The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-29
A SINGULAR EPISODE.
TT HE steamer had already
started when l first saw her.
If WAC a lovpIv Juue doy and
BY Edgar FaWcett.

1t was lovely June day, and
We were skipping along
through silky blue water, below a sky
frescoed here and there with little
fantastic pearly clouds, like flocks of
yagrant swans.
There were not many passengers and
none of them / knew.
But all seemd as gay as the weather
all save her. She sat on deck, hav.
ing chosen one of the rear wooden
seats.
Her dress was very simple; some
times white cleaned at her throat, and
browns and blacks vested her slender
frame.
She might have been FIVE and TWEEN
ty. but you had TO scan well the wan
delicacy of her face before you quite
decided that suffering alone must have
made her seem older.
Both dark gloved hands rested in her
lap. She appeared perfectly needless
of everything about her.
She had the most beautiful eyes
have ever seen-large and gray and
fathomless; they glorified her face,
and they were infinitely pensive.
1t shot through my mind: How
many tears they must have wept! They
looked straight ahead, too, plainly see
ing nothing Of the jocund and scin-
tillant sea that fronted them.
L wondered il other people would no.
tice their hopeless and helpless gaze,
pnconsciously and with simplicity
hat pierced my soul. she appealed to
ne In terms of absolute despair.
Every line of her figure, too, ac
prded, by some mysterious sympathy,
18th this rapid impression of her
retchedness.
Till nightfall she sat there. immov-
ale. The faultless weather continued.
lere was no moon, but the starlight
spne almost vivid enough to mimic
o.. and l kept getting glimpses of her
fsd, colorless face, which now
limited me more and more.
ften since that night I have been
atea, and never do hear the peculiar
harmonious kissing and rushing sound
With vessel gives when it sails
thrpgh placid stretches of ocean, with
outnemories of those desolated fea-
turk that plaintless yet woe-begone
air!
MAnwhile / had got to know a GER
tairhble companion, and had told him
OF nv this lady's evident misery had
touGd me. He was Frenchman,
who'ave his name as Guijean. dap
per tile person, with fiorid cheeks
big lrvilinear mustaches and teeth
sparlng white.
Hepoke English with great fiuency
and fould readily believe him when
he infmed me that he had mastered
severa other tongues.
"Sheis evidently most unhappy
womap he had told me, after having
glance during the afternoon, at this
forlornbject of my sudden and acute
sympaS.
Someing In his tone made ME start
and clai his arm. felt certain, just
from hifew words, that she was now
the objt of his sympathy, no less
than mh.
In rh, intuitive flash. felt more
that HI whoever he was, had. ma
ture amy receptive to compassion.
Il haverossed before on this line"
he said, ter the tragic stranger, who
had equal concerned us both. had de-
parted frh her shadowy lodge below
the huge mokestacks and their con-
comitant lasses of iron equipment.
and whilehe bland marine June stars
seemed tolrop lower like mellowing
fruit from Visible boughs. Frankly.
I have grin to dislike our captain
very muchie Is n man of hard. harsh
disposition; he Is capable of cruel
acts.
Il know mt on this same ship he
has commfd several which have
made him popular both among his
fellow otficid AMI the common sailors
besides. Bu the second officer, Mr..
Gladwyn. isof a widely different
type. or hill viii make certain In
quiries and IN you ;aier."
And later. n. snmc evening, Mon
sieur EuiJeanl III .,o.a me, IL the snok-
ing room.
"Gladwyn is me-" Lc said. "that
she has reg.ste,, simply as Mrs.
Ncrschoyl S!r.as cabin all to her.
self. and ncitll he nor any one else
knows Tia. :akcst item concernin:
her. AS We hal observed. she has not
yet appeard III nc dining room. and
since her ft.rdent into lower quar-
scrs. she il$ Gin no order whatever
TO any OF tlS scdanis."
tbs inftmaon reached me at
Abou; . o'cfk.
Before l0.khIA [ sat with a novel
In one Of q clpcr saloons. Guijean
appeared athy ale. all his galliard
iauniiness III g0ne: he still looked
like the Frdhmsn he was, and yet
like that uiolmotnrnful of things. a
Frcnchman W has lost his sayety.
ut is tcrrih" he stammered. lean
Ing down an'iru>bing my cheek with
QUO still cur,br his musiachc. do
You can yUuircam what that poor
woinan has IL - hersclf:'
rose. Eow hear the soft |
rafting ;hud lay novel as j. fell |
Lfun the nvorl
Not saiciiI
''lcs. Cyant sf potassium. She |
mutt i:a:'. rdi f"T The sicwa:Jcss |
'c,i '.f.se shr anS It. They fouuti.l
h.r dead, AMI ;tboille "A dose ID Gid !
au uS-was clu;t,l in a.. hsLJ.'
! irlt my tiujfrceze.
IL was IN r. face" I faltcrru.