Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-09
IN A DECK CHAIR.
The Story Of a Transatlantic Love-
Making.
lChamhcrs' Journai.l

y
cont notice individuals, AZ. rule. for
everybody looks so like everybody else on
a first meeting especially when 1t "
almost dark. and n crowd OF passengers
hang about the ships side; taking Their
last look at things ashore. l'u, noticed
this lady at the very first. was on
deck, prepared 90 go with the Steamship
A,alania to New York city. and "a"
her allght from the train some h"no'N'
yards distant. l lost her until she S'eppeu
upon the gangway. and then was com
nrmcd in my impression th"t she wa
n T,msrkahly-ha handsome giil
sbc co,,e on board like princess, ana
g. ,ofoc minutes disappeared Presently
! f1f. a strange sen alton. She was posi-
,t,,f,. standing beside me. There was no
,...r, why she should have preferred
a.,. .tb.r locality. but the fact that she
,-.. and stood py the side OF me GER
t.inlv dcspcncd the extraordinary I'M
t,.srion she had made. Without pre-
slr.lna 60 stare az her. ! got glimpse
o. her nne profile and dark, naughty
eyes.
rb. usual scene. were going on about
ue Ncnturcd n remark foolish and
trriur. 20 doult-hut hardly deserving
tb. c,utemptuous silence with which 1t
was received
Tho asst ben sounded the gangway was
Withdrawn. and Nc began % haul out OF
tn, Dock hut still she stood there ana mAue
no sign. / pluckcd up spirit, ana asker
Dor IN she was going 10 Amcrca-an ab-
s1rI question. seeing that America was
fha s1le destination of the ship. she
turned and hooked at me, said nothing,
aas walked away.
Il WIS "a lovely night. and as We dropped
down the river the passengers STOOD about
81 groups and enjoyed A. several spyhe
4, me. and became quite sociable. She
was ou deck aiso until II O'Clock, pnt
stf.nE alone. and. so far as l couId ten,
making uD comment upon the mystery "i
shadows srarkung with lights afioat ana
g.ror. which the vessel glldcd past.
I Kent 40 respectful distance. but
saw, ne captain speak TO her. and I'm
,Dr. Do, aoi subduei for his audaciiy. so
uu, 70 down 10 pride. | think she MADE
an exception o. thr st"Ward'ss- IN Iac''
] sr- .4r- .hc did-iater on. There is
,.t...ir.- charm about the stcwardcSs 20
vti.h most ladies yield when ship gets
ouf % sea.
rr. rcxt morning Miss Bradley Gor
tr.f jas discovered afterwards. was her
named ana met at breakfast. think all
t.e MESSENGERS met at breakfast-at tina,
and fortune seated her az my elbow. l
,r.I. som. progress with Miss Bradley nl
fIu.. hing her % plate. on. she was al
,r.f 40 mat nrst breakfast. The sea
,,y. Ike glass. ani the sweet morning ar
iu -tc channel Was very appetizng.
rrf tl. n,Iehh.Ily chat with WhicN /
,rsI q. e.Iuish the eggs ana bacon he'
with Hitl, encouragement ana she Co'h-
ufftrl herself 100 more than 10 inc az
dor..mcnt OF Wy hope that we snold'
have This sort az thing al the way hy
"tAis sol. II thing } meant the glorious
weather not her monumental frislhity'
lui don't think she took The trouble To
aralyZe my conceptions.
An that day she wandered about u g
deck. with her dark oNes-tney We're udlh
trtv in The sun hiue-surveyl - tde pa
ror.ml Of the cln-bclt,d southern coast
or sal uuon bench by the saloon dome,
r..dlne book under me shade" OF
tle awning which had been rugged up on
Oh, promenade" The splendid lines Oh
nor l..lfe shovel TO advantage In neat
,..,-u Of hoinesyun. 80 one spoke 90 her.
and she SPOKE Go nobody. At dinner ! got
81 frrr forward by the aid of baked
potatoes, but nothing 90 boast oil.
1tcra were several Jolly women among
fl. pa.scue,rs. and particularly jolly they
were Oh The score Of the calm sea. our
limo iu the channel WAS as 8oou as d
picnic. and II seemed as II the prevailing
;ncfrlm,nt must tantalize Miss HTad'.y
,yf az her proud reserve. But 1t ann I.
Th. most morning when IN" stewart
c7-I.i mc at 65D O'Clock for my BATH
i,.... had srruug up AVID tho ship was
l.-f.rr. and rolling iu Il considerably Ihe
.kli-i table was but thlny attehoeu'
.r.. bradley. however came IN ana TOOK
i.r MACE beside me. Come, l thoushl'
... - GOOD sailor I'm amuse her with
como anecdotes about those VINO are SICK
o. sea-
! .i..l,o her plate. and launched mo
q Mun, story. To nay dismay. she SUD-
,.rl. mos, and LEFT the table-lkcwise
.,. e,lo,a. Tanning her handkerchief
.ute her mouth, as I assumed. 10 prevent
t.. laughter which must unbeni her zig
MIN, and break down the icy barrier be-
tween u-.
For nvc DAYS her pridc-or some other
urispositiun buried her IN the Sd'r''
g.,lusion OF hel state-room. 1t was 700
lad Uuriuc those five days we stas-
r.r.l enough lively cross sea, "hich
rruIt walking on deck very dWh""'"
business. and / spent most OF my tliie
,..li.in. ia my comfortable deck chalr'
II n.v.. occurred to a number of passen-
ans that "a dcct-chair Was the thing "t
.u others which they ought to have
l,.r.It Dn board The scanty accommo'
.r.u Of benches was Inadequate Tor
..... Who wanted u IL down at full
...th. "and sleep it on and the deck
,. ..t only non sybartic. but offered
indifferent anchorage, those who maze
tn.ir bed ou the floor experienced con.
stunt tendency 90 slip and slide and
r.l as the Ntalauta wrcstied win the
waves. 10 would not 10.
a
,rir which J hai moorcd in shell
fred corner Pratlcal attacks were made
u,..u mat chair whenever ! Vontured 70
o.u II for moment. II 1 took a turn
T. .fttcn my limbs. or went below for
e rlok or an extra rug, ! never failed
O. mI on my return some interlop'ns
lltf.r cueoouccd iu my nest. AMI pretend
suE l. br fact asleep. ! stood a good deal
u Guis and IN a noble transport of self
s..iIft. wandered about like lost dog
uu I wouldn't stand II any longer. And
didn't
la,,.n To- c>ict the intruders at first
with great dtl,acy: Pray excuse me. |
fancy yuu have mistaken your chair.
Thou with less compuucuon, II regret
flat must disturb you. ] am not feel
- very vel" And later without cere-
I.,ny cor rrmnrs,. NOW, sir, my cnair'
L. You ploa-ri
ana acquired tne habit o., folding up my
chair whenever lelt 1t. afiXiug thereon
a notice. "rnis chair WAS brought on
board fog th. owners us-. Al others
L..p away" This manifesto brought
uuln mr 70 great deal OF chan. petition
N4s rot up requesting me 90 Take the
,aaiF" 40 meeting To- be- held for the
purpose OF u.u5uuC.ng monopoli's. \
.rl ,f young fools sorcnadcd me with
o. chorus 90 Chair boys. Chair, He'll
Sleep until tomorrow. And there Were
rticr attempts al fun almost as feeble.
Tt-y k,pt this mp so persstonty that,
long out a. soris through the rough
weather. and also On account Of the pro
l..cI ahs.rc. ol thr girl with The dark
I.r ty,s / became as surly as bear
on Ode sixth day the sea hed gone down
g. r..I .,li auf the saloon tanQucts were
t.t.,r l.rouize3 j returned 10 the deck
aIt.r capital luncheon, with one OF
aIk Nres0ls stories under my arm
and I hlel nay bog pipe. and meandered
3. tar direction Of my chair, intending
L enjoy myself thoroughly. Imagine my
f.t-. non 1 fnUuJ th. chair absolutely