Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-06-23
! He Wished She Had
A Tale of Disappointed Love
" BY GWENDOLEN OVERFLOW q
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They both had letters to the captain.
and the captain introduced them Her
name was Farrar, and the elderly gen
ueman, who was her father, called her
Winifred. Then they all went in search
of their respective statcrooms and did
not meet again until dinner.
1t was only the first dinner. The
purScr, who is undoubtedly heavens
vicar on earth in the matchmaking
business, had not had time to observe
and distribute littinGly, so they sat
wherever they listed or wherever they
had to, which for Brooke was across
the table and not even opposite to her.
He bowed as he took his seat, and he
bowed when he whirled around and got
up, and for the rest they both converS-
ed with each other via the captain
That evening Brooke went into the
purScr's cabin to look at some pearls
tied up in the corner of Il grimy hand
kerchicf. He did not understand that
purScrS see everything and do not need
to be taught their business. Brooke
was one of those pleasant people to
have about who go on the Supposition
that you are Il fool until you prove
yourself otherwise, which is a rule of
conduct having the properties of n
boomerang. SO he brought the CONVEX
sation round in this wise: He asked if
they were likely to have a pleasant
trip. The purScr said that they usual
ly did at that time of year. Brooke
hoped the passengers would be agree
able too. The purSer thought the Far
rars looked promising. Brooke thought
so, too and added. Il say. you're 60
ing to put me beside Miss Farrar are
you not He said that he was. and
Brooke Immediately lost all interest in
the little nickcd nubbins of pearls and
went back on deck. where it was cool
and the purScr smiled as he locked his
treasures in the safe again.
Brooke came in to breakfast a little
late the next morning. Miss Farrar
was already seated looking particu-
larly nice, too, in what is known to
men as ''some soft. white material"
with a gaudy silk Panama shawl
around her shoulders. The intelligent
waiter showed Brooke to the next
chair. Miss Farrar asked him to ex-
plain why it is that the sun rises on
the wrong side of the world in Panama
bay, which gave him the requisite
feeling of superiority at once. He did
not happen to know that it did, be-
cause he had not been up to see. but
he explained it. anyway. After break
fast he bought her aguacatS from
the bumboatS alongside and told her
he would show her ut luncheon how to
eat them. She knew. but she pretend
ed she did not. and Brooke's opinion of
her attractions waXed.
After that the course of things in
general was as smooth as that of the
vessel as it cut its way Statesward
through the pale summer sea. BY day
they sat under the awnings and talked,
and by night they sat up in the bow,
way up in the very peak, where, if
you had the least possible good opin-
ion of yourSelf-and Il girl of excellent
taste to help you along-you could
fancy you rather suggested Tristan,
Which-thrOWn in good cigar whose
red point of fire gives just enough
light in darkness to enable you to see
a pair of admiring gray eyes turned up
to you-is as pleasant way of passing
an evening as fellow could wish.
They sometimes watched the Southern
Cross shining all alone on its field of
blue black, sweeping across the heav-
ems, and they were silent. Silence and
the Southern Cross have accomplished
many things.
They went ashore together at ManZa-
Milo, also ut Acapulco, and, they two
being alone in the boat, the elderly gen
tleman having gone ashore ahead and
the beautiful Mexican youth who rowed
not counting. he sang softly that "the
waves were the highways, so deep, SO
deep; the waters her bywayS, asleep,
asleep" and ended with the sentiment
that thus true lovers tasted life, Stall,
Stall" He had very nice voice. Miss
Farrar told him so and wondered how
much longer. ut the average calcula-
tiOn, it would be before it would come
down from gcneralities to persOnali-
ties; not that she was in any haste.
On the contrary, she liked it as it was.
What could be more charming than to
drift on over the smooth water. faint
est blue in the early morning, deep
blue, dark as lapis laZuli at noon; stcely
gray at sunset, atire with phosphores-
cence at night and to have ever beside
you n youth, handsome, agreeable and
devoted with that devotion most fiat
tering to Il wOman's sOul-the proprie-
tary. everybody else keep off sort? A
youth always perfectly willing to let
you talk about him or to do it himself.
Miss Farrar knew all about Brooke,
not only what he had told her, but
what she had observed, which latter
Brooke did not take into consideration,