The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-08-13
A Heavy Swell.

their last day, save one, in England.
They had driven out to view the won
derful fertilization through which, at
the naval exhibition the week before,
her majesty's ship, Rodney, had, from
q distance Of five miles at sea- sent
ball from gun of 100 tons.
There were three feet Of solid steel,
three feet of iron, six feet of crossed
oak timbers, six feet Of concrete and
six feet of brickwork, and there the
penetrating ball was seen, with ats
path through twenty feet OF seem
ingly impregnable barriers clearly cut
behind it, just ready to drop out of the
,brickwork.
The Drumgolds were Americans, 50
1T was perfectly natural for Myrna
Drumgold to say, as she looked with
considerable awe at the sinister
pointed ball:
"Shows what a half dozen such ships
might do if they were in New York
harbor.''
'That's place they can't get into,
though replied her cousin, Atlee
Drumgold, very decidedly.
ssHush! Your British divinity will
hear you," smiled Myrna, glancing
around the fertilization spot to where
Miss Edia Aultman stood talking
calmly with Mr. and Mrs. Drumgold
''What power there must have been be-
hind that ball to make it dare attempt
such a bulwark as that! should
think the first glimpse of it was
enough to- make any common missile
swerye and go around"
"But that is not a common missile,
and you see it has almost gone
through replied Atlee, who seemed
to be in state of suppressed excite
ment that day, "'And, .Myrna, you
know that in the heat of conflict COM
mon sense deserts us, and we dare that
to which in our sober senses we would
not aspire"
Myrna laughed at first at his fiery
countenance, then at his metaphor.
She understood him perfectly.
Atlee had fallen in love with Miss
Aultman, and, although neither he nor
any one else believed that Edna would
accept him, he intended to propose to
her before departing for America.
Myrna was intensely amused at the
situation, but she strove;to conceal her
amusement from Atlee. She had a
way herself of encouraging any
amount of seeming sentiment, but the
real article she always laughed at. 1t
was so ludicrous, she thought. She
felt that she must dissimulate.
IT wish you even better success than
this monster ball has attained" she
said Il hope you will make your way
against all obstacles; if you will let me
know when it is about to happen
will assist you.''
''Will you really9" cried Atlee, not
noticing the fun in his cousins eyes.
'sIf Edia were not so stand-offsh and
digniied, I should mot mind it so
much. Do you know, the other even
ing pressed her fingers a little; but
she withdrew them so quietly, and
busted them off with her handller-
chief so daintily, THAT do believe she
thought it was a worm, or something
similar, that she had touched. .
Myrna laughed quietly, then ssobered
with the remark
"How can you like her?'
''Why do we like ices in summer?'
Because they are chilly, Issuppose."
'.And sweet Then Miss Aultman is
SO different from the other girls whom
+ l. nave hIONa S1uu pIetGultcu toi1OfS.
II understand But if she should ac-
cept you, which still must doubt, you
will have to go through life in a per-
fectly dignifed and courtly manner,
and when you propose-Atlee, i dread
it for you.''
II shall try my luck tomorrow. 1t. is
my last day; and, Myrna, rely upon
you to give me an opportunity to do
So"
in what wayT'
s'You can quietly withdraw when we
three get together. I do hope father
and mother will not go with usv'
How very considerable of his friends
feelings a man in love can be! And I
really had forgotten where we were
going"
Tomorrow we are to board the war.
ship Rodney and have a look lat the
gun which fired the little shot,
So we are. Atlee, I have an ideav'
rs sure to be good one. What is
it?"
you know, on board ship, they al
ways fill their ears with cotton, when
the great guns are fired, for fear that
the blood will gush forth. I'll tell I'M
Gle and aunt that guns are momenta-
rily expected to belch their thunders
and advise them to stop their ears,
But I need not stop mime, need I:
You will not care if hear9 Then /
shall know what to say if any one ever
J proposes to me-"
II might have known you would
make fun of me-, calculated Atlee, an
grily turning his back upon his cousin
and going around to the other side of
the fertilization, where Miss Aultman
was wondering what kept him away
from her.
Myrna did feel some conjunction
1T would be a terror to most people ito
propose to the fair, royal creature
whom Atlee had chosen to love. How
had it happened. that Edia Auftnaan
had ever noticed them, anyway 1T
was not that Myrna had made ad-
Vances to her. She stood in too great
fear of the aristocracy Of England fol
that. And her aunt and uncle had az
ways looked askanse at the friendship
1t must be. Atlee's doings, and yet she
could not believe that Edia Aultnlasl
would ever consent to be his wife.
But she would help him if she cop}d