The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-07-31

have seen them at last. If l could
only get one"
! When they left the next station,
her brother appeared with one of
the coveted blossoms. "a gentleman
handed me this, saying it was for the
young lady in the sailor hat. There
are other sailors, here, Bess, but
yours is the most fetching"
| 81 know" said his wife, she was
peeping over his paper at Bessie.
Black eyes and hair?"
| sand moustache, too, to be strictly
accurate"
are all wild about" Mrs. Hearty
afterwards informed them. my hus-
band shall invite him to dine with us
tomorrow"
| At the appointed hour the fra
ternity assembled to hear the address
of welcome from a leading citizen. In
a young man who rose to respond.
the Bindings, at once, recognized Mr..
/ Brevard.
"An editor" whispered Mrs. Bird
| ling. ''Bessie, 1 will never give my
consent"
Next on their programme came the
| poem. This had been prepared by q
youthful maiden of Cockleboro, who,
after reading her effusion to a circle
of admiring friends, felt convinced
that it was genuine inspiration of
the muse. So, in pleasing tones, she
recited-
For many gifts our land that bless,
We surely must unto The Press
| Give warmcSt thanks. We see it pour
| wisdom on thirsty souls, secure
| To women, Politics and Church,
Their dearest rights, and duly search
rs there much more of this, l
wonder?"
'You need not sigh, Mr.. Birding.
| sentimental trash"
Happily, the hotel reception is at
four and even poetry must give place
to dinner"
Mr.. Brevard had previous invita-
ton to dine, but requested an intro
| duction to Mr.. Hearty's guests.
81 suppose you will join the excur-
sion to the island tomorrow" he said
| at parting. "Mr. Birding, will you
allow me to secure seats for your
/ party on the Coquette? The captain
| is a friend of mine, and she is safer
and more comfortable than her name
| would Indicate"
This offer was gladly accepted. At
an early hour small tug to which
fOur schOonerS yera attached cteo M
| ed away for Ship island, bearing the
| merry eXcursionists and their friends.
| The Coquette, finest craft of them all,
had the liveliest crowd on her deck.
Once beyond the channel, narrow
wharves and unsightly lighthouses
disappeared, the smooth, sunlit water
broke into larger waves, and the
coast villages looked yet more pictur-
esque against their background of
woods.
Tell me something of Ship Island,' %
said Bessie. 81 feel very ignorant, Mr..
Brevard, among all you wise men and
| women"
Il suppose you remember that it
was discovered by Iberville, French
Canadian"
Eyes, and when his fleet sailed into
that broad passage between two
islands he rejoiced to find it in deep
water harbor. His ships might now
now safely repose, after their long
conflict with the ocean and British
vessels. That was in 1899"
"Well recited! Little did Iberville
think that such distinguished party
as ours would some day be visiting
his roadstead."
From Ship and Cat Island some of
these French crossed to the opposite
shore and founded colony at Old
Biloxi, now known as Ocean Springs"
"Why, you know it all. That wood
land to the onrth was once a dense
forest, which served Laftte and his
band as hunting ground and hiding
place. May l read you the Legend of
the PascagOulas?" He took from his
pocket small volume, Mrs. Hindale's
Legends and Lyrics" and read her
beautiful version of the tale.
Meanwhile the waters took a
greener hue, snowy sand drifts on the
island became distinctly visible, then
the lighthouse and walls of Fort
Massachusetts,. The seagulls ceased
rocking to and fro and some, spread
ing their white wings, seemed to give
a welcome to the visitors.
''They are bringing up the row.
boats. But for that storm we might
have landed at the pier
81 shall enjoy the row, but please
do not mention storms while we are
here"
Whereupon an old inhabitant in
formed them that storm was con-
fidently predicted for this month, as
the usual equinoctial had not yet
arrived. The same harbinger of evil
found Bessie lunching with a merry
crowd under the silent guns of Fort
Massachusetts,, and volunteered
further informa ton. ''This fort was
built before the war in the sixties,
and between the two armies and the
frequent storms it has had hard
fight for existence. These sand dunes
are full of soldiers bones, am told"