The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-08-17

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They both had letters to the captain,
and the captain introduced them. Her
name was Farrar, and the elderly gen.
tleman, who was her father, called her
Winifred. Then they all went in search
of their respective staterooms and did
not meet again until dinner.
1t was only the first dinner. The
purser, who is undoubtedly heavens
vicar on earth in the matchmaking
business, had not had time to observe
and distribute fittingly, 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
purser's cabin to look at some pearls
tied up in the corner of a grimy hand
kerchief. He did not understand that
pursers 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 fool until you prove
yourself otherwise, which is a rule of
conduct having the properties of a
boomerang. So he brought the conver-
sation round in this wise: He asked if
they were likely to have a pleasant
| trip. The purser 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, 81 say, you're go
| ing to put me beside Miss Farrar, are
you not?" He said that he was, and
Brooke Immediately lost all interest in
| the little nicked nubbins of pearls and
went back on deck, where it was cool,
| and the purser 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 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 at luncheon how to
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, II
you had the least possible good opin-
ion of yourself-and girl of excellent
taste to help you along-you could
fancy you rather suggested Tristan
which-thrown in a 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 uI
to you--is as pleasant way of passing
an evening as a 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 anG
the Southern Cross have accomplished
many things.
They went ashore together at Mama.
milo, also at Acapulco, and, they two
being alone in the boat, the elderly gen
tleman having gone ashore ahead anC
the beautiful Mexican youth who rowed
not counting, he sang softly that "the
waves were the highways, so deep, sc
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, at the average calcula
ton, it would be before it would come
down from generalities to PERSONAL
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, deer
blue, dark as lapis lazuli at noon; steely
gray at sunset, afire with phosphores
cence at night, and to have ever beside
you a youth, handsome, agreeable ant
devoted with that devotion most fiat
tering to a woman's soul-the proprie
tary, everybody else keep off sort? A
youth always perfectly willing to le'
you talk about him or to do it himself.
Miss Farrar knew all about Brooke
not only what he had told her, bir
what she had observed, which lattel
Brooke did not take into consideration
though it was important. She knew