The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-04-05

looked love. His voice had the tone, and his
eyes-well his eyes were always telling her
more than the words of any man she had
ever met. They had been picnicking one
day over at the celebrated "Duelling Oaks
Ia famous place in the olden time, where
many a pair of gallants had spilled their
hot young blood to win fair maids favor).
She had Just been introduced TO Kate Her
bert (the pretty girl who might even now
be coquetting with her Phil-with Mr.. Bar
low, when that young miss turned half to-
ward Philip and said to Jack;
And is this gentleman your brother, Mr..
Ducharme"
mot exactly" laughed Jack, and Philip
said:
mot yet" at which Agnes had been
vexed and offended, while now
A great numbering figure waddled up,
clothed in gay calico, with white apron and
'kerchief stiffly finishing the grotesque uni
form. Above the snowy 'kerchief rose
big brown head and in the immense ears
swung long gold earrings like two pendulums
of some wondrous human clock.
Agnes shuddered and thought how for
tunate that she was never seasick, for
this was evidently the stewardess, and
the horrid being must never come near her.
Just then the horrid creature did come
near. and, what was more, she spoke.
Don stan gain at dat water no longer,
missy, OF 70 gwine git de haidache Ho'
brudder toll me tub look out fo' yo'; my
name Sophie" and picking up the belong
ings of Agnes led the way below, Agnes
meekly following.
Before many minutes the black horror
had Invested Agnes OF her boots, loosened
her dress, brushed her hair and calmly COM
manded that young lady TO close her eyes
and rest, which she did, without realizing
her obedience.
She slept restlessly, and dreamed she was
on the deck of vessel saying good-by to
friends. who loaded her with flowers and
gifts. Philip, too, was there; this time the
| love had crept from his eyes to his lips,
and he was saying 81 love you, when she
wakened. The world seemed very cold that
moment, and the fact that she had come
away without a parting gift was borne
unto her distressed mind. He might have
said something, or he could have slipped a
note into her hand at parting, OF concealed
a few words in a bouquet of flowers. She
had often read of such things in books
Yes, yes, if he had cared he would not let
her go in this way, The unhappy girl could
| COnITOl neTScil ITO lODRtIJ anu Ouiob lhSN
wild fit of sobbing and tears.
When old Sophie entered the stateroom
and saw the limp figure and heard the
moaning cries, she put the luncheon tray
down, and, taking the unhappy girl in hel
big. strong arms, Graded her like a baby
and crooned an improvised song of love
and birds, and peace, ending each line with
the musical refrain;
Desc all come to Cawd's own chile"
Agnes forgot the ugly brown face and hel
aversion to it. She let her aching head rest
on the kind old shoulder, and sobbed her
self into state of comfortable tranquility
Sophie never hurried her, and after awhil,
fed her bits of toast and sips of tea thai
went down chokingly, but went down.
The pair grew confidential during the
dressing of Agnes. Sophie insisting she mus
go on deck to hear de cap'en 'spaciate OF
Massa Fades jetties, wha' mex dis yer'
ribber pass'bl all de time. No waitin' TO
tides now, honey"
Despite the resolution to keep her cabiI
the entire voyage, curiosity conquered, ant
she was soon on deck, quite eager to see thu
long, narrow strips of land that had beer
formed artifically near the mouth of tn,
great river, between which were thus made
deep water channels, through which yes
sells might pass at all times without danger
from the shifty alluvial soil that made tn,
rivers bed Thus did the cleverness of tina
great engineer, Fades, use the jetty system
and save ships, money and patience for con
temporares and posterity.
The Christopher Columbus went bobbinl
through the choppy seas OF the gulf, and a
each roll brought down some poor unfor
tunate. Most of the passengers We're i'll
and Angnes wandered about the deck, he
face gloomy, dark and despairing. She RAJ
against poor old Sophie and nearly upset tn
bowl of porridge she carried.
Missy, missy! Hyah yo' is well an
strong, an yo' look unhappy 'nough tut
be Good Friday hisse'f Bettah stir up yo
heart tow'd Gawd, an help His critters
Without more ado she took the girls arr
and hurried her to the cabin, where tn
plaintive walls of a baby mingled wit
eroans of the seasick passengers.
, In another moment Agnes found the cry
! ing baby in her arms, and began hushin
, il with true mother instinct Sophie ha
disappeared and the baby cuddled its prett
dark head close TO the sore young heart
: trying to COO its gratitude, while it smile
, into the sweet young face that returned