Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-06-25
His Hf0,y
At Sea.......
BY ANNE farmer


chairs next la him We're vacant. They
were lalrlcl in or,.rr Mrs. t;abrllc. ="
Miss Gal"lle.' Miss Susan Gabellc. ="
Ecyonl the three chairs came the chair
of the Italian lady who had Il baby
Durant looked ;:craSS thc vacant seats
and Saw the baby and blessed the in
tervcning space. The Italian lady
thought that he wanted Ia admire the
baby and held IL NJ high on purpose.
for him Ia see. s:ut his gaze fled out
upon the wide ucc:;n beyond. and he
did not recall i, until he was ready To
open his book AMI read.
In the middle of the afternoon Il pref
~ girl in II red Tam O'Shanter came
up ana stool 10y the rail. nurant found
himself look n: M her over the top of
his hook ana wishing that she might
Ice Miss Gahcllc After awhile he had
his wish. for she came across and sat
down under her name The italian lady
WAS delighted. Her baby had cried so
hard that 81 kind hearted somebody
had taken il to walk and left the moth
or free 10 enjoy society. purant had
been three chairs away. but Miss Ca
belle WAS only half that distance re-
moved. Nine. Italia leaned over and
addressed her nj once
''Shc Gees $50 .ooood mill baybce.
Iii neffaarrrc half aanny trooooble
weecz her. All zcce laydccs looofT mil
baybcec all Zeeee lay,leecs tend mil
baybece.
Miss Gabeilc looked so Disguised that
the Italian WAS disconnected and seized
the trivial prctcXt of seeking her in
FAINT To rise from her seat and view
life from the lee side.
The instant that she WAS out OF
sight the young girl sprang from her
chair. and. hailing Il passing steward.
Take these three chairs and carry
them down To the other end of the
deck" she said. pressing his hand TO
some purpose. and do it right of.
will you. please"
Sh" Went inside directly she saw him
hearing of fhr first chair. and Durant
lost not Il minute in dctaching him
self from his rugs. tn the end that
when the steward returned he might
say. with an imitation OF the initiative
proceeding:
Take mine too
The steward grinned and took his
chair too.
When Miss Gabellc reappcared she
looked prciiicr than ever. and rs she
NJ once opened book and became
wholly absorbed in IL Durant decided
that the best thing for him To do was
10 go 10 sleep with his face turned in
her direction and so be able To look
nj her I'LL that he wanted to- After
awhile he decided that she was quite
the pretticst girl that he ever had
seen and that he must know her some
how. Presently she closed her eyes.
AMI soon after her fingers relaxed their
hold of the book. and that slipped on
TO the deck. lie vaultcd over Mrs
Gabellc's chair and. picking the book
up. smoothed the leaves carefully and
laid il back on her lap. But she did
not thank him or pay the slightest
attention 10 his polite action. There
are maps Oh deck and maps on deck,
and Miss Gabcllc had not gone to
sleep with her face turned in Du-
rants direction.
When the first gong for dinner
sounded she woke up with start and
flew below so quickly that he only had
time 10 realize that she was going
when she was gone
The next morning he found her
chaired and booked when he got up
there himself. The wind had changed
and was coming around the corner by
the smoking room in very trying
manner. but he hardly noticed that in
his tangled emotions over her proxim-
ity and distance.
She noticed il. though. and stroye in
vain to adjust bit of embroidered
coat collar so as To shut off growing
gale. Her efforts proving futile. she
summoned II sailor who was busy lash
ing something to something else and
opened her purse.
please carry these three chairs out
of the wind she said. smiling on him.
and then she went inside.
The sailor grabbed two chairs and
clumped away nj II gait demanded by
! the eNigcncics of the situation.
Durant meanwhile cxtricated him.
self from his rugs with "A sprightliness
10 he envicd 10y the rheumatic and
paralyZcd and was up and waiting
when the cmissary of fate returned.
Here. take my cliais. too" lie said
10 the man. smiling on him in the stu
pid WAY that men reserve for other
men. The sailor grinncd the omnis-
cicnt grin that deck hands acquire.
pocketed his fee. and the last two
chairs went away together in as friend
| ~ manner as the first two had done.
After lunch Miss Gahelle occupied
her chair and for the first time did Du-
rant the honor of noticing his existence
by becoming slightly pink when she
observed him there in his chair the
same as ever. Later Miss Susan Ga
belle. who appeared To he the others
maiden Srcataunt. hove on deck and
rcclincd beside her niece for nearly
seven whole minutes At the end of
I that time Il sudden roll of the steamer
did her up with great abruptnrSS. She
became wildly green. howled pitifully.