The record-union., 1897-11-27

SHIPS arrivals IlusSl De IGPOilSN oai-
ers must be notified. So very soon the
Captain was on shore and greeted on
all sides. The little milliner went on
with her task, unheeded- The busy
hum Of the street was somewhat hush
ed.
The rising moon cast radiance DER
the waters, while the vessels masts
catch on each point the rays of silvery
Light. Across the river the whistle
of the incoming train awoke the echoes
| on either shore. Stil Rita waited.
| Wondering if he would seek her, Won
| dering If he would come. Enshrined
| in her heart all the whole long year of
absence. She did not dream but that
he remembered her as well. Remem-
bered i'll her prayers, in her dreams.
She fonoly hoped the same of him for
herself, and he, in his workaday life,
had no dream of romance arising from
the rescue, matter of fact as it had
| been To him.
Fond of fun, laughing, chatting with
! all the girls, he never gave thought
to whether attention was intention, and
evidently believed in the old saying "A
sailors right is a girl in every port,
| and enjoyed himself with all of them.
A ride here, a walk there. a chat with
one, laugh with another in a whole
| hearted way
With Rita her whole innocent heart
dream was built on the fact he had res
cued her. She sat alone watching the
lights CLEAN in the river like starry
crowns thrown on its bosom by some
| worshiper
The banks and trees were pictured
too in this Beautiful river of Dreams"
but her heart, her soul, was waiting for
the music of his voice.
/ A merry group of girls came laugh
ing and chattering in Have you seen
him? He looks fine, just splendid;
come get your hat and come up street
you will meet him sure" So forciTbly
they hurried her out, flushed and laugh
lngly reluctant.
The captain was at the hotel door.
He raised his cap. cordially shook hands
with all, inquired of Rita "if any i'll
results had happened from her acci-
dent" Then the girls hurried her on
and the longed-for meeting was over.
And at night when alone she could only
think he was just as he always had
been-sociable and friendly, that was
all. And she seemed to hear the muir
muir of the pines on the river bank,
mingling with the tides song. "All,
that is ALL"
Thanksgiving in the provinces is at
an earlier date than the American. Her
majesty the Queen, wants all cases of
indigestion over before it is too cold.
| Roast goose and plum pudding is
more in evidence than the turkey and
mince pie of the Americans. "One
touch of nature makes the whole world
kin" and the small boy is just As hol-
low at that season as his American
cousin. Mamma, you know two of
us is dead and l want their share" de-
clared one small boy.
| The captain will be in port and the
| invitations he has to dinner fall like
snowflakes and bank up on his cabin
desk. So to be friends with all and
enemy to none. he elects to nave
dinner for a few friends at the Fair
view.
| Now in town local jealousies OBJ
tain. The captain being such favor
ite could not hope 70 escape.
| His favor with the girls was not
viewed by the town young men favor
ably Why should he pick and choose.
And the green plume of jealousy waved
high in their ranks.
| The dainty little telephone operator
| had been on drive. The popular
telegraph operator in her pleasant, sun
ny office, had unlimited chats with him.
| The PostmasterS pretty assistant had
walk with him and so on. Aud the
boys had determined to deal out a big
scare to the favorite.
After shop hours Rita often strolled
across the big bridge and watched the
shifting lights on the river, or strolled
on the winding way by the river, past
the large pine-scented and fragrant
deal piles ready for shipment. 1t was
when passing in the shadow of these
huge piles she heard the plot. She
heard his name, as she listened with
beating heart.
The tall. tower like shaft used rs
the furnace for consuming the saw
dust from the mills was the scene OF
action; they were to seize the captain,
bind him. and-here she could not dis
tinguish the rest.
She only realized that it meant his
certain destruction; that she was sure,
she only waited to hear at what time,
then determined to save him. She
swiftly hurried away, herself unseen.
4
THANKSGIVING day and when at dinner
her want of appetite alarmed her
friends And only on the plea of bad
| headache was she allowed to go home.
The hours seemed weighted with lead
till eleven at night When she hur-
ried up the silent road to the mill. under
the star shine. the smoke from the
burning sawdust the only evidence OF
life, smoke curling up in dense black
plurnes that sullied the starry blue
vault overhead. With hurried steps
and trembling with excitement she hur-
ried up the incline to the mouth OF the
furnace crouching in the shadow or
its dark column, her purpose only half
known to herself. What could she do
against a crowd of young men bent on
mischief. possibly murder? Her sole
thought was, she must save the cap
tain How? She never thought. The
clock was on the stroke Of II when she
heard the steady tread of men and
procession came in sight with some
thing like dark body in their midst.
Rita waited till they halted and
heard them say "Now, boys"
She stepped out from her hiding place
calling in as loud a voice as she could,
Villains. stop." The effect of her
sudden appearance and sound of voice
was magical. they dropped their bur-
den and ran. leaving the captain still
bound with a big cotton handkerchief
across his mouth. This loosened he
arose somewhat stiffly and his words
were MANY and not chosen for present
company.
Rita shrank against the building with