The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-01-17
BENTON, LOUISIANA, THURSDAY, JANUARY H. 1901.

The captain looked at her with his
weather eye opened wider than usual,
and she continued:
do not give me one of your exc,lr-
sion replies, but think over it and figure
it out"
"Well, well, well!" he exclaimed. but
| before he could answer call took him
away.
Miss Percy Hartwell's next efforts
were exerted upon the chief engineer,
whom she managed to meet, and whose
engine room she visited, distributing
I'wen balanced praise that pleased the
old Scotsman nightly. The result was
that in the course of 4s hours she had
these two worthless of the ship calculat-
ing for her benefit, and when she final
| ly drew from them the points that
they might overtake the David some
hours before they reached Honolulu,
she expressed her satisfaction, and
then the captain let her into an official
confidence
"You must not mention it." he said,
"but we have important dispatches
from the government which we must
deliver to the David if possible
Then Miss Percy Hartwell did very
surprising thing. She jumped up,
clapped her hands, and exclaimed:
"Hurrah!"
The voyage went on pleasantly and
swiftly and Miss Hartwell laughed and
joked with the captain and the chief
engineer, urging them to push the shiI
a little faster.
Finally there.came fine gray morn
ing, when there was blur on the hori-
zon in front, and Miss Hartwell cared
for neither breakfast nor luncheon.
While the chase was going on the blur
was growing into the distinctness of a
great steel hull freighted with human
beings.
1t was afternoon when the ships
came within hailing distance. Just be-
fore signaling the captain approached
Miss Hartwell and asked:
what is his name and what do you
want me to do?"
Lieut.. Edward Ledman." she re-
piled, land | want you to either bring
him over to me or to send me over 10
him. and the signaling began.
Government dispatches for the
David, and, if you please, send Lieut.
Edward Ledman."
Soon boat put out from the other
ship and the passengers crowded over
to watch its coming. The sailors pulled
with steady stroke and the little craft
; rose and fell with the pillows, while
the hands of Miss Percy Hartwel
; clutched the railing as if human life
) were at stake.
There upon the broad wastes Of
: the Pacific the great mass of machin
cry paused. The boat circled like q
frightened bird. but finally the rope
was caught and one of the sailors rar
, up the ladder rs easily as if every
= thing We're smooth and quiet. The
q tall young man in the lieutenant's
, uniform did not do as WELL but his
: nerves were steady, even if his leg:
wabbled. The passengers were in
, clined to laugh at his lack of skill
but that did not deter him. He
reached the deck and asked the cap
/, tain quickly why he was summoned
i In the meanwhile Miss Percy Hart
D well had retired to the further sid
y of the ship. The captain directed
s one of the stewards to conduct thu
G officer to Miss Hartwell.
p "You have only five minutes, sir,
n was his warning, land I advise yo,
to be as expeditions as possible
h There were three minutes of grace
S but at the end of that time the lieu
:. tenant returned radiant.
:. 81 happen to know" said the cap
) tain, that the dispatches are 70
a your ship to proceed with all hast
(. to Manila and if the weather had beel
stormy / should have signaled to tha
i effect. so now it is not right for m
: to detain you even for a minute, an
wish you good-by and God speed.
Lieut.. Ledman thanked him an
there was q sudden rush in which TIL
u arms of the officer were around Mis-
= Hartwell followed by rapid kisse:
e which the crowd would have applaud
= ed if they dared. Down the ladde
again he went, and once more the Iii
e tie boat see-sawed through the wave:
IA There were many kisses thrown an
'e the soldiers cap was raised until hi
.e arm must have approached paralysis
Then after the farewells had bee
blown by the sirens of the ships, Mis-
:" Percy Hartwell for the first tim
:, showed indications of weakness. Th
=, dear old spinster who sat near her a
~ the table approached to offer her al
:. sistance, and she could not help cal
-. ing attention to ring on the thir
- finger of the young lady's left hand
- This brought Miss Percy Hartwe
:, very much to her senses and she dar
- ed for her stateroom. The next da
~ IN honest gratitude she told the cal
tain all about it. The lieutenant we
=. with his regiment in San Francisc
- and was ordered to sail before he e,
pected. He did not have time to carr
- out his programme of returning an
II h. /,