Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1899-02-22
MIRIAM'S DREAM.

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"You won't really go at this time
of the year, will your"
Rather! I'd go in December If
Dick were at the end of the journey"
We'll, L would not cross the Atlantic
in the middle of November for dozen
Sweethearts."
Miriam laughed gleefully. She and
her Dick had been separated for three
years, and now he had fallen into a
good berth at Toronto, and had writ
ten to her to decide whether they
should both spend their winter in
loneliness, or whether she would go to
him and settle down at once as his
wife.
Miriam did not hesitate a. moment.
she set aside the shortest time posi-
BILE for winding up her affairs in Eng.
land, and arranged ITO sail in the
'Sivonian" from Liverpool to Halifax.
'fBut you'll have "a dreadful over
land Journey after that; it must be a
long way to Toronto" said her friend
Nora. don't know how you'll get
through, oil by yourself"
1Ah but I'm not going to! Dick has
been sent by his firm to New York
on some business, and he intends to
take berth in the 'Meldrum,' a coast
ing steamer, which will bring him to
Halifax about the same time that ]
get there"
Miriam was in a fever of Joy. and
was altogether oblivious of such small
maftters as intense cold, pitching,
rolling ship, and battened down
matches. The good ship fought gaily
Through a stormy iceIthreatened sea.
and at last a morning broke, when
the sun shone fair, and the waves
sank into a comparative calm. Pas
sengers Swarmed ON deck, congratu.
rating each other on their escape
from prison, and the anxious captain
sighed with relief to think that the
worst was over. He was upon his
bridge, stamping up and down to keep
the blood circulating in his feet, when
ahead OF them he saw strange speck
dancing on the waves.
AS he drew nearer he found 1t an
apparently empty boat; and he sent
on one of his boats to tow the
stranger to the steamer. When il
reached the side, however, the linn
form OF a sailor was lifted from it.
Under care and good treat ment the
blood began to run again through his
stiff veins, and he was able to tell
what had befallen him. But be.
fore that happened his boat had been
landed on the deck, and the name
upon it 'Meldrum," made known.
How funny!" cried Miriam; "a
steamer sailing from New York to
Halifax is named 'Meldrum.'"
GAY! missie," said "a sailor, omni.
ously, "and this is one of her boats"
But how can it be? How could it
have got loose out here?"
IF that poor chap lives he can tell
US that, and no one else, perhaps"
After some time the sailors words
began to beat into Miriam's stupefied
brain. she tried to speak to someone
standing near, but her tongue would
hot move, only her knees shook 50
much that she nearly fell. Her neigh
Dor drew her to a seat.
Us the Meldrum wrecked?" Miriam
asked with tragic eyes.
Il don't know, but / hope not; that
poor fellow will tell us if he lives"
That evening it was known that the
Medium had collided with another
vessel IN the storm, and that, though
| adj the boats had been lowered, they
had, one after another, been swamped
The rescued sailor had just Jumped
into one when it's ropes snapped, and
he was therefore, the only person
saved.
The stewardess took the tidings
with cup of tea. ITO Miriam. as she
lay inert and despairing ON her sofa,
| and she let the woman gossip out her
news without uttering "a sound. AT
| last. the stewardess went away. and
Miriam lay still, not thinking, only
suffering.
Later she crawled into her bed
where, Through the night, visions OF
| Dick, as hoy, as a youth, as a man
rushed through her mind. Sometimes
| she saw his face shining through the
| darkness, but when she clasped him
round the neck he was cold as ice and
wet with salt water.
When she awoke she was out on the
upper deck and not alone. By her
side stood Someone huge man. a
| giamt who seemed to rtv' III to the
sky. His clothes changed their color
IRON light to dark, from black to
brown. His great body undulated ali
the time. and when ne put his arm
round her he seemed to Zoe surrounded
wruh a dry, suffocaIting warmth. Then
ne pointed a long arm to the north
east, and seemed to slip farther and
farther away, though he still stood
py her side: the monster heightened
Into miles; Miriam followed him with
surarn1ng eyes, when a flash of light
nang hit up the sky and sea. 1t played
lot moment round a distant SPOT
which the giant was touching, and in
t,nat moment she saw a picture which
she never forgot.
In the little circle of light a boat
rocked helplessly upon the waters:
under sail were crouched some
oozen people, trying, 10y huddling to-
geoher, to keep the warmth in their
bodies. She knew that Dick wes
unere, and called his name shrillv:
there was sudden movement in the
human heap, a white face peeped out.
and then the vision passed.
Miriam lay in her berth, the new
dawn already Tightening the sky.
Then feverishay she got up and went
on deck, to see nothing but the gray
sky enid grayer sea, to hear nothing
but THE tIhrobbfng of the engines and
tho sough of wind and waves. Break
rast time canre, but she needed it not:
pr hb1rs. she stood iuzuDvable, gaz.
& r. ma uogthanst- ntier .Ahe 6uw