Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-05-22
MIRIAM'S DREAM.

"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, would not cross the Atlantic
in the middle of November for a dozen
sweethearts."
Miriam laughed gleefully. She and
Dick had been separated for three
years, and now he has fallen into a
good berth in Toronto. and had writ
ten to her to decide whether they
should both spend their winter in lone
liness 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 possible
for winding up her affairs in England
and arranged to sail in the "Sivonian"
from Liverpool to Halifax.
But you'll have a dreadful overland
journey after that: 1t must be long
way to Toronto" said her friend Nora.
Il don't know how you'll get through,
all by yourself"
"Ah! but I'm not going to! Dick has
been sent by his firm to New York on
some business, and he intends to take a
berth in the Meldrum. a coasting
steamer, which will bring him to Hall
fax about the same time that I get
there"
Miriam was in fever OF joy, and
was altogether oblivious Of such small
matters as intense cold, a pitching,
rolling ship and battened down
matches. The good ship fought gaily
through a stormy ice-threatened sea,
and at last a morning broke, when the
sun shone fair. and the waves. sank
into comparative calm. Passengers
swarmed on deck, congratulating 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
a strange speck dancing on the waves.
AS 1t drew nearer he found it to be
an apparently empty boat; and he sent
of one Of his boats to tow the stray
to the steamer. When 1t reached the
side. however, the limp form of a sail
or was lifted from 1t. Under care and
good treatment the blood began to run
again through his stiff veins, and he
was able to tell what had befallen him.
But before that happened his boat had
been hauled on deck, and the name up
on 1t. Meldrum, made known.
How funny" cried Miriam, "a
steamer sailing from New York to Hal
ifax is named Meldrum."
"Ay! missile" said sailor, omnious-
ly, "and this is one of her boats"
But how can 1t be? How could It
have got loose out here?"
III that poor chap lives he can tell
us that, and no one else perhaps"
After some time the sailors words
began to beat into Mirlam's stupefied
brain; she tried to speak to someone
standing near, but her tongue would
not move. only her knees shook so
much that she nearly fell. Her neigh
Dor drew her to seat.
"Is the Medium wrecked?" Miriam
asked with tragic eyes.
Il do not know; but hope not; that
poor fellow will tell us IL he lives"
That evening it was known that the
"Meldrum" had collided with another
vessel in the storm, and that though
all boats had been lowered they had,
one after another, been swamped. The
rescued sailor had just jumped into
one when its ropes snapped, and he was
therefore, the only person saved.
The stewardess took the tidings, with
a cup Of tea, to Miriam, as she lay in
ert and despairiug 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
boy, 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 giant
who seemed to reach to the sky. His