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rnrZZrf AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. nZeZ'
.: ' . . - - - - - - - - - "-: -' . : , . : ; ,
Vol. Ar. IVoav 1 tloomfiold, Tuiiuiiry 17, IVo. 3.
lit J'uhllslied Weekly,
At New llloonillcld, renn'a.
F II A N K M 0 It T I M E It .
SCIIHCUIPTION TKIIMH.
oyjS DOLLAll V1UI YEAR!
Oil lO CENTS 1'Klt MONTH,
iin aiwa-inck.
ONLY A EOT.
Only a bny with his noise find fun,
The veriest mystery under the mn ;
An brimful of mischief, and wit, and gle.e,
As ever 11 human frnmc enn be,
And as hard to munagens what? nh me!
'TIB bind to tell,
Yet wo love him well.
Only a boy with Ills fen r fill tread,
Who cannot be driven, but must be led ;
Who troubles the neighbors' dogs and cuts,
And tears more clothes, and spoils more tints,
Loses more kites, and tops and bats,
Than would Btoek a etoro
Kor a year or more.
Only a bcy with li is wild, strange ways.
With his Idle hours or busy days ;
With his queer remarks and his odd replies,
Sometimes foolish and sometimes wipe,
Often brilliant for one of his size,
As a meteor hurled
From the planet world.
Only a boy, who will be a man,
If nature goes with her first grcnt plan
If Intemperance, or some fatal snare,
Conspire not to rob us of this our heir,
Our blessing, our trouble, our rct our cam,
Our torment, our joy T
" Only a boy."
LITTLE FEET.
In castle halls or cottage homes,
Wherever guileless childhood roams,
Oh, Ihero is nothing half so sweet
As busy tread of little feet.
The sighing breeze, the ocean's roar,
The purling rill, the organ's power,
All stir the soul, but none so deep
As tiny tread of littlo feet.
My First Love Scrape
AMI
ITS CONSEQUENCES.
AS NATIJHALLY as a steel needle
flics to a magnet so have I felt al
ways ready to hurry to the aid of a lady
in distress. I do not say it vauntingly,
Dor put it forward as a virtue, for the
act lius generally been involuntary ; and
ho it was one day last year, when, having
seen my small quantity of personal lug
gage on board the great screw liner lying
at the wharf getting up steam, ready for
her rare across the Atlantic, I was loafing
about, watching with considerable amuse
ment the arrival of passengers, for the
most part excited, worried, and the prey
of porters und cabmen, who seem to bo
troubled with no more perfections in Liv
erpool than in tlio metropolis. A lighted
eigar was between my lips, and I was try
ing to enjoy it for judging from old ex
perience of my sensation in a rough sea,
I did not anticipate much comfort for the
next two or three days at least when a
very ordinary-looking man, evidently a
commercial traveler lor a cutting house,
walked up and asked mo for a light, star
ing ut me tho wliilo in so offensive a man
ner that us I handed my cigar, I glanced
down ut his left baud to sec that it was
not meddling with my watch chain.
" Looks like a commercial, but may be a
pick-pocket," I said nmntally, of course
while he puffed at his cigar, putting
mine out in tlio process.
lioiug across ?" he said abruptly,
and, to use what would probubly have
been hi expression, taking stock of mo
the while.
"Fir?"
"Going Herons the YuuAllelieUjitt"
he said uguin, coolly, and nodding his
head toward the great steaming and snort
ing vessel.
" My cigar thanks!" I said, in atone
meant to be perfectly Hclgraviuu iu it
hauteur, as I turned aside, for 1 had met
the appeal of a pair of dark eyes a ludy
was id distress, aud, between porters
and baggage, apparently perfectly bewil
dered. " Are you going ou board 1"' 1 asked.
" Yea, oh, yes," said the owner of th
eyes, eagerly. " Arc yon connected with
the steamer, sir ?"
" Kr no, not exactly." I said, taken
Konicwhnt uback ; and I felt somewhat dis
posed to say, '' Do 1 look us if I was?"
" Allow me, though these men !"
' Yes, yes," said the lady ; " they ask
six shillings for bringing my luggage from
the station. Is it correct ?"
" Absurd ! " No," 1 said ; " half a
crown is ample." And, espousing the la
dy's cause, I dismissed the ravenous mon
sters who prey upon the unprotected, and
then sent her luggage ou board the 11 1
vtllyn, casting more than once a glance
aside to see that my new acquaintance
was tail, with handsome, well-marked
features, very ladylike, nnd dressed in the
Grst fashion.
" Seems odd," I thought. " traveling
quite alouc. Strong-minded woman, per
haps." Jiut this latter thought was set asido
the next moment as I handed her along
the gang-way ; for there was a quid, ear
nest, trusting look in her dark eyes; and
the answers sho gave to my entreaties
that she would not be alarmed at the
rushing water, the uneasy motion of the
steamer, and tho pushing, excited crowd,
were grutefull in the extreme. I felt
flattered, aud not ut all sorry that such u
companion waa to share my voyage.
" If you would lead ine to the cabin
where I could see the stewardess," she
said, and I immediately handed her to
tho saloon door, where she turned frank
ly to hold out h well-gloved though rath
er u large hand, ' 1 am indeed much
obliged. I aiu obliged to travel alone ;
but my husband will meet me on landing
at New York' and lie will. I know, be
extremely grateful for your kindness."
"The next momeut I was standing
alone, confounding her husband, and ap
pealing to fate to know why another
should have first seen and secured about
the only woman who seemed likely to
form an agreeable sharer of my pilgrim
age through life.
" Nice to be a young, smart-looking
fellow," said a voice ; and, turning, there
stood the bagman, puffing away at his
cigar, und staring at me with all his
might, though probubly from business
habit, he was referring from time to time
to u pocket-book lie held iu his hands.
" Now, you kuow I never make an im
pression like that on a lady. I never
find the sex asking my protection, und ull
that sort of thing. Yery nice, though, 1
should think, isn't it?"
He accompanied his lust words with
the slightest approach to a wink, und clos
ing tho book he poked me with it in the
side, when I felt so annoyed that I angri
ly turned upon my heel and wulkcd to
the side, watching the urrival of late pas
sengers ; but to my great disgmt he fol
lowed me, and heedless of of my frown
ing looks, continued his scrutiny.
I tried very hard to get rid of him,
but snubbing was thrown away. Appar
ently he could not understand that his
conduct was obtrusive ; nnd, at lust,
making u virtue of necessity, I suffered
him, and he literally hooked himself ou
to tne.
Hut ull the same he seemed no have u
shrewd business eye ; und while careful
ly keeping close to me he scrutinized ull
who came on board till the time of start
ing had arrived. The cables were cast
loose, the screw revolved slowly, then
stopped, then revolved again, and the
vessel again began to move forward, the
pasengers waving their adieus as they
clustered by the side. Then once moro
tho bagman stared me i'ull in tho face,
looked undecided, walked through the
throng on dock, got in tho sailor's way,
stared in face after face, us a dog who
sought his master, and then, in the sumo
undecided manner, returned to me, and
stopped by my side, us if about to speak ;
but directly alter lie checked lumscll
und drew out another cigar.
" How very soon the motion of the
vessel bciginsto uffectyou," he said, with
a smile.
" Affects you, you mean," I replied.
" Yes, exuctly. Curious, though, ain't
it. Seems us if nature never meant us
to leave the land of our fathers the place
of our birth, us the song says, eh t Kver
been across beforo ?"
" Yes, twice," I said, sharply ; and I
Jhon wulkcd uway, for now, closely veiled,
I had seen the figure of my lady friend
emerging from tho saloon door; and up
on my going up and unking concerning
her welfuro, she made no demur about
taking my arm and walking up and down
the deck.
I must confess that I thought very lit
tle of the scene around, though I kept,
on tho streugth of old recollections,
poiuting out the various familiar objects
we were passing j for 1 had the idea in
my head that the remark my companion
had made was not the truth ; in short, 1
did not believe that there would bo any
husband awaiting her upon the quay ut
New York, und that alter all it was but a
bold subterfuge by which u single and
unprotected woman wished to shroud her
self in the respect paid to the married of
her sex.
That she was respectable was undoubt
ed ; but there was a timid, shrinking way
about her. so different from the quiet,
calm self-possession of u married lady;
and I felt assured that no one whose hus
band awaited her upon the quay at Now
York would so readily lay herself open
to remark by accepting my arm upon so
short an acquaintance
" Is Is that n a friend of yours?"
suddenly asked my companion.
" Friend ? friend of mine ?" 1 said,
in n puzzled way. No, I have no friends
on board at least only one, f hope," I
added, meaningly.
" 1 I thank you," wa;' the hesitating
reply, in the most gentlo of tones. ''Com
pelled as wo arc to rely upon tho society
of so few during a sea-voyage, friend
ships do soon spring up."
Hut to whom were you alluding?"
1 said.
" Oh, it is nothing. 1 but 1 urn very
weak and foolish L fancied that the
nun, the gentleman you were speaking to
was watching us rather particularly."
" Yes, yes, I dare say, I think though,
it is his habit. He looked just as ear
nestly at me a short time ugo, und he bus
been staring at every otic in turn. You
don't think he is looking after a runaway
young lady?" I added, laughing.
In an instant my arm was dropped,
and though the veil was down, my com
panion's eyes scemt d to flash fire as she
half turned round toward Uic.
I never professed to be very penetrat
ing, but I was keen enough to sco that I
had touched upon a chord which kept
bent the two ends of u bow of mystery.
I saw, too, that, but for careful manage
ment, the advance I had made iu the
good graces of an admirable woman
would be destroyed in un instant.
' Pray excuse my inipertinentremark,"
I exclaimed, eagerly. " The words were
meaningless, and uttered without fore
thought." My companion apparently reassured,
took my arm onco more, and uttered u
little low laugh.
" Meaningless, indeed ; but for a mo
ment 1 thought "
" She did not finish her sentence ; for
at that moment my commercial acquaint
ance passed close by us, gave mo a fa
miliar nod und a smile, wafted a cloud
of smoke into the lady's face, aud talk
ed ou.
" Such coiiKiimate impertinence !" I
said. " You would hardly think that I
had never seen that man before to-day."
" Acquaintanceships do spring up rath
er rapidly sometimes," was tho meaning
reply ; and 1 glanced down, but the speak
er's head was slightly averted, and it
seemed to me that she spoko iu husky
tones.
For the next three days the number of
passengers who showed on deck was
strictly limited iu consequence of the
state of the weather, and really the of
fices of steward and stewardess could have
been no sinecure. For my part, I can
Only owu to being qualmish on the sec
ond day, und 1 paced the deck hopefully
in anticipation of tho udveut of my lady
friend. Jiut go ou deck when I would 1
wus certain to encounter the cool, easy
assured nod of tho bagmuu, whose con
sumption of cigars musL huvu been enor
mous. Jlo wus us free und obsttusivo us
ever; but one evening, just us it wus
turning dark, 1 had the pleasure of smok
ing my pipe in peace ; for I saw liim iu
deep conversation with a man 1 hud hard
ly noticed before, from tho fact of his
being one of the sccoud-eluss pusseugcrs.
To my grcut astonishment, though, uf
ter I hud gone into tho saloon, the bag
man cumo strolling iu, followed a short
time after by tho man to whom he hud
been speaking; und this latter seated
himself ou the opposite sido of the table
in an abstracted manner, sat thinking for
a while, und then slowly wulkcd past me,
und out of the saloon door softly shaking
his head.
The uext two days passed pleasantly
enough ; for though unwilling to come
on deck, tho ludy passenger wag nearly
recovered, aud muny a pleasant tete-a-Uie
I enjoyed. 1 found her most ladyliko,
and thorougly well informed; while, as
our ucquaiutuuco warmed, if I may use
the term, into somothing thut wus at least
friendship, I was delighted to find that
mine bad indeed been true surmise;
for she confessed to having determined
to travel us Mrs. Savillc. there being no
husband to meet her at New York, only
u brother.
l'crhaps I did plume myself on my
shrewdness; at all events, thut night after
winning from her so singular un avowal,
I was considerably elated. I listened
that evening to the remarks of a passen
ger respecting tho tedium of tho trip
with a sense of lofty contempt; for I be
gan to feel that 1 was very far gone, and
the Atlantic seemed to be the brightest
of seas, overborne by the blue-it of skies.
1 was, iu fact, in such u state of ccstacy
that 1 went on deck to look up ut the
stars for un hour before seeking my borth
for Miss Savillc Savillc? what an old
and aristocratic name ! Miss Suvillo had
retired, or how glorious it w uld have
been, in that clear, diamond-illuminated
night, to have watched the sparkling of
the spray, and
Wus 1 mistaken ? Had she not part
ed from me a quarter of an hour before
to retire to rest ? und now this veiled fig
ure that glided by mo in the darkness,
was not this she?
Impossible! I laughed the next mo
ment; for I felt that my mind wus full of
one forui, and that in the hasty glimpse I
had obtained 1 liud invested another
with attr. botes of her I loved.
Yes, her 1 loved. I was ready to own
it now ; and I leaned thoughtfully over
the bulwark, going over the incidents of
the past day or so, and making up y
mind as to my future proceeding; for I
had not lost all feeling of prudence. I
wanted to kuow something of the lady's
antecedents und connections matters I
concluded could be easily bo arrived at in
conversation the next day.
I was standing quite in the shadow be
neath one of the quarter-boats, und 1 hud
just turned with the intention of descend
ing, when some one passed mo whom I
recognised us the second-class passenger ;
und then for a few moments 1 heard u
low murmured conversation at u short
distance, when tho man passed me again,
going forward.
Five minutes after I was ut the saloon
door, when a hearty clap on the shoulder
made me turn, to liud that it was the
bagman, who laughed softly ut my ungry
face, and then added to his former ob
strusiveness by thrusting his hand into
my side, as he whispered to me :
" I say, my lad, I'm going to open
your eyes for you to-morrow, so look out.
There, don't be uppish ; come ;md have a
cigar up in tho bows just one before
you turn iu " ,
" I am much obliged," I said ; ' but I
aui going to my berth."
" Just us you like," was tho uoticha
leut reply, and he turned away.
"Let me see," said the captain, ut
breakfast, next morning; " where's my
friend who sits third down on the left
Mr. Lister? Steward, go and sec if
Mr. Lister is unwell again no not again,
bocause he seemed to be nu old sailor
see if he's in his cabin."
The stcwurd returned with a reply in
the negative; when, supposing him to be
on deck, the breakfast was brought to an
end, and Mr. Lister, or us I failed him,
the bagman, was forgotten.
The duy passed and evening had ar
rived, when, as I wus sitting iu sweet in
tercourse with Miss Savillc, rumor's bu
sy tongue began to announce thut Mr.
Lister was missing.
I immediately recalled his promise to
open my eyes that day, and also that ho
hud invited mo forward with him to
smoke a cigar; and I know not why, a
strange feeling of interest made me
leave my scat, apologize to Miss Savillc,
who bowed stiffly und went below, while
I walked forward to a group to find the
subject in full discussion. Two of the
watch had seen him go forward with a
lighted cigar between his lips, und perch
himself eloso to tho bowsprit ; but they
eould not recollect seeing him come
back, though ono mun hud some fuiut
idea of something blaek close by him,
but he wus uot sure.
Moro excited groups formod, and I
soon found thut search hud been made
through the steamer, and that tho cap
tain was in greut trouble respecting the
missing mun ; for all pointed to one fact
thut tho poor fellow had chosen a dan
gerous position, and had, without giving
the ularin, slipped and fallen into the sea,
to be borne under in an instant by the
huge eut-water of the vessel.
I shuddered; for I thought that, had
I acceptod hia iuvitation, and, if power
less to stay him, still have given the alarm,
perhaps in time for a boat to have been
iuunched.
" Can any gentleman afford any infor
mation?" said tho captain, addressing
the group where I stood.
" I can only udd," I said, "corrobora
tive testimony thut Mr. Lister invited
mo to go forward with him, but I declin
ed." " You did not go forward with him ?"
said the captain.
" No," 1 replied; "nnd I have no re
collection of seeing him come back into
the saloon. Hut stop," I said, for I had
suddenly encountered a close, searching
glance directed at me ; "there is a gentle
man here who was talking to Mr. Lister
late last night." Audi pointed to the
second-class passenger.
" How do you know ?" he said, calmly,
egardlcss of the many eyes fixed upon
him.
" H cuiise I stood by ono of the quarter-bo
ts when you camo aft to speak to
him, and I snw you go back."
" (j lito rie.ht," said the secoud-clats
passenger.
" Did you know, Mr. Lister?" said tho
captain.
' Yes, I knew him," said the other,
calmly.
" i here seems to bo some mystery '
here," said the captain. "Was he a
friend of yours ?"
" Yes," was the almost abrupt reply;
and then, after a moment's silence, tho
second-class passenger walked quietly up
to tho captain, took hint by a button,
led him apart, and whispered a few words
iu his eur.
I saw the captain give a slight start),
stare hard ut the man, and then appar
ently usk u question, when, whatever was
the answer, he seemed satisfied, and gave
orders for a further search, which was,
however, futile.
I wus not ulonc in directing curious
glances nt the second-class passenger : but
he was a quiet, dry-looking course-shaven
fellow, with un apparent power of shut
ting himself up within himself; and he
paced the deck to und fro, with his hands
behind his back, in a furtive, thoughtful
way, till ull searching wasut an end, and
the conclusion arrived at that our luck
less fellow-passenger hud met his fate.
1 noticed that the quiet man's eyes
were fixed on me as I went to the saloon j
and on going to where Miss Savillc was
seated a strange feeling made me turn
my head for an instant to see that he was
watching me from the door; but he dis
appeared ou tho inatunt.
Full of tho event, I was about to tell
ull I knew of my companion ; but with a
show of real horror she held up her hands
begging mo to forbear.
" It is too dreadful 1" she exclaimed;
" I can not bear it. I know all I huve
heard all. l'oor man ! here in health
lust night, and now pray, pray say no
nore about it."
Sho was excessively palo and agitatod ;
so much so, indeed, that I summoned the
steward to bring wine, for I was afraid
the poor girl would faint; and she drank
a glass with avidity, shuddering after
ward, while tho cold perspiration stood in
beads upon her forehead.
I proposed a walk on deck, but it was
declined; and to my greut sorrow, the
shock had such an effect upon her that
she was confined to the cabin to the cad
of our rather protracted voyage.
Hut the morning was bright as wo
came iu sight of land ; and as we slowly
steamed in, I found to my great joy,
thut Miss Saville was ouce more visible,
though I wus not prepared for the con
straint with which my advances were met.
I usked myself hud I neglected any
thing ; had 1 fallen off in warmth. Jiut
no lover could huve been more uttentive
or assiduous as to her welfare. I felt
wounded; but I wag determined not to
show it, and almost iu opposition to her
wishes, I saw to her luggage, and, broth
er or no brother waiting, determined to
see her to her home.
I wus ready to upbraid her with coquet
ry ; but I refrained, feeling that it was
possible she had taken my attentions as
being merely intended to last tho voyage;
and at last, cold und constrained, we '
stood close together, for in another too
minutes we should bo debarking.
Happening to gaze around, I suddenly
became awure of tho sccoud-cluss passen
ger standing close to my elbow, and I
could not uvoid a start one which made
Miss Saville turu wonderingly to me, at
the same tiniu holding her veil closely to
tier face, for the breeze was rather brisk.
" It was nothing," I said; " but pray,
Miss Savillo, allow me to carry that bug;
it seems heavy." And I pointed to the
littlo black traveling bug she carried i
her bund.
" No, no, I thank you, no," she said ;
" indeed, sir, I eau dispense with your of
fers of service."
"As you please, madam," I said sharply,
for there was a harshness iu her voice,