The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-01-25
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the eyes, proclaimed the existence Of q
thought which could not be forgotten.
After dinner the sound Of singing led
me to the music room, and as lounged
In the doorway l beheld the military
looking man singing to the girls &C.
compartment The ballad was extreme.
ly touching and described with much
protestation the fact that the young
gentleman would be "truc till DEATH"
The singer put power Of pathos into
the declaration and glanced down at
tie girl with the ardor Of a 3-year-old,
but his face was very red. his voice no
longer that Of impassioned youth. She
never looked up, which was exceeding
ly unklnd. The raising of her thickly
. frlnged lids would have revealed be-
| wildering world of lovclincss to her
! admlrer. 1t would have made him
protest until there was no more
breath III his body. Besides, it is SO
easy for a woman to look up from Il
piano, flash dazzling glance at be.
wildesed man end then leave him in
!he outer gloom Of darkness and doubt.
And don't the dear creatures know
how TO do it to perfection?
Being a stranger Oh board and re-
garded no doubt as something in the
nature of an intruder, the first day
was productive of little Information
concerning my fellow passengers, but
on the second day, thanks to the gar
rulousness Of an old gentleman who
like many Old gentlemen, had made his
nCighbOrs' affairs the business Of his
declining years, learned all | wished
to know, which, after all, was not
much and chiefly concerned two people
tie girl with the pale, penSiye face
and the man with the warlike mus
tache. She, l was relieved to know,
was not his wifo, Lut young Aus.
1rali9n girl, Miss Hurst Ey name, who
was returning home with her mother.
The mother was the old lady IN black
who sat next TO her at dinner-aWrully
sad story. Came home for n pleasure
trip and lost Mr.. Hurst shortly after
landing The military looking gentle.
man with the red face was MajoI
Coghlan, retired awfully brilliant
Shouldn't wonder If there's wedding
when we get to Melbourne. And Sc
on aud SO on.
Somehow the major did not seem
such formidable creature after this,
though he dlscoursed wars with all the
hero's diadain of death and banded
the names of distinguished generals
with the easy familiarity Of an equal
He knew everything and everybody,
and, with the natural garrullty OF an
lriShman, he did not hide his accom-.
plishments. though he might have left
one wondering how such very ex-
traordinary' person was permitted to
retire from service which he did so
much to adorn. Alas, prophet hath |
no honor in his own countryi
can afford to treat the major lightly |
now, but then he was person of some |
in our little floating world |
a man who tux The flurc" and made |
himself heard Over concert, theat |
rlcals or ball he was the presiding gen. !
ius. He promoted sweepstakes on the |
days run. got up cricket matches and |
tennis parties and, like the gentleman
In the comic opera, was Lord High |
Everything.
Such greatness I did not envy him.
for there are still few positions which
one may not aspire to, but ! strongly |
objected to his taking possession OF
Miss Hurst every time she appeared
on deck and behaving us though he
were the only worshiper fit to approach
the shrine. l am not ashamed to ad.
nit that the lady interested me greatly,
and ! was not content with bow and
a smile and few words promiscuously
dropped. But, thanks to the major,
such for a. long time seemed to be my
only portion.
One morning, however, l found hel
alone, leaning on the rail looking into
The sea, and though my advent startled
her she quickly recovered herself and
gave me a pleasant greeting. Then
from the common objects Of ship life
We touched on many subjects, and she
vas In the midst of glowing descrip.
ion Of her native land when the majo
appeared upon the scene. thought a
'hade crossed her face; I'd swear hel
'retty mouth pouted. 1t was foolish,
perhaps, but as looked l felt an in.
ward joy.
Been looking for you everywhere,
Miss Hurst" he exclaimed. "Just nude
Up set and want you for a partner"
lie smiled his broad red smile and
canned me somewhat triumphantly. ]
lowed and was about to turn away,
when she replied:
THANK you, Major Coghlan. I won't
lay this morning"
"Oh, but It's crool of you," he re-
lied. "and after all the preparations
oo".-
"I'm so sorry. There are plenty Of
layers"
aye" he said boldly, "but II Il
uality we want, not quantity"
She turned aside without replying,
nd some one coming after him at that
loment he apeloglzed profusely fol-
aving to leave US. But his eye, as II
aught mine, had no twinkle In II.
That was but one Of many long con.
ersations had with her for with the
npetuoslty Of youth flung down my
age to the redoubtable warrior, much !
the Amusement Of the other passen
ers. who invariably spoke Of Us az ths !
ated rivals. But that was only thsiI
tile way. The major and I never for.
ot to treat each other With the most