Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-20

SHE HAD TO STOP AND TAKE HIS
 THIN. OuTsTRETCHEDH HAND.
 aware of MT. Stuyvesant leaning or an elbow and gazing at her with al his big blue eyes.
 She had to stop and go around un' der the stairs and take his thin, out stretched hand. She had to stop g moment to speak to him, though what he said, or she said, neither knew a moment after. All she was conscious of as she turned away was that now at least every eye in al the sisterhood was on her, and, red der than ever, she fairly flew up the steep, and was welcomed by the chivalric Butt upon the bridge
 That afternoon several of the, band were what Miss Porter was con strained to call hastily snippy'' in their manner to her, and, feeling wronged and misjudged, it was not to be wondered at that her fathers daughter should resent it. And yet so far from exulting in having thus been distinguished and recognized above her fellows, Miss Ray had felt deeply embarrassed, and almost the first words she said after receiving the bluff seaman's effusive greeting were in plea for her associates.
 "Oh, Capt. Butt, it's most kind oi you to ask me up here-and my brother, too, will be so interested in the chart-room, but, can't you-won't you ask Dr. Wells and at least some of the ladies? You know they all would be glad to come, and"
 That's all right, Miss Ray" bawled old Butt, breaking in on her hurried words. s'I'n ask lem up here some other time. You see we're roll ing bit to-day, and like as not some of 'em would pitch over things, and and-well, there ain't room for more'n three at a time anyhow"
 ''Then you ought to have asked Dr, Wells first and some of the seniors ? She hesitated about saying elders. No one of the band would have wei comed an invitation rendered on ac- count of her advanced years.
 'It'n be just as bad if go and ask her now," said Butt, testily. "The others will take offense, and life's too short for shipmaster to be ex. plaining to a lot of women why they can't all come at once on the bridge. I'll have 'em up to-morrow--any three you say"
 But when the morrow came he didn't 'have 'em up!" Maidie had pleaded Loyalty for her associates, but was too proud or sensitive to so inform them. The captain had said he would do that, and meanwhile she tried not to feel exasperated at the injured airs assumed by several ot the band and the cutting remarks o1 one or two of their number.
 That afternoon, however, the skies became overcast and the wind rose. That night the sea dashed high to- wards the rail and the Sacramento widowed deep in the surges. Next morning the wind had freshened to a gale. All air-ports were closed. The spray swept the promenade deck along the starboard side, and the Red Cross and two-thirds of the martial passenger-list forgot all minor ills and annoyances in the miseries of nal de mer. Three days and nights were most of the womenfollz cooped in their cabins, but Miss Ray was an old sailor and had twice seen far heavier weather on the Atlantic. Sheltered from the rain by the bridge-deck and from the spray and gale by heavy canvas 1ashed athwart- ship in front of the captains room, and securely strapped in her reclin- ing-chair, this young lady fairly re- joiced in the magnificent battle with the elements and gloried in the bursting seas. Sandy too, albeit a trif1e upset, was able to be on deck, and one of the subs from the port side, hearing of it, donned his outer garments and cavalry boots and joined forces with them, and Stuyve- sant, hearing their merry voices, de- clared that he could not breathe in his stuffy cabin and demanded to be dressed and borne out on deck too. At first the surgeon said: stNo," whereupon his patient began to get worse.
 So on the second day the doctor yielded, and all that day and the third of the storm, by which time the starboard deck was slowly becoming peopled with few spectral and bare ly animate feminine shapes, Stnyve- sant reclined within arms length of the dark-eyed girl who had so en- tranced him, studying her beauty, drinking in her words, and gaining such health and strength in the life giving air and such bliss from the as- sociation that Sturgis contemplated with new complacency the happy re- suit of his treatment, for when the gale subsided, and on the. fourth day they ran once more into smooth and lazy waters, it was Stuyvesant's con- suming desire to take up his bed and walk, except when Miss Ray was there to talk or read to him.
 And this was tue state af Afsa;n.