The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-06-01
A r

t.lcia Caldwell had often seen and adj
hired Mr.. Luurcnce's portrait and had
heard SO much in his praise from Cousin
Dick that she had quite expected to fall in
love with him.
They met first at Mrs. chickering's din
ner, and she was led in to table by him
Unfortunately, during the progress Of the
meal, she had arched her instep in such a
way as to lose her dainty little slipper.
She tried in vain to recover it with the aid
of the toes of the senidenuded foot, but
had succeeded only in pushing it so far
away as to lose it. She left the table with
out the slipper, and the result had been
that Mr.. Laurence had oun himself bored
In the company of a young woman who
had fidgeted and appeared intensely preoc-
cupied.
1t was several months later, when they
met as members of a yachting party to the
Bernudas, that they came together again.
And now a Mr.. Arthur Stephenson was
Lucia's inseparable gallant.
At last Laurence understood why Lucia
was admired. He could not be on board
ship many days without seeing hat she
was not only beautiful, but very charm
ing and interesting as well-the only thing
that puzzled him was her ack of wit and
! sparkle the night he first met her. She
was so very ordinary then-except for her
beauty, of course.
Now it was all so different, and he
would give a good deal to feel sure of her
favor and friendship, but she seemed to
repel all advances.
She was the life of the party. She played
the guitar and sang Spanish love songs on
deck moonlight nights. She arranged i'm
promptu dramGtics in the saloon when the
weather was not suitable for sitting up
stairs. She knew all sorts of games, was
the most graceful partner in dancing and
the best sailor he ever knew, and she grew
more beautiful each day.
The mutinous feeling against Arthur
Stephenson grew. They were only three
days out from Bermuda, and they decided
to sail for Nassau. Happy opportunity!
Now he would succeed! But she was al
ways surrounded.
One night the skipper came UP n said
a few hurried words to Mr.. jackson, the
owner. No n noticed it until the yacht
seemed to go slower and slower. Then a
shock came, and it was known that she
had struck a bar.
Fortunately Cape Fear had been passed.
Then something went wrong with the en-
gines, and the skipper had steered for some
neal port, but had gone aground. There
was nothing to fear. The sea was calm,
and plenty of ships passed near every day.
But two days had gone by, n they had
seen no vessel. The clouds were growing
black. A STERN was near. 1t broke in fury
, at midnight, and those on board the yacht
could only watch and wait and hope.
The waves dashed over the deck and beat
heavily against the sides. Then some way
they saw the yacht had been driven off
the bar and they were drifting helplessly
out to sea.
1t was a fearful night, and it seemed as
if morning would never come-that every
momen the yacht would be wrecked
when a shock came, and they knew they
were either driven upon some reef or had
collided with an ocean ship.
Mr.. Laurence went swiftly to Lucia and
took her by the arm, saying:
"Come with me-the boa is filling with
water!'
The confusion wa horrible; the sailors
were shouting, running to and fro; the
women were pale and weeping.
Lucia alone was calm.
Mr.. Laurence half carried her to the
deck, and in the darkness they saw a
great ship-the one that had run them
down. But, oh, joy! it had stopped, and
even in the fury of the storm was sending
boats to rescue those on board the yacht.
It was none too soon, and it was a per-
ilous journey in the lifeboats, but in spite
of wind and wave all were saved and tax
en- on board the ship, which proved to be a
steamer from Jacksonville to New York.
The rest of the journey it was no longer
Mr.. Stephenson who was always at Lu-
cia's side, but Mr.. Laurence.
The last night before home was reached
Lucia was standing by the side of the YES
sci when MI. Laurence came toward her.
Her color rose, and she only asked:
"Are you sorry the journey is over?"
He was struck by her new expression.
Her eyes had a dreamy look, and there was
a touch of sadness in her face.
The moonlight was shining upon them
then suddenly a cloud yelled the light,
and he bent near, looking down at her ten
derby.
sit has been the happiest and the most
wretched month of my life, as indeed has
the whole year since I met you," he whis-
pered.
Her head dropped a little.
"Looka at me, Lucia; I love you so! Look
dO Ill., IL COuIu uOpt-uO uOt OItGU lit
so proudly. I have loved you from the
first"
But her light laugh rang out.
"No, no! Do not perjure YOURSELF"
"But 1 did! I do!' he cried, impetuous-
ly taking her in his arms.
sob, do not speak of that first night; it
was dreadful. 1 lost my slipper and was
SO stupid" she exclaimed a little later,
"What?" he asked in establishment, end
then the story was all told, and ne calls
her his Cinderella and keeps the slipper
safe in a little glass case in his smoking
room.-New York Journal.
The Other End.
An Irishman who served on board a
man-of-war was selected by one of the Off
GERS to haul in a towline of considerable
length that was towing over the ~taffrail.
After pulling in 40 or so fathoms, which
had put his patience severely to proof as
well as every muscle of his arms, he NUT
tered to himself:
"Surely, it's as long as today and to-
morrow! It's a good weeks work for any
five in the ship.
"Bad luck to the leg or the arm it'll
leave at last. What! more of it yet? Och,
murder! the sa's mighty deep, to be surei''