The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-11-10

The cry sAll ashore!" parted them
then, and grandmother fastened across
the gangplank to wave last farewell
from the dock.
In her dingy wooden dres3 mother
was colorless and inconspicuous fig
ure aboard the great steamship. The
captain, into whose care she had been
put, stopped now and, then to tweak
her ears or make sure she was en-
joying the journey, but no one else
seemed to notice her-no one, that is,
except the parents of a little girl with
whom she struck up an acquaintance
on the second day
This little girl, who was handsomely
dressed, seemed very friendly until
her mother bore down on her and car
ried her away, scolding her for asso-
ciating with such a common person"
as the girl in the dingy wooden.
But it was all the same to mother
whether she was noticed or not. She
was happy and contented, playing all
over the ship, in many places where
the other passengers could not CO. and
where the other little girl did not dare
follow her for fear of soiling her dress
es
The steamer went slowly down the
st. Lawrence and out through the
rocky Strait of Belle Isle, and at last,
nearly two weeks after leaving Quebec
mother came on deck early one morn
ing and saw on the northern horizon
the cliffs of England.
All that day passengers crowded the
side of the ship that gave them view
of the distant shores, and grew more
and more impatient for their arrival
in London. whittier the steamer was
bound. Mother danced happily about
the deck, sometimes on the bridge be-
side the captain, sometimes at the rail,
sometimes with the lookout, peering
through his glasses at the land they
were passing.
She went on the bridge that after
noon when the captain pointed out to
her handsome three-masted side
wheel steamer which was coming out
from land toward them.
There's the queens yacht" he said,
and then. looking through his glasses
at the others flag, he added. land her
majesty is on board"
"Oh, the Victoria and Albert" cried
mother. LET me see It'll
She almost said, Perhaps Aunt
Ottilie is on board" but as she had
been taught never to speak of herself
or of her affairs, she did not. The
royal yacht kept coming nearer and
nearer, heading as if to cross the
steamers bows. When it was about a
mile off puff of white smoke appeared
from port near its bow, and soon the
report of cannon came across the
water. Il
The captain reached for the signal
lever and pulled it. The steamers
great engines stopped and its propeller
ceased to turn. The passengers,
springing up from their chairs, crowd
ed forward to see what was the matter.
What's wrong, captain?" one of
them called up to the bridge.
Nothing wrong" replied the cap
tain. reassuringly. '.'Yonder is the
royal yacht and they have ordered us
to heave to. suppose they'll send
cutter aboard"
Sure enough. even as he spoke.
small boat was putting out from the
side of the yacht. 1t came swiftly
across the water, driven by half a
score of powerful sailors. rowing mag
nificently in unison. A ladder was
lowered over the steamers side, and
soon an officer in uniform clambered
up it. The captain stood waiting for
him on deck, and saluted The officer
returned the salute.
SIS Miss Bauer on board:" he in
quired. Her majesty commands the
presence of Miss Bauer"
There was hasty inquiry among
the passengers. Miss Bauer? Miss
Bauer? Why can she be? There is
no Miss Bauer on board"
Even the captain seemed not to re-
member, till mother darted out from
the throng at one side.
Here | ami" she cried. Here I
ami"
why, to be sure" said the captain.
"She is Miss Bauer. of course
How soon can you be ready?" asked
the officer.
why. I'm ready now" said mother
But your clothes, child" broke in
the woman who had thought mother
such a common person" ''You will
aot go before her majesty that way!"
oh. aunty doesn't care about
clothes. She wants to see me-" cried
mother. and away she went. down
the ladder and across the waves. leav-
ing a steamshipful of passengers won
dering who could be this quiet little
girl in the old dress for whom they
we're halted in the mid-channel.
Quickly they drew alongside the Vic
toria and Albert, from the side OF
which ran down an easy stairway to a
platform just above the water. At this
the boat stopped, and the officer helped
mother to alight She ran nm the stair