The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1901-02-16
CHAPTER XIV.
ON the OceanlQueen.

On the Ocean Queen.
The great steamship, the Ocean
Queen, was just swinging away from
the docks. It was gay, busy, yet
saddening scene. ss,:: - 7
Bright pennants futtered from ev-
cry masthead; the uniforms Of the
officers glittered in the summer sun
light; the newly-painted decks We're
thronged with eager, excited groups,
laughing, chatting, signing, or weep.
ing, as their different circumstances
seemed to demand.
Here a merry party of tourists were
exchanging jests and badinage; there
a. mother chung to her sons neck, in
an agOniZed farewell. Here a CAV
girl, all smiles, and dimples, was tax
ing her first rosetinted glance at the
great world Of waters; there the shy
bride Of few hours chung blushingly
to him with whom she had just COM
menced the unknown voyage Of life.
In a sheltered corner Of the upper
deck a young girl-warmly wrapped in
shawls and protected by a handsome
travelling rug, sat silent and alone. sur
veying the scene before her with sad
and thoughtful eyes.
Her glance wandered from group to
group, lingering on the sorrowing
ones as if they alone awakened SYM
pathy in her breast-passing by the
young and happy, as if the sight Of
them held a sting for her.
Yet. as she looked around her. with
her gaze, an acute observer would
CIV II al, 1H s,,+o
est in all she saw.
The noble bay, with it's broad
stretch of waters widening in the dis
lance: the sunlit slopes of emerald
shore around; the mighty city, en-
throned like an empress at the gate
way of nations, gathering in the trib-
ute swept by the girding river to her
feet: all the grand beauties Of nature
and of art spread, like living piano.
rama. around her-might surely have
enkindled look of life and animation
in a face that lacked neither beauty
nor intelligence-in a face that few
would have passed without pausing
for a second glance.
Yet, young and lovely as was that
Dallld countenance there was a'shad-
0W. even as of death upon it's beauty
languor that was not WEAKNESS. 4
stiffness that was not repose.
It was the look Of one who felt nei-
ther> pain, nor care, nor sorrow. be-
cause the fire of tribulation had scared
her heart so deeply that it could feel
no more.
An ma chere, you are here still, and
safe.' said brisk voice that startled
the pallid dreamer-if one can dream
when hope and love have fled. 81
have had such a time settling our
trunks in that leetle cabin Ma chere,
but it is a biiou of place for so leetle
a one. All, but tbs you Americans
who know how to make-eh, what you
call make yourselves
comfortable. But monsieur was so
anxious about you that I must fly UP
to your side. and see that his treasure
was safe and sound
"Quite safe and quite comfortable,
dear madam" answered the young
girl with a wan smile. Papa is too
anxious about me. This sunlight and
this sea breeze is delightful"
1.-THE wind is not too strong?" asked
the madam, who was buxom. bright
eyed little woman Of about fve-and-
forty. whose attire bespoke her to be
son ething between companion and
a friend-such a travelling appendage,
in short, as motherless young girl
would require on a continental tour.
Are you quite sure the wind is not
too strong for you? All, mon Dieu!
if you have a look SO pale, so fragile
as Of a Lily that would break in too
rude a blastr' 49,
"Ah. you mistake me altogether,
madam, was the half-sad answer.
II am far stronger than you think me.
You know the lily often bends to the
very earth and does not break"
'Ah, yes!'-the madam shook her
head with dim comprehension Of the
simile-"but you must neither bend
nor break. Will you not go in and
rest awhile? There is so much noise
and confusion out here. The turmoil
Of these emigres is vat you call head
splitting."
81 do not find it so' was the gentle
reply Poor creatures, 1t is hard for
them to part" +.
"Ah, yes," answered the madam,
with a shrug Of her plump shoulders;
ut is. no doubt vera hard. I know
ven frsteleft my countrie how de
bitter tears flowed. / wept-ah, mon
Dieu! how I wept! All, I was only
eighteen then and tears came freely.
We are wiser afterward-wiser and
harder. and colder. Mademoiselle is
happy to have no heart-breaks at
eighteen ,as.S H. s +.
"Mademoiselle'' sighed very faint
sigh. like the zephyr Of a desert where
there is neither leaf nor foweret to
stir at its breath. II
do we grow so hard as we grow
old?' she asked, dreamily. Does age
grow too callous to feelv'
We grow-well, perhaps not so cold
as so wise. answered the madam,
whose character for cheerful common
sense had been always her chief re-
con1nlenda tion 1--WE find it so foolish
to fret at what we cannot help. And
we get ourselves so sore and weary
|fretting that we learn to look for the
smoothest and easiest way. And we
find it. PERTAINS" concluded the mad
am. with her low, rippling little laugh,
and a. glance at her own plump figure
| i've find it when we are fair. ana
fat and forty =
here are some who never find it,
answered the girl in a low voice
some who sink striving to bear the
pain-some who 3 s38