The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-12

in as fast as she tossed it out. Then, to
her disInay, she saw the skiff was going
toward the lake Once on this body of wa
ter and she could do nothing with that
craft. The nearer to the lake the rougher
was the water, and soon the waves beat in
at such rate that the skiff filed, careened
over to one side, bobbed and rocked and
drifted on.
She had lost all hope of being saved
when in turning around the point at the
mouth of the lake she saw large growth
of rushes. If she could run the boat into
them and the wind did not rise, it would
stay there lodged until morning at least.
She made the attempt, struggled with all
her strength, but the skiff was too nearly
sunk, too far down in the water, to be
made to glide over this thick bed of high,
tough rushes. But she reached out and
held tightly to the stalks.
This was very good-so long as her
strength lasted. 1t held the skiff much
more steady and made her feel safer. But
what situation to be in Soon after sun
set the air became quite chilly, and
Georgia up to her waist in water! By
dark she had perfect ague, and then fol-
lowed a drowsy numbness; she lost her
hold, and the old skiff splashed off. But
she knew not when or where, nor in fact
anything, until she awakened 48 or more
hours afterward down in the cabin of a
schooner and found the good old captain
and his wife in anxious attendance. They
told her that while crossing the lake, just
before entering the gulf, the light from
one of the sailors lanterns flashed on
figure over the water, and Immediately
boat was lowered, and she was brought
aboard more dead than alive.
Naturally the girls first thought was of
home and Edgar, and she wanted to return
at once. But that was out Of the question.
This schooner was laden with lumber and
bound for Galveston, and having been on
the gulf now over two days and nights
there was no going back. OF course it was
very hard on her, but more so on those at
home. However, she tried to be patient,
and SO soon as they reached Galveston she
telegraphed home. and the captains wife
mailed bulky letter, feeling sure that
would explain everything and set all
minds at ease until she could take the girl
home
Various things, though, delayed her
Homecoming. First the captain was sent
to Corpus Christi, and during the trip en-
countered such rough weather that he lost
many days. Then he was sent to various
ether points, all opposite routes to the one
Georgia had to take. In those days there
were no railroads from Texas through
Louisiana, as there are now, so it was necz
essary to come by water. The girl was not
willing to trust herself with any one but
the captain and his wife, SO she had to
abide her time. In the meanwhile she
mailed letters regularly to her friends, but
what good were they?
The Grove was 40 miles from the tele-
graph Office, and the operator mailed the
telegram, and of course it shared the same
fate as the letters-staid there until the
postum aster, weary of looking at them,
bundled them all up and sent them to the
dead letter office. The people at the Grove
and surrounding country rarely went into
town, never got any letters, never looked
for any, and SO the postoffice was the last
place these people would ever dream OF
hearing from Georgia They were con-
WINGED of her fate and knew nothing to
the contrary until that morning when she
stood before them. The old couple wept
over her as though she was their child,
and there was great rejoicing among her
friends.
But the one Georgia wanted most to see
was not there, SO her homecoming was
after ALL a very sad one. But, like many
a woman had done since the beginning OF
time, she bore her burden patiently. :.
AS the years went by old Mrs Lawrence
was left widow. But Georgia, who had
put the question of marriage away from
her, still lived with her old friend and was
now her mainstay. The old captain and
his wife went to see them on every trip
nd
visits were by far the most pleasant things
that came into the lives of these two WON.
en-. The old captain schooner anchored
off Spanish lake, and the green yawi com.
ing down stream with him and his wife
had grown to be a common sight now.
But one evening there were anchored
two schooners, instead of one-Ghe old
captains and another, white one, such
as these people had not seen before. Then
white yawl came in by the side of the
green one. A sailor handled the oars,
while man sat back in the rear his arms
folded and his face turned toward the
Grove. Georgia walked down to the shore
to welcome her old friends, as was her
custom, but her eyes were on the >one in
that white yawl.
Something in his attitude made her
heart beat violently. She tried to quiet it,
but that was useless. The blood rushed in
and out of her face, and her quick, short
breathing made her bosom rise and fall in
quick succession.
The two boats landed, and Georgia ran
forward to meet Edgar. He took her in
his arms and held her there as though he
never intended to let her CO. and he didn't
either. Mrs Lawrence grew hysterical
Indeed wet eyes were plentiful, but SO
were smiles.
That evening, sitting out on the porch
at Mrs. Lawrence's, Edgar Geland enter
tanned the whole population with an ac-
count of himself from the day he left the
Grove to the time he came back. He had
straightway taken up life on the sea, be-
ginning humbly and working himself up
to captain. And then, having made a
good name, he had built vessel of his
own, and, as his own captain, was taking
his vessel on it's initial trip when he met
the old captain to whom he told his story
and from whom he heard Of Georgia
The Grove was happy place that night,
happier than it had ever been before, and
to this day there is nothing these people
take such delight in as recital of this
story, ALWAYS dwelling with pride on the