Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-06-28
DECK CHAIR ROMANCE.
From Chambers Journal.

From Chambers Journal.
stand-ottiSh sort of girl-and she came
on board with fixed intention not to
speak to anybody. | noticed her while
we We're yet in the dock at Tilbury
You don't notice individuals as a rule
for everybody looks so like 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 l noticed this lady at
the very first. | was on deck, pre-
pared to go with the steamship At
Atlanta to New York city, and | saw
her alight from the train some hun
dred yards distant. l lost her until
she stepped upon the gangway, and
then l was confirmed in my impress
sion that she was a remarkably hand.
some girl.
She came on board like princess,
and for some minutes disappeared.
Presently l felt a strange sensation.
,e was positively standing beside me.
Ire was no reason why she should
ce preferred any other locality. but
intact that she came and stood by
side of me certainly deepened the
aordinary impression she made.
la'out presuming to stare at her,
"a glimpse of her fine profile and
u naughty eyes.
- usual scenes We're going on
US. | ventured a remark-fool-
three tritling, no doubt, but hardly
Attg the contemptuous silence
ich it was received.
~ -st bell sounded; the gangway
ithdrawn, and we began to haul
mel dock: but still she stood there
raade no sign. plucked up spirit
Ioasked her if she was going to
u,ica-an absurd question, seeing
America was the sole destination
THE ship. She turned and looked
me, said nothing, and walked away.
was lovely night, and as we
Jpped down the river the passengers
TODD about in groups and enjoyed 1t,
Several spoke to me, and became quite
sociable. She was on deck also until
II o'clock, but sitting alone, and, so
far as could tell, making no comment
upon the mystery of shadows spark
ling with lights afoat and ashore
which the vessel glided past.
l kept at respectable distance: but
| saw the captain speak to her, and
I'm sure he got snubbed for his au-
dacity. So l put it down to pride. |
think she made an exception of the
stewardess; in fact, I'm sure she did
later on. There is a winning charm
about the Stewardess to which most
ladies yield when a ship gets out to
sea.
The next morning Miss Bradley (for
that, as | discovered afterwards, was
ner name) and | met at breakfast. l
think all the passengers met at break
iaSt-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 breakfast. The sea was like glass,
and the sweet morning ali 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 further than
to the Endorsement of my hope that we
should have this sort Of thing all the
way. BY 'tnis sort of thing" | meant
the glorious weather, not her monu. |
mental frigidity; but don't think she
took the trouble to analyze my con.
eeptions.
All that day she wandered about the
deck, with her dark eyes-they were
dark grey in the sunshlne-suryeying |
the panorama of the cliff -belted south !,
ern coast, or sat upon a 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 neat gown Of home
spun. No one spoke to her, and she
spoke to nobody. At dinner ] got
trihe forward by the aid of baked po-
tatoes, but nothing to boast about.
There were several jolly women
among the passengers; and particu-
larly jolly they were on the score OF
the calm sea Our time In the chan
mel was as good as a picnic, and it
seemed as Il the prevailing merri-
men1 must tantalIze Miss Bradley out
OF her proud reserve. But 1t didn't
The next morning, when the steward
called me at half-past 9 for my bath.
breeze had sprung up and the ship
was lifting and rolling In II consider
ably. The breakfast table was but
thiniy attended. Miss Bradley, how