The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-05-01

| lii.tl "otl'in up Ut illl, dilu size
laughed quite mcrri!v, as if certain OF
her wit. But didn't !angh. | pusl.-
ed back my chair and sent the rest OF
the dinner to Join the fish | slhorl-
ed the stewart over night: and when
next entered that room | was given a
seat in an extreme corner, the one Oc-
cupied having been "previously " prom
ised." But my flight made no differ
ence. | couldn't escape Bessie's eyes.
Indeed, when they turned ON me
didn't wish to, until their facination
changed into mocekery and they spell
ed "C' "A" ''T" as plainly rs child
with lettered blocks. Then on deck
she took advantage of her fathers pre-
dilection, and hanging on his arm,
would delight in needle thrusts at my
secret How cruel! Could one whose
glance was 50 fatal stoop to torture?
Most surely she could and she did
Meanwhile it was not all smooth
sailing for the cat-nor for the passen-
gers for that matter, for the sea was
tempestuous. Some days was timorous
about opening the satchrl to exercise
and feed the beast so imbude with elec.
tricity it seemed from the vessels tos-
sing. but the escapemonts arranged by
old Watson afforded perfect protection
Then, too, although the interior atmos-
phere did prove tranquilizing. still the
poor animal when 'hoist by his own
petart" could not we'll refrain from a
distinctive lament, which all the rush
and roar of our passage failed to drown.
Owing, | am sure, to certain mali@n
feminine influence this ontcry began
first to he notorious and then to he con-
nected with me- For instance, one day
when, quite at ease, | was entertaining
4 number of ladies, Bessie abruptly
asked, ''Do you ever have the night
mare. Mr. Blackmore?" and when | dis
claimed any such equine fancy, she and
they giggled, oh, so significantly, or, at
least she did. And when she saw me
confused aud hlushino she cried: "We
mustn't laugh ut Mr.. Iackmorc, he
has such sensitive felines.' Again
caught the head stewart coming out
of my stateroom with the chagrined air
of one who had sought in vain And
when asked his quest, he replied that
he had been'' hunting for rats could
have assured him had | choose that
that was the very last place to look for
them. Parhaps from his failure to dis
covered anything arose the rumor that
my stateroom was haunted, hut l well
knew who was the sweet primal cause
of all these annoyances.
Yes, the sweet primal cause! The
Bessie became and she
grew apace, the more did | realize that |
| loved her. Let her jibe rs she would
her torture was more alluring than
the careSsas of all woman kind |
But was there any hope for me? The
more | studied over this paob!em the
more despondent and despairing did |
wax | even neglected the cat.
But circumstance, especially if it he
direful, can always loosen the Gordon
knot of hearts. As | have said, our
voyage from the start had been stormy;
as we neared the coast the fury Of the
wind and the waves increased beyond |
description. One night, when it SEEM
ed that human fabric could not stand
such force, our evil fate settled the un-
equal contest by blow distinct from
the terrific impact of the sea. n horrid. |
lingering shock that dwind-
led into mortal convulsions. Our ship
had run full against rock or derc-
lict, it mattered not which, for the
stroke sutticed Later recollccted |
that Peter emitted shricking wall
which would have sent collegiate
banished to the head of her class. but in |
that moment of panic and pandemo-
mum | needed it not.
am naturally coward. Ohsarva-
ton now convinced me that we were
doomed. | therefore set about to be |
of help in order that my last MON ,nts |
might give some slight excuse for my
being. or course, | though at once of |
Bessie | found her with her father |
on deck calmly watching the attempts
of the crew to lower the boats. Even
as her gray eyes met mine ! caught in
them a CLEAN of mockery. Well. there |
was plenty for me to do, and | Gladly |
did it. Never can man find more
pl lie in his humanity than when he has |
most cause to he ashamed of it, Boat F.!
after boat, over loaded and i'll managed, |
got away and disappeared within a
gloom perhaps merciful. Deeper and !
deeper settled the good ship, thou -sh |
the tempest was ahating as ilindrri>ion
Out from the east came a cray light, |
changing dos cation into @hastlil1ess
The few remaining on board We're
fastening to leave, but shrank from
their notice. | woIld rather await /
death than seek it.
Then, from the SEA heard my name !
called once. twice, thrice. rushed to
the side. There i'll tiny craft amid
Il huddling press, was Gen. Ruth
ven.
My daughter! My Bessie!' he cried.