The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1907-11-09
HAN 4 aASa

INV Diut, BiOW
Ing summer Of the subtropical Allan
tic. Tiny white waves Tapped the
sides of the big ship all day. and now
that evening was come, and the avn |
ings rolled back for the sake Of the |
air, pink, purple, orange and golc !
phosphorescence rhimmered all about |
us.
The evening was too fair to spend
beneath the glare of the electric lamps
In the smoking rooms, so | remained
on deck.
The deck was empty an' the light,
lowered everywhere, save IN he smok
ing room, which glow red IKE a hugh
jewel through the transparent night
The band had ceased playing.
unused idly and started, with eyes tina
say nothing, on the cleaning wave,
of opal fire that leaped in the wake
Of the ship.
Very gently | moved forward. The
whole stern of the ship was bathed II
the wilderness of the moon and looked
as though snow had fallen on the
dack and touched the taffrail with
long lines Of silver. Behind the shiI
the fiery seas heaved and plunged, an6
against all stood one figure.
l caught my breath as | first saw
her--tall. svelte, exquisi.ely nodded
into high. tight-ftting bodice of
black silk dress. Her face was to
ward the moon and the sea, but the
lovely lines of her shoulders, that
tapered to the waist and then spread
again to the rounded hips, told me
that | was looking upon no woman OF
the northern country.
The woman raised hand and
threw aside the wisp of gauze that
had yelled her head, and in the white
light her hair cleaned like the gold
of the sun and knew that looked on
Creole girl. / forced all my will
into my ardent eyes, hoping to make
her turn, but only an elusive perfume
floated about me and now and then
the blue smoke Of a cigarette hung
about her like misty cloud. / must
find out who this gracious being was,
this young thing that stood in the
moonlight, with every supple nssscle
throbbing responsive to the movement
Of the ship.
moved out of the shadow into the
light; an absurdly small handkerchief
lay on the deck. My lips parted to
speak. but she was keener of sense
than l, for she heard me and turned
sharply around. oh! My handk.r.
chief; thank you so much" She put
out hand as white and qink, as dim.
pied and soft as a roseleaf, and so
contrived that. as she took the hand.
kerchief our fingers met through the
filmy lace. What divine night"
murmured, foolishly, while my eyes
tSyoured the oval of her face, the
tangle Of her golden hair, the ripe red.
ness of her parted mouth.
She drew cigarette from a gold
case that swung at her side.
Let me give you a light" | cried
and then had the esctasy for one mo
ment of seeing the smooth grain OF
her skin and the long curling lashes
that yelled eyes which | guessed must
be violet by daylight, but that now
looked velvet blackness. She spoke
but little while we stood there. but
was content to catch the lily perfume
from her hair and note the slender
lines of the round throat. "To-mor
row." ventured to say, as she tossed
the burnt-out cigarette into the waves
Perhaps" she answered, and with
bow she left me.
For four days and nights of burning
tropical splendor ! watched for her
coming as the ship plowed on into the
heart OF the sun and the glow of the
heat. We were nearing the equator
the staterooms and cabins were un
bearable. Part of the deck was ar
ranged so that passengers could sleeT
| in the open, but | never passed the
| night there or In the forepart of the
vessel while others sat for hours tC
| catch the faint breeze made by the
ship. | always waited on the spot
where we had first met, and one might
found her there
After that night Of blue and silver
our evenings on deck were many, an,
the evenings grew to night, and founC
us standing or sitting in the shadow,
and looking at the round red moor
that shone in the blue enameled SIX,
like a golden guinea. We talked II
whispers, and were too earnest eve
to laugh, and told each other much o
many things in the past and more o
one thing in the future.
Thus many sunsets passed to dawn
when we kissed and parted man,
times and stole quietly away to on
cabins Even thus was our last nigh
ON board except that she did not sing
but wept bitterly AS | kissed her To-
the last time, and said the future
might be an awakening.
The next day stood at the head o
the gangway to see her land Tn,
English went off first, still too thin
and still laughing; the massive south
ern women followed rolling their vas
bodies and flashing their fine eyes un
der absurd hats, | had hoped that she