The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-24

What we want" answered Mary, with
her mouth full of tin lacks. for she was
mailing some japanese embroideries be-
tween the windows-"what we want is
few more boating men to take the women
about in the small boats. l shouldn't
bother father about the steam launch. It's
easy enough to get to land. but really men
who can punt, or row, or paddle are rare,
and amongst all our guests 1 can't see
more than two or three who will be of
the slightest use.
"Oh, my dear, do you think gentlemen
like 10 be made use OFF, said Mrs. Ross.
doubtfully. Perhaps a boa tman or two"
"As if ladies cared to be rowed by boat
men when there are nice gentlemen to be
had!' Interrupted Miss Ross. NO, no,
mother darling, no boatman near the Wa
ter Lily If you please l wonder who on
earth that is!' she cried. suddenly, peer
ing out Of the small window at a passing
figure that shot by in an outrigger "Oh,
mother, what a handsome man.
Miss Ross was so struck by his beauty
that she actually put down her hammer
and nails, and went 10 the door to look al
him again.
Capt Herbert Rawle IN dazzling white
fannels, was pulling himself away in the
sunshine with those long, vigorous, sweep
ing strokes which betoken the real river
man." Mary watched him from behind the
shelter of the pink Liberty silk portere
with admiring eyes. How handsome, how
big, how strong he was-this river ath-
lete!
He is pulling up by the 'Artemisia'-the
Welton's house boat she informed her
mother. "There-there is Helen Welton;
she has come out to speak to him. / won
der who he can be. 1 never saw him be
fore"
Later on Miss Ross set forth by herself
in her Canadian canoe, and padded her
SELL up to the Artemisia, to visit her
friends, the Miss Weltons.
well, Helen, and how are you getting
on?"
"Oh. tirst-rate, and your"
"Capitally We have pretty well done
everything now, and tomorrow morning
the flowers in pots and the hanging bas-
kets will arrive from the nurseryman, and
that will finish us. By the way, Helen,
you had a visitor this afternoon, hadn't
you? l saw you talking TO a man in an
outrigger"
"Oh, Herbert Rawle you mean? Oh, yes,
he is stopping at the Red Lion he is a
friend of my brother Ted's."
who is he? An admirer of yours, Hell
en?"
ooh, DEAR no. Poor Capt. Rawle! He
is detrimental; he hasn't a siXpence in
this worid-a veritable pauper"
He doesn't look like a pauper exactly"
Not in the least; does he? But l eX.
pect he trades on his prospects, which
are nominally splendid, He is the second
cousin and heir to a marquis; the Mar
qus of Darberley-a bachelor you know.
OF course, if ever Capt Rawle were TO
succeed his cousin he would be a great
catch; but, then, old Darberley is only
60, and quite hale and hearty still, and
sometimes these old men take it into their
heads at the eleventh hour to marry, and
generally they live till they are 80. So l
don't think so much of Herbert Rawle's
expectations, after all"
"He is very handsome" observed Miss
Ross, musingly.
Helen Welton laughed.
"Oh, yes, he is good-loolxing enough
But, my dear girl, don't you go setting
your young affections upon him, for he
Mrs. Trelawney."
The Mrs. Trelawney, do you mean?
That tall, lovely woman with the golden
hair and the glorious eyes?'
THE same. They say he worships the
ground she treads on; and she has about
a thousand a year of her own, and only
one small child, so Ted thinks Capt. Rawle
means business this time. He never takes
the faintest notice of girls you know;
he says they are not in his line. How
ever, if you come round this evening after
dinner you and your mother, i viii in
troduce him to you, as he has promised
to look in upon us, and to bring his banjo
He sings quite delightfully."-. Do come.
Mrs and Miss Ross did go on board
the Artemisia that evening, and were duly
introduced to Capt Herbert Rawle. There
were other friends there besides the Wei
ton girls and their brothers-quite lit
tie friendly gathering-and Helen sang
duets with her sisters. and a Mr.. GreaVes
played the violin very creditably for an
amateur, but then the audience was not
critical, after which Capt. Rawle sang
song after song to his banjo. He had a
sweet, pure, baritone voice, and he sang
well and with great feeling. He looked
very picturesque, too, as he sang, lean
ing against the open doorway in his serge
suit. with a scarlet tie knotted loosely
round his neck, and with all the beauties
of the moonlit river as a background to
enhance the effect of his handsome face
and figure. And the songs he sang were
well calculated to awaken the slumberine
passion of a girls heart-dreamy love
songs and pathetic little negro ditties, with
a refrain in the minor key, which fell in
deliciously and tremendously with the
stiffness and beauty of the summer night.
Often as he sang, Capt. Rawles eye
met those of one of his audience, sweet
faced, insignificant girl, who sat just out
side in the haIf-darkness on the cushions
Of the afterswim, drinking in every note
of his music with rapturous delight and
so simple and easy to understand was
the face of this unsophisticated maiden.
that Capt. Herbert Rawle, who had a
large and varied experience amongst the
fair sex, had no difficulty whatever In
reading thoughts which betrayed all too
easily in that eloquent upturned face. And
what he read there could not fail to be
exceedingly hattering to him.
who is that Miss Ross to whom your
sister introduced me?'' he asked of Ted
Welton in a WHISPER. when he was re-
freshing himself with some iced claret in
the background after one of his best APP
pauded songs.
1T is Miss Ross, the heiress." replied
his friend, with a laugh. 80 you had bet
ter cultivate her my dear fellow"
What the daughter Of old Ross. the
Greenock millionaire, DO you mean?"
The very same. don't know If he is
millionaire exactly, but, at any rate,
the old boy is very rich indeed"
And as vulgar as you make them! Is
that the mother?'
Eyes. She is not interesting, but quite
inoffensve; but as to Mary-Mary is a
dear girl She is really a good sort; there
is not bit of pretense or side about her -
"Shp isn't much TO look a 1 so a