The St. Johns herald., 1896-12-26

the opportunity. and then in an instant more she realized another opportunity -she would gratify a thirst for knowl- edge. Having helped me to my feet. she hurried to say:
 eve heard Teddy Catty speak about you. He said you've been on the stage yourself He's awful taken up seeing that friend of yours paint, ain't he? He's dead proud of that sister of his a-painting. Did you know anything about him before he came on board? Did you ever see him in the ring? He's a good clown, real good one. They say he'll get with Barnum next likely. There's some fun to him not all just as if you'd pulled string. I tell him he ought to go on the stage comic opera. He can't sing much, but that don't matter for funny man. I've been in comic opera some, not princi- pal, of course, but l can get more with the Kiralfys and in pantomime over here, " with toss of the head toward the bow of the ship.
 After having dreamed away half lifetime in this little world upon the waters and having all but forgotten previous states of existence-at the end of ten days, that is-we anchored of Queenstown. There, according to ex- pectation, we met party of pleasant acquaintances of both sexes, and straight way we sank-rose?-were transformed from the lofty epicene patrons of Teddy Catty into something perhaps more like conventional young ladies than some old fashioned people would suppose pos sible.
 It is strange now to think how unim- pressively on this changed mood fell the news that Teddy Catty at Queens town had met dark sorrow. A letter had come telling him his sister was dead. Not that we were indifferent. No. I remember feeling his bereave- ment with one of those appalling thumps of realization that visit most of us often enough to point the blessing of our usual "wadding of stupidity But, after all, this heart stopping sensation -as usual, think-came rather from a sudden vision of the tragic conditions of all life than from direct, simple sym pathy with Teddy Catty. Poor Teddy Catty had all at once become very re- mote little figure, all but invisible, and there was so much to talk over with our friends. News was to be heard, expe- riences were to be exchanged and plans to be made.
 It was 8 relief when his roommate, a young man-we knew nothing more about him-came to me and with stam- mering, misplaced apologies asked if I thought, if I supposed, that the mis- sionary would not mind, or did think he would mind ''Does MT. Catty wish to see the missionary" I asked, with a sense of relief, and I went glad ly to summon him.
 The missionary was, as usual, oc- cupied with his numerous little ones His wife had been sick throughout the voyage and had scarcely left her state- room.
 He turned his bowed head little from me as he listened, as if he were steeling himself against personal mis- fortune.
 "He begins where we leave off" I said to myself as looked upon his pity moved face.
 He came back to me after he had taken the children to his wife and said, ''If can comfort this poor boy through the word and love of my Master-there is no other comfort-I'll not forget it's to you owe the opportunity''-there was self reproach in the missionary's tone. 1T never should have known any thing about him.'
 (To ho continued