longer Il novelty. lie thought
no more of crossing the HERRING pond"-
as he took great care not TO call the At
lantic-than Londoners do of running
down to Brighton.
Like the SOILS of many American million
aires he had been to Elton, had finished ut
Harvard, and now spent his year between
London and New York. He was running
over now-although it was the height of
the New York season, and the Sargent
mansion on Fifth avenue was open once Il
week for huge dinner parties and small
cotillons-for the coming of aye OF his fag
at Elton, the Earl of Tonbridge, more
famiiarly known to his intimates as
"Sprats"
He leaned against the rail, smoking n
cigar and watching the leave takings that
were going on around him. One in par
ticular interested him more than the others
1t was that of Il pretty, vivacious girl in
fantastic hat and a smart velvet gown,
with her hands full of long stalked "Ameri-
can Beauty" roses, who was surrounded by
number of people, all Offering her boxes
of candy and their adeus ut the same mo-
mcnt.
"Iiow very Americana" thought Sargent,
with smile. 1.-THE velvet dress the hat.
the candy, the roscs-and the young men.
There is MISUNDERSTANDING nothing-left
to the imagination They have been giving
her IL send OF breakfast ut Delmonico's,
anu OF course-oh, yes, of course-she's
travelling by herself"
/ ,;e. e..
tie crowd, with many waved farewells, went
in Indian file down the gangway, and the
young lady, with her arms full of roses and
cardboard boxes, was left standing alone on
the promenade deck.
She'll probably be very vulgar and very
amusing" said Sargent to himself, Thought
fully choosing Il fresh cigar as the steamer
pushed swiftly down New York harbor.
~ westerner, | don't mind taking my
oath. l shall speak to her tomorrow.
After ALL II fellow isn't bound to know
people again when he gets back to New
York"
The first day out was superb. Every
body was up on decE, and rows of mummy
like figures, wrapped in fur rugs and living
full length on steamer chairs, basked in the
sun, exchanging views rs to the probable
length of the voyage.
mummy" rs he strobe down the prom
enade deck. but the lady of the roses was
not among them. The young man felt in
jured.
Last night ut dinner he had only seen
her in the distance for she was seated next
to the captain's empty place and he was at
quite a different table. but he had found
out from the passenger list that her name
WAS Grey-Miss Grey
And presently, although the shin was
rolling heavily, young figure in blue
serge came staggering bravely along to-
ward him, Keeping her balance in a way
which suggested II certain familiarity with
the Atlantic.
sideway dip, and the little figure in serge
would have fallen. Sargent rushed for
ward. "Oh, thank you'll" said Miss GREY.
Sargent seized the young lady by the
elbow and steered her dexterously to a
vacant deck chair. You will find it per
haps nicer sitting down." he said, raising
his hat. MAY not fetch you rug?"
Rugs on board ship serve the same time
honored purpose as salt at the table d'hote
or the window in Il railway carriage. Sar-
gent was not only permitted to fetch a rug
from the saloon, but to tuck it around the
graceful person of Miss Grey
She looked much nicer he thought, in
in her blue serge suit than in yesterdays
fncry. Much more like an English girl,
the young man said to himself Like many
Americans, Sargcnt's ideal of a woman
was only to be found in London
Miss Grey won't be so nice as an Eng
lish girl" he thought as he tucked the
rug around her. but dare say She'll be
much more fun.n
You're Keeping your roses see," he
said, glancins ut Il superb crimson flower
which was fastened in the girls iackct
Didn't you find the roses perfectly lovely
in New York? Do you get flowers like
that in-in"-
In Omaha" suggested Miss Grey, with
a swift, brilliant smile. "Why | should
smile, she continued; Our roses in Omaha
are just perfectly elegant"
What an acccntW thought Sargent,
with shiver. Great heavens, if nv
mother and sisters could hear her, But
now pretty she is when she looks straight
at you and laughs. How cheeky these
western girls are. No charming timidity.
no bushes, no dropped eyeitls. They're
the weirdest mixture of schoolboy, philos-
ophcr and flirt"
You New Workers." continued Miss
Grey, ARE just the uuecrest creatures.
You run over all the time to Europe and
don't begin to know anything about vour
own country. call it real unpatriotic."
George Sargent smiled little fatuousjv
Nothing pleased him so much as to be
taken for what he was-an Anglomaniac
And how amusing, to be sure, these west
ern girls were!
The day went by pleasantly enough
Miss Grey proved to be capital sailor, and
on the toughest day Sargent was permitted
to offer her an arm on her daily walk on
the upper deck. Then they would sit side
by side watching the huge indigo colored
waves sweep by, or gazing at the brown
masts and rigging outlined against the
pure transparent blue of the sky.