Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-08-30

From Cham berS' journal
~ HE was very proud girl-quite a
u stand-offish sort of girl-and
- she came on board with fixed
intention not to speak to any,
body. | noticed her while we
were yet in the dock at Tilbury
You don't notice individuals, as rule,
for everybody else on a first meeting
especially when it is almost dark and
crowd of passengers hang about the
ships side, taking their last look at
things ashore. But / noticed this lady
at the very first. | was on deck, pre-
pared to go with the steamship Alta
lanta to New York city, and | saw her
alight from the train some hundred
yards distant. | lost her until she
stepped upon the gangway, and then
was confirmed in my impression that
she was remarkably handsome girl.
She came on board like princess,
and for some minutes disappeared.
Presently / felt strange sensation.
She was positively standing beside me.
There was no reason why she should
have preferred any other locality, but
the fact that she came and stood by the
side of me certainly deepened the ex-
traordinary impression she had made.
Without presuming to stare at her, l
got a glimpse of her fine profile and
dark, naughty eyes.
The usual scenes were going on about
us. l ventured a remark-fOolish and
trif1ing, no doubtful hardly deserving
the contemptuous silence with which
it was received.
The last bell sounded, the gangway
was withdrawn and we began to haul
out of dock; but still she stood there
and made no sign. plucked up spirit
and asked her if she was going to
America-an absurd question, seeing
that America was the sole destination
of the ship. She turned and looked at
me me said nothing, and walked away
1t was a lovely night, and as we
dropped down the river the passengers
stood about in groups and enjoyed it.
Several spoke to me and became quite
sociable. She was on deck also until
IL O'Clock, but sitting alone, and, SO far
upon the mystey of shadows sparkling
with lights afioat and ashore which the
vessel glided past.
I kept at respectful distance; but [
saw the captain speak to her. and I'm
sure he got subdued for his audacity !;
SO / put it down to pride. l think she
made an exception of the stewardess-
in fact, | am sure she did-later on.
There is winning charm about the
steWardess to which most ladies yield
when ship gets out to sea.
The next morning Miss Bradley (fOr
that, as discovered afterward, was her
name) and | met at breakfast. / think
all the passengers met at breakfast-at
that first breakfast. She was there,
anyway, and fortune seated her at my
elbow. / made some progress with
Miss Bradley in furnishing her plate.
Oh, she was all right at that first break
fast. The sea was like glass and the
sweet morning air in the channel was
very appetizing.
But the neighborly chat with which
/ tried to garnish the eggs and bacon
met with little encouragement, and she
committed herself no more than to the
Endorsement of my hope that we should
have this sort of thing all the way. By
''this sort of thing" | meant the glori-
Gus weather, not her monumental fri
gidity but don't think she took the
trouble to analyze my conceptions.
deck, with her dark eyes-they We're
dark gray in the sunshine-surveyin
the panorama of the cliff belted south
ern coast or sat upon bench by the
saloon dome, reading book under the
shadow of the awning which had been
rugged up on the promenade" The
splendid lines of her figure showed to
advantage in a neat gown of homespun.
No one spoke to her, and she spoke to
nobody. At dinner / got a trifie for
ward by the aid of baked potatoes, but
nothing to boast of.
There were several jolly women
among the passengers and particular
ly jolly they were on the score of the
calm sea- Our time in the channel was
as good as a picnic, and it seemed as if
the prevailing merriment must tanta-
lie Miss Bradley out of her proud re-
serve. But it didn't.
The next morning when the steward
called me at half past six O'Clock for
my bath, breeze had sprung up, and
the ship was lifting and rolling in it
considerably. The breakfast table was
but thinly attended. Miss Bradley,
however, came in and took her place
beside me. Come, l thought, she is a
good sailor. I'll amuse her with some
anecdotes about those who are sick at
sea.
| supplied her plate, and launched
into a funny story. 70 my dismay,
she suddenly arose and left the table
likewise the saloon, ramming her hand
kerchief into her mouth, as / assumed,
to prevent the laughter which must
unbend her dignity, and break down
the icy barrier between us.
For five days her pride-or some
other indisposition-buried her in the
sacred seciusion of her stateroOm. Ii
was too bad During those five days
we staggered through lively cross sea,
which made walking on deck very
awkward business, and l spent most OF