Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1912-03-21
They Met on
The Ocean
BY MRS. MARY c. ELwooD

on the ocean than on the land. have
many times between America
and England and in most of my yoy-
ages have seen one or more cases which
| believed to be courtships. | can nc-
count for it 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 l. an elderly
woman. roomed with young Swiss
girl who was coming 20 America to
make a new home She was young
thing without experience and spoke
only the German language. Since l
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 wonderingly, she
told me that she had understood that
the customs officers in the United
States did not levy a duty on anything
worn on the person II she could get
the lace through the custom house she
could sell it at a good profit and thus
increase her little savings. | told her
that day had passed and passengers
were 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 "A a part of her gar
ments and hoped she would have no
trouble
The first day or two out from Lon
don | 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 MS. He was a Swede and going
TO America on the same errand as Der
tha--to make n 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 l knew that to a young eou-
pie ] would be superhuous. | could
see distinctly however, that Bertha
had caught 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 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. II seemed very quick nguk to
me, and | asked her If she thought she
could trust him on such short ac-
quaintance, whereupon she declared
that she would as soon distrust the
Angel Gabriel
The night before we reached the
dock Bertha told me that she had con
fded to young Jacobson that she had
q lot of lace sewed on 10 her clothes
that she proposed TO smuggle through
l gasped for breath but, knowing ii
would be useless to say anything, held
my peace The next morning Bertha
went ashore with NE, jacobson going
before While we were standing over
our baggage waiting for an examina-
ton ! noticed him talking with an in
spector and looking toward us. Then
the customs man came to us and told
Bertha TO come with him. | went too,
and she was taken to "A room where
woman examined her clothing and ex-
posed the struggled lace.
OF course 1t was confiscated When
we We're through with the matter and
drove uptown ! told Bertha that her
lover had informed upon her Contra
~ 10 what | expected, she believed me
and was heartbroken, but neither of
rs could understand why he had done
SO | strove to comfort the girl and
read her a lecture AT the same time.
telling her that the world WAS fun Of
sharpers and their most prolific field
was women For the future she must
trust no one except after long ac-
luaiutuuce. and even then ii was dam
gerous
We had arrived early in the morning.
but owing to Berthas trouble did not
reach my boarding house till late in the
afternoon when Bertha went directly
10 Ter room To weep. In the evening
was told that young man wished
TO see me in the parlor and | went
here TO fad Jacobson
II wish 90 make an explanation 10
7ou,' he said, and ! will trust YOU not
% give me away. Before leaving Swe-
len put all the money | had in dia
nonds and struggled them through the
'ustom house in my hair Seeing an
Inspector looking at the great growth
'n my head suspiciously. 70 divert his
attention Z directed il to your room
nate. telling him that she was a Snug
yier and that | would claim a reward
or my Information | knew the din
nOnds on me were worth ten times the
ace ON her I huva rnme To maka this