The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1901-02-23
could. but that was very unsatisfact,
7 By Z JEAN w ARNER.

[ could, but that was very unsa tisfact
i Dry. d u II SIS IL 81
| Col. Laponte and his daughter hat
taken passage. about ten days before
the Ocean Queen sailed The youns
lady was an invalid, and her father lhat
been very anxious that she should
/ have the most comfortable accommo
j dations the ship could afford. A fine
| looking man, the colonies! Looked as il
he might have seen foreign service, but
| not able to stand the sea. Sick as q
dog-not able to lift his head from his
| pillow. Luckily, they had smart lit
tie Frenchwoman along, who can take
care of both father and daughter
There she comes now" added the
captain, laughing, as Madam Gillette
tripped up on deck. ''No one, but q
Frenchwoman could look so trim and
| taut after a three-days' voyage. She
| comes up every morning just at this
| time, to take the air. She has holy
horror of the sun. Good-morning
| madam" 80 r. ..z: '.&. ~
"Ah, good-morning, Monsieur lie Cap
| tain. | wish you vera good morn
ing!' answered the madam, with much
effusion. II come up, as you see to
get my leetle breaf Of air. It ees so
close so warm, down below"
"How are your patients?" asked the
courteous sailor. "Getting a little bet
ter. T hope?" ~ .-%5... -.
II don't know, Monsieur lie Captain.
1t Is what cannot tell. Monsieur La
ponte seems bad-verra bad; but then,
1t is not with men as with us poor Wo-
| men. For vera little sickness they
make vat you call one, grand blow!
The captains rich laugh was delight
full to hear: the little Frenchwoman's
quaint sociability seemed to have taken
his fancy immensely. ~
Very true, madame-yery true, in
deed! Gentlemen are trying patients
And your young lady, does she suffer
much from seasickness? You ought to
coax her I'D on deck, madam. Fresh
air and the bright sunlight are the only
remedies that work a speedy cure. But
1t is the last thing you can persuade
lady to do. They shrink from the very
sight Of the terrible sea-
1T is so with mademoiselle." replied
the madam. shaking her glossy curls,
despondently. II beg, I pray entreat
her to come UP on de deck; but no,
she will not. She is too weak, she say
too weak. All, poor chile! she is
vera vera weak but de light and air
would make her strong" Zee
The captain made some pleasant re-
joinder, and Herbert turned away.
A ray of interest had, for a brief
While, frightened the dark turmoil of
his mind: but it faded away as quick
" as it had come. " 49,, K, ,-r~.-..
He had never heard 81; never st IIfet.,
this Col. Leponte and his daughter.
The writing had struck him, for the
moment as being familiar, but it must
have been only fancy. Some rich for
eigner travelling, probably, with only
an Invalid daughter to sustain the hon
ors Of his name
j. So the ripple Of curiosity that had
changed, for brief moment, the cur
rent Of the young mans thoughts, died
away, and all was still with the hope
less languor Of despair again.
The days dragged on YEARLY; there
was great deal Of rough weather for
that season, so the old tars said.
Sudden storms would sweep down
from the southwark, and swell The
slumberingF pillows into wrathful tur-
MOL: sunlit skies would be swiftly
lit nights made black and hideous by
appalling tempests. :- q
The old sailors began to mutter su-
perstitions and forebodings. Some bad
luck followed the ship, for there was
surely never such a summer voyage be-
fore - - 4. e.
Herbert. who passed all his time on
deck. listened with a sort of gloomy
pleasure as the whispers of evil por-
tent went round.
They seemed to accord with his OWL
despondent mood. They sent no thrill
of terror to his deadened heart
Of what value was a life like his?
Far better to lose it as swiftly and
painlessly as possible than to keep it,
barren and hopeless, without joy or
love! ~, H.. 81.
1t was on one of the lowering nights
we have mentioned that knot of sail
ors were gathered around the capstan,
discussing the signs Of foul weather.
Herbert was smoking near, and, with
out feeling any especial interest, list
ened idly to the drift of the CONVERSE
ton. - r. .1 : @-<' =
It was heavy, sultry night, and the
sky was dark with the omens of a
gathering tempest; but a pale moon
still struggled with the clouds that
swept in broken masses over the face
Of heaven. whilesthe forkeG tongues Of
fame leaping up, ever and anon, from
the horizon made an angry contrast to
her pallid light. s$ss I.
II TUX a wage like this before once"
said a grizzled old tar, whose utter
ance was somewhat impeded by the
| huge "quid" he had rolled entirely
| under his tongue II don't mean to
say that haven't seen harder blows
! eand rougher weather many a time, but
a downright unnatural, Jonah cussed
| wage like this / never TUX before but
once 4
And how did the wage end, Bill?''
| 4, wall" answered Bill, slowly turn
ing his quid, sit ended you might say,
bad enough, for the ship Which her
| name Wasl the Sea Witch. The shipia1l'
| more than half of EN- aboard her. went
| down to. sDaFy. Jones' locker. And it
was q dead woman as dun it all. ''s#%l#=
How was that? Spin us the yarn,
| out ard and out, Bill q asked two or
! three eager voices.
Wall. faint SO much of a yarn, Z
| answered Bill. giving another reflect
i've turn to his quid; for it's every
word true TO natur' as gospel. tt ives,