Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-03-06


south the new heavens opened and
showed their new wonders. and night
after night, the Southern Cross point
Ing the way. we sailed on a sea Of sap
phira beneath jeweled dome. Stars!
The sky was full Of them. They hung
In clusters as though they had burst
through the blue gates Of heaven.
G0metimes Cecilt would point to the
cross and say: "When am at home, I
can see It quite plainly from my bed.
room window" pr'"Aiany a night I've
sat and watched It and thought no end
Of foolish things. I remember once
driving home with father. 1t was q
beautiful night. Just like this, and he
told me such q pretty story about It.
Poor fathet' He will never see II
again.
1t was on such a night in the warm
Australian waters That told her Tor
the first time Of our expedition to Chi
"a. We were sitting away aft. well out
OF earshot 6f the other passengers. and
the gentle throbbing of the screw and
the tapping Of the waters sounded
soft accompaniment to our talk.
sYou mean to say" she said. ''that
you and your uncle intend to penetrate
the very stronghold OF these terrible
mem" NJ
.4That is our intention. It is for that
purpose we shall 60 to China. Az for
penetrating their stronghold, that's as
heaven may direct. We are going to
try.
"But they will kin you"
.'Undoubtedly-if they cam"
.But-butu its too horrlbler
ut Is horrible. but what are we to
doi Don't You see with Kung and
Wooching alive we can never enjoy
one moment free from alarm. It was
not without some hesitation that my
uncle and accepted the inevitable. It
y to be battle to the death. and we
do not shut, our eyes to the fact that
there are frightful odds against US. but
Y = possible TINT the society also has
many enemies, and help may come
from some unexpected quarter. I ad-
NIT that our arrangements are ex-
tremely vague and from the practical
point Of view most unsatisfactory. but
We shall not be altogether cropping in
the dark. In Hongkong. according to
my fathers statement, we must md q
carpenter BY the name Of Koon-SL
From him we shall learn the latest In
telligence. and with him we shall lay
our plans"
You are very daring" she said, ITO
take such an awful step in the dark.
fear you unlerrate your task"
''No; not I'm the feast II anything.
We have overrated 1t all along. We
have waited and hoped that peace
would comb but ! am convinced that
II canno1 be gained without war. War,
then. u must be. for now" and here
think my voice took somewhat softer
tone. ''peatStsis more necessary to me
than II ever was before"
She did aoif answer for q moment,
aud then. nifRgling with the sound of
the sea. came a soft 'Why7'
Because It will Insure your peace.
and thAt to me has grown dearer than
my own"
There can be no peace for me-" she
answered In q low tone, tone which
the sea and the night rendered inefYa-
bly, sad. IF 1t were rot wicked, l
could almost wish that you had let me
drown that night
Hush! You must not talk like that.
10 you know. even In our darkest
hour, when you lay unconscious on my
arm. when the sea Missed and tore
i ~
about 10 and l thought every moment
would be our last. was almost hap
py."
-HappyY'
Eyes. because through the gloom and
the spray saw q future, future
which was blessed with your love-
with you"
cit is very late" che said, her voice
trembling with emotion. my mother
win wonder what has become Of me-"
But she did not 60 Just then. not for
some time after. for had much to tell,
though to other ears II might have
seemed but o wearisome repetition Of
the same old story. But the stars look
ed down and smiled, and the great d4a-
monds OF the cross beamed with ten
fold radiance; and the air, tempered,
10 It seemed to me, by the breezes from
The land which lay to our, north. Xas