The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-19

. eQD0n0
ing the young men Pronounced her and
sighed, anc charming she wss-perhaps the
more 50 for the signing, for indifference has
q tantalizng spell. They couldn't under
stand it, these simple fellows. The other
girls all favOured them, and surely any
maid might ne proud 10 own SUCH a hand
some and gallant swain as George Ruthven.
II he were the cause they would lie dis
consolate of course, but not indignant, for
/ be was their leader and entitled to the best.
/ But poor George shared their discontinue.
/ 50 Indignation burned until single sweet
smile quenched It, They little knew that
/ her frigidity was devotion, and that she
rivaled Penelope In constancy and pa
/ thence.
| But Ruth knew and gloried in the kuowl-
edge. Each day these two girls would talk
it over, that Old old story, which was ever
| new, of BOObyis her ism. Had not Eunice
an present reminder in the shape of q
tiny scar on her wrist, which she priced
above her ounningest dimplei How they
did discuss this help, his past, present,
and futurel How Eunice recalled one Incl
dent and Ruth another, which Eunice had
been Just about to mention, and how time
did speed during such an agreeable Ocoupa-
ton Have not women always delighted TO
repair to the temple and trim the lamp and
weave the garlands and kiss the craven
imRgel
this understanding while home on vacations.
Eunice was very attractive; her father
eve more 30, being fond, wealthy and de-
crepit. So the young man posed, and the
young women worshiped, and it would be
hard TO say on which side there was greater
satisfaction. And poor George Ruthven
stormed and vowed that from being a sneak
Bobby had become prig, yet be sought his
company since thus he could approach his
divinity.
The spring came, and with 1t Bobby In
full sacerdOtal fig. The capstone Of de-
gree had been placed on the graceful edltice
Of his education. In the autumn he would
take unto himself clerical aud a matri-
monial charge Meanwhile he would rest
and reouDerste. What an excitement there
was when this lean, cadaverous young
clergyman, with solemn, cleau-shaven face,
dropping jaw, and hating gait arrived
How the good old mother Rarnished the
best room, and the girls lavished flowers
and made pastry, aud the toil-bowed father
with many Rroan at the expense, bought
the paschAl lamb as a reverential substitute
for the fatted calf And how Eunice's
faithful heart leAped and her cheeks dis
played lovely colors in honor OF her lord
HE isn't handsome" she protested to
Ruth. "Clerks and BARRIERS are that He is
interesting. distinguished noble. His soul
is lofty and pure and his face is its chamber
window"
As Bobby fully conceded In this opinion
it is easy to judge how mistaken this fervid
young woman was. But while the delusion
lasted It was blissful.
BLESSED art thou, Eunice, among
women quoth the young divine, and so she
humbly believed. lt is easy 20 satisfy those
who satisfy themselves, and since it was
easy, Bobby succeeded. When he was silent
he was thinking, o such sublime thoughts
When he was lazy he was observation-disclosures
labor is so exhausting The poor boy must
lie on the sofa. Run, Ruth. and fetch the
embroidered pillow aud draw the Venetian
blind, while Eunice PLAYS softly a song
without words. Alb, If he had never stirred
from that peaceful and secure sofa, there
would have been no bran discovered and the
puppet would have remained a kingl
Toward midsummer Mrs Ruthven, at the
urgent request Of her son George, invited
the young people to visit her at her cottage
at Squantum Haven, on the island of that
name. The invitation was welcomed en-
Enthusiastically by the girls and languidly
acceded to by Robert, who thought that the
change might he beneficial TO his throat
for even at this early period of his sacred
career had he learned the manifold uses of
that organ.
The cottage wos pleasantly situated on q
sandy neck. On one side were the moder-
heavy surges of the ocean. Just beyond
the p9jpt was a bar uncovered at low tide
and yielding a passage to the light house,
but roar Of breakers at the flood. Within
these quiet waters even the gentle clergy
men would venture to sail and fish. while
the confines of the horizon were limits too
narrow for Georges adventurous spirit
One afternoon Mrs. Ruthven and Ruth
had driven to the village, George was off on
some reckless excursion commensurate with
his mood, and the lovers in a small open
boat drifted over placid sea unruffieu save
by the smile of the sun. The sail tapped
lazily; the tiller swung to and fro; there
was no wind. Why should not one rest on
the cushions, with hat over face dreamily
listening to the flow of q sweet voice saying
such sweet things Of ones selfl There could
be no danger; Rt least Bobby was sure of it,
else he would not have been there; but
Bobby was a tyro regarding nautical mat
ters, who would have seemed ridicuIously
incompetent even to a footlight tar Of
burlesque.
Since their stay at Squantum the weather
had been as bRlmy as an infants sleep.
Why should it not continue! OF course the
natives boosted about sudden squalls and
binding scuds and treacherous shadows.
Doubtless there might be some
risk if one, like George, was foolhardy
enough TO venture out OF sight Of land, but
in sheltered bay, o, mol Couldn't he see
for himselfi
Consequently Bobby. on this afternoon of
ethereal madness, was contentedly drifting
and Eunice was contentedly drifting with
him, as she would have been had he chosen
the open polar sea for an excursion. So the
golden moments fitted by, and the sun
dipped to his rest with an unnoticed frown,
and the circumambient skies began to ad-
vance along the waters, and the waters to
darken and ripple. Bobby stretched him
self and cooked his eyes sapiently.
"Therell be air presently" he said.
Sufficient to carry US home" There was
more than sufficient, but not for home
There was a sudden whirl, whistle, "a
lurch, roar. The sheet snapped from a
paralyzed grasp. The little craft careened
and half filed with water. then righted as
the mast broke short and the wreckage
parted, and away they shot, through mist
and gloom, before shrieklng gale. Robert
fell on his knees and clutched Eunice's hand
chow you comfort me,n the girl sighed.
"Im not afraid with your
So they orouched together until there
was grinding shock and continuous
break of over-pouring seas. Half stifed,
they creDt and tottered and struggled over
the side and gained a bit of foam-covered
sand.
~ wonder where we aref" Bobby at
length found the courage to falter.
81 think, DEAR replied Eunice, I'VE are
on one of those little islets OFF the point u