The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1899-06-22

I
one moment that my wife was false
to me. No, no; chung to that anchor
of faith in her love and truth. 1t kept
me from stranding on the rock of utter
| disbelief in human goodness.
At the appointed time We sailed out
of Port Philip Bay, with fair wind.
| Nearly all the passengers came aboard
the last day, and | saw but little OF
| them, having enough else TO do We
| had aboard a hundred and sixteen
souls. all told made up in the follow
| ing manner: Passengers, sixty-one
crew, twenty-six
For the first two or three days all
went well, but trouble was marching
upon us. We got into light easterly
winds; about that time, also, the
weather got slightly foggy. Scarcely
any of the passengers were about as
yet; the majority of them We're below
with sea sickness, and not one of the
women had put in an appearance on
deck. The fog beginning TO increase,
and continuing to do SO, sharp look
out for land was kept. We had been
out now ten days, and | observed that
the skipper was getting anxious.
Neither was ! easy in my mind. We
were in the vicinity of dangerous rocks,
not laid down as yet in the charts
and the fog. growing thicker and thick
er, made our position more perilous.
For myself had no fear of death, but
heavy weight was on my mind with
respect to my old mother at home; and
the desire to see her once more, and
make amends TO her for my harshness,
grew stronger because of the danger we
were in.
1t was at this time that l made the
acquaintance of two of our passengers;
they were children, boy and girl.
Twas standing near the lookout, strain
ing my eyes to the eastward, where we
supposed rocks to be, when, looking
down, saw those children by my side.
They were about the same age, nine
years old maybe. placed my hand on
the boys head, and, STOPPING, gazed at
the little fellow. He returned my look
frankly.
well, my man." said l. "and what
may your name be-"
Bob" said he.
His voice startled me. and I gazed
more searchingly at him. A beautiful
face was his, with fair, curling hair
and bright blue eyes, that made mine
dim. and cansed my heart to beat more
quickly. All the old memories flowed
back upon me like a strong tide; and
but that felt such supposition would
be akin TO madness, might have en-
couraged the thought that by some
miracle my own son was standing by
my side.
And yours, my little maid?" l said
to the girl
Pearl" she answered, in voice
clear as bell, and which to my fancy
resembled Bob's.
Then" said T. with a strange paIpi-
tation, Bob and Pearl are brother and
sister,"
"Oh, no" they both replied in one
breath.
But you ought to be, said l, kneel-
ing by them, so that my face might be
on level with theirs. Bob has blue
eyes, and so has Pearl; and you have
light hair, too, both of you"
They stood with their arms round
each others waists, Bob being the shyer
of the two. We prattled together for
as many minutes as could spare from
my duties, and l learned that they
were in no wise related. Both their
mothers were on the ship, they told
me.
81 haven't seen them on deck" said
I.
"Oh, no." said Pearl; they have
heen i'll. and are not well yet. | hate
the seal hate it," And the little maid
stamped her foot, and tears came into
her eyes.
And you, Bob" / asked. do you
hate the sea-"
I'm fond of it," said Bob, land 1
want Pearl to like IL, but she won't.
She says she wishes there wasn't any
sea in the world. That's foolish, isn't
it,, But | wish IL wasn't so dark"
Stronger aud stronger grew the spell
upon me.
.'Would'yo like to be sailor, Bob?"
II should" he replied. If it wasn't so
dark"
= | kissed the bright little fellow, and
he kissed me. Wrapped up as I was
in him. / saw that Pearl was hurt be-
cause | did not offer TO kiss her. I
would have kissed her then, but she
kept me off.
No" she said petulantly, you love
Bob best"
mad no time for further barley. I
rose to my feet, and, taking the chill
'dren by the hand, told them it was not
safe for them to be on deck, and that
thay musf hpl0w