The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-13
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| extreme antiquity, WhleA seemed 10 hlih
 to have a profound similarity to- the
 affair of Walter and Florence. This bai- lad he learned painfully by heart and l in the evenings after sundry hoarse | orders to Sol and Walter to stand by" | he would roar through 1t in the little back parlor; beating time with the iron hook that served him in place of
 his right hand. A fine timber-1ike man
 was the captain, who never was seen abroad or at hime without his hard glazed hat on, while his red face shone behind an enormous collar like a sail. Walter, too, while he did not share the innocent visions of his two admiring old friends, dwelt on the thought of the pretty, trusting, helpless child. He pre- served the tattered shoes that he had taken from her feet He listened to the sanguine corresponding imagination of Captain Cutie and smiled, for he under stood his humble position with Dombey & Son pretty well in time; but for all that, in a brave, boyish, simple way he dreamed of doing something great some day to win Her favor.
 Florence thought as often about Walter. With the exception of Susan Ripper and little Paul, none others entered into her lonely life closely enough to touch 1t ex- cept on the surface. She loved her broth- CT with all the might of her affectionate heart but she dared not show her feel- ings before her stern father; and when Paul was only years old they were sep arated for MT. Dombey felt that It was high time for the boy to be fitted for the tremendous position of son Therefore, ne went one day with a fluttering heart and with one tiny hand clutching Florence's tightly, while the other lay timldly Tn MT. Dombey's, to be introduced into the majestic seminary of pr. Blimber, who was famous for having introduced pupils into Greek at and whose proud boast was that there was nothing but learning going on in his establishment from morn- ing until night.
 They left him there-a very little, paie' shrinking child. Florence ran back again to throw her arms around his neck. IL Blimber had to confess that the old Ro- mans and Greeks were too much TOT ms pupil. Kind arms carried him down. stairs and to the carriage and so home, with Florence sitting by his side and holding his hand.
 ''Florence," he whispered, bioy' my own pet, wasn't that papa standing m the hall when they carried me upstairs from the coach? Did he cry and go into his room when he saw me?'
 Florence shook her head and pressed her ups against his cheek.
 ''Pm very glad he didn't cry. said Ill., tIe Paul. I thought he did. Don't tell them that asked"
 He never rose from his bed again. He law quite still and tranquil, contented unutterably to have Florence with him always. One day, when he had been drifting long and far on the river that will bear us all away some day, he heard below the voice of Walter Gay, who had come on an errand. Florence and he had talked about him often and he had seen the lad many times.
 "send Walter to me-" he cried. and his fathers voice sounded, bidding the young man come up. Paul stretched out his hand and said: Walter, dear, good by." Then he turned to his father, who had bent his face close to the pillow. "Remember Walter, dear papa he whis- pered. "Remember Walter. I was fond of Walter"
 He put his arms around Florence and lay still. The old, old fashion! The fash ion that came in with our first garments and will last unchanged till our race has run It's course. The old. old fashion Death.
 For many days afterward MT. Dom- bey locked himself in his room. Every night Florence stole lightly down the stairs and stopped before his door with beating heart and blinded eyes and hair that fell down loosely and un- thought of. She touched the closed door with her wet cheek and whis- pered Good night, dear. dear papa" and stole back to bed again, with her heart full of love-a love cast away, but always turning back to him who never had looked at her since Paurs death.
 One night he heard her and came out. The face that he turned on her had not one gleam of tenderness or interest or pity in it. There was change in it, but not of that kind. It cast shadow on her and froze her as she looked, for even to her young eyes her fathers face told her that 1t was gall to him to see her in her youth and her promise and to think of his boy.
 Another bereavement came into her life before the grass on Paul's grave was green. Walter was sent to Bar bados by MT. Carker, who seized the opportunity offered by vacancy there. Before he went Florence came to the sign of the Little Midshipman. who surely never had seen a sweeter and prettier vision through his sextant in all the years that he had gazed so in- dustriously through 1t.
 T have come to say goodbye, dear Walter" said Florence crying. And you must call me Florence for Paul Said before he died, Remember Wal ter,' and if you'll be like a brother to me now that he is gone and I have none on earth I'll be your sister all my life." And with her full and simple heart she held out both her hands to him.
 The next day Walter sailed, his last act being after great effort to force ] back on the reluctant Capt. Cutie all that worthy mariners worldly effects, consisting of an immense silver watch, a sugar tongs and two silver spoons,