The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-07
They Met on
The Ocean
By MRS. MARY C. Ell WOOD

hioNSth tldug llIileS DttNttl Anti ia
aud England and in most of my voy-
ages have seen one or more cases which
j believed to be courtships. | can ac-
count for 1t only on the ground that
during the period of crossing certain
persons who are thrown together have
nothing to do but make love.
On one of my voyages |, an elderly
woman. roomed with a young Swiss
girl who was coming to America to
make a new home. She was a young
thing without experience and spoke
only the German language. Since |
spoke it. too. Bertha Gerstein relied
upon me to tell her what she should
do in all those matters coming up in
travel and especially when she reach
ed America. | was glad to inform her,
and she appeared very grateful.
One thing noticed about her that
excited my curiosity-her undercloth-
ing was profusely decorated with lace,
not worked in. but loosely tackled on.
Seeing me look at it worderingly. she
told me that she had understood that
the customs officers in the United
States did not levy duty on anything
worn on the person. If she could get
the lace through the custom house she
could sell it at good profit and thus
increase her little savings. | told her
that day had passed and passengers
We're required to sign statements as to
the goods purchased abroad which
they brought over with them. This
troubled her, but she decided to wear
the lace ashore as part of her gar
ments and hoped she would have no
trouble.
The first day or two out from Lon
don I sat good deal on deck with my
roommate. A young man with a lot
of tumbled blond hair sat near us one
morning and entered into conversation
with us. He was a Swede and going
to America on the same errand as Ber-
tha-to make q home for himself. He
seemed to be an excellent young man,
and seeing that he and Bertha appear
ed to be favorably predisposed toward
each other. | left them alone together
and went below.
seldom sat long with Bertha on
deck after this, for the young man,
Peter Jacobson, almost always Joined
her, and | knew that to a young cou-
pie ! would be superduous. | could
see distinctly, however, that Bertha
had caught a seasickness that does not
pertain to the stomach. She was fall
ing In love with Mr.. Jacobson. How
ever, she continued to rely on me for |
what she should do after making port, |
and | agreed to take her to a house /,
where / had boarded for number of |
years till she could learn what her /
more permanent plans would be,
Shortly before the termination of the /
voyage the little Swiss girl confided /
TO me that she and the Swede had /
agreed to join their fortunes in Amer /
lea, 1t seemed very quick work to I
me. and asked her If she thought she /
could trust him on such short ac- |
luaintance, whereupon she declared I
that she would as soon distrust the /
Angel Gabriel.
The night before we reached the /
dock Bertha told me that she had con- /
ided to young Jacobson that she lad |
1 lot of lace sewed on to her clothes |
hat she proposed to smuggle through. !
gasped for breath. but. knowing it
would be useless to say anything. held I
NY peace. The next morning Bertha
went ashore with me, Jacobson going
before. While we were standing over
,ur baggage waiting for an examina-
ion | noticed him talking with an in
,pector and looking toward us. Then
he customs man came to us and told
Bertha to come with him. | went. too,
ind she was taken to room where
woman examined her clothing and ex-
,osed the smuggled lace.
OF course it was confiscated When
We were through with the matter and
Irove uptown | told Bertha that her
over had informed upon her Contra
y to what | expected, she believed me
nd was heartbroken. but neither of
IS could understand why he had done
o. | strove to comfort the girl and
cad her lecture at the same time,
elling her that the world was full of
harpers and their most prolific field
vas women. For the future she must
rust no one except after a long &C
and even then it was dan
erous
We had arrived early in the morning,
ut owing TO Bertha's trouble did not
each my boarding house till late in the
fternoon. when Bertha went directly
D her room to weep. In the evening
was told that young man wished
, see me in the parlor. and | went
here to find Jacobson.
II wish to make an explanation to
ou." he said. "and | will trust you not .
, give me away. Before leaving Swe-
en- | put all the money / had in dia-
londs and struggled them through the
lstom house in my hair. Seeing an
lSpector looking at the great growth ..
4 my head suspiciously. to divert his
ttention | directed 1t to your room
ate. telling him that she was a SNUG +
Ter and that would claim a reward {
onds on me were worth ten times the !
ce on her. | have come to make this :
Iplanation and assure her that my '
almonds are hers as well as mine .
Ill you kindly see her and make my :
,oloCies TO her /
One of the pleasantest duties | have L
Ter performed was carrying this mes