1895. 



THE AMERICAN BEE-Ki:KPh.R 



229 



sledge to the losver missions, wlaere he met 

 the fiictdi" (if the gi'eat company huyiuf!; 

 furs, and wlio brought a few precious let- 

 ters for The Post, forwarded by winter 

 courier from Quebec. 



Two tliousand miles the print had come 

 by sledge, and every day the young man 

 studied it, noting the cliarms of youthful 

 eyes and mouth, of rounded cheek and 

 wavy hair, s]ieouIating upon her character 

 and longing fur yet dreading that juo- 

 mentous time when tiiey should meet to 

 either love or hate. 



Which would it be and could he gain 

 her love? How should he greet her? He, 

 a gawky youth, wlio, guarded in his 

 school, ascetically trained, had no experi- 

 ence with the other sex, regarding them 

 as quite beyond his ken, knew nothing of 

 the pangs of boyish love, and only had a 

 crude abstract idea of the happiness, 

 duties, sacrifice and pain involved in the 

 mysteries of married life. 



The elder of the post hf^JpC-iid the time 

 was ripe for him to take a wife. Obedient 

 to the magnate of the church, he had writ- 

 ten, at dictation, his request. 



And now the signal shot had let them 

 know the vessel bringing her was drawling 

 near. 



He left the store with speed, fled to his 

 room, bathed, combed and dressed him in 

 his best, looked at tlie photograph and put 

 it back within its velvet cover next his 

 heart, lauglied and half cried and paced 

 the polished floor, and through the open 

 window nervously watched and waited for 

 the coming ship. 



Themurmiu-of the voices now increased 

 and swelled into shouts of "Gleauerakoo- 

 a-ko-o-o-t!" and round the precipitous 

 point, with white sails set and penna-^ls 

 flying, swept the noble brig. The bay was 

 dotted now with bright kayaks, and vol- 

 ley on volley rang from a hundred guns, 

 the church liell pealed, the dogs set up a 

 howl and sang their weird chorus lustily, 

 flags fluttered bravely from the mission 

 roofs, and presently the brig's signaling 

 cannon boomed. 



The novice hid his face within his 

 hands, with fluttering heart of mingled 

 joy and fear, and wished himself 10,000 

 miles away. 



:jc ^. ^ :^ ^ -Jfi ■^. 



A week passed. The brig still lay at 

 anchor in the bay. 



Within his .study the mission elder sat, 

 his long gray beard falling in tangled 

 waves upon his breast. 



His keen gray eyes were bent upon the 

 novice and the girl, who stood respectfully 

 waiting till he should speak. 



For 40 years he had lived his mission 

 life, and his thoughts were busy with that 

 time lone nassed wlien he liac^. been just 



sucn anotJier yoiiTu aiict Had obey ea j use 

 such a call to wed. His helpmate's sil- 

 very hair was auburn then. Her dear old 

 wrinkled face was smooth and fair. 



The children of the j|s>ve were scattered 

 wide. One had been sent to Asia's infidel 

 land, another lived beneath tlio scorching 

 rays that bleached the sands of Africa, and 

 a third had labored for the cluu-cJi a.mong 

 the hordes of one of those far islands in 

 the sea, and news had eonae that he, the 

 mast beloved, had been rewarded with a 

 martyr's crown 



"Fraulein," he .said at last, "the time is 

 short; the brig must sail tomorrow. I 

 must urge that you should give your an- 

 swer definitely. 



"It is a tiling most serious to you both, 

 but you have been together seven days. 

 Not long in which to fix upon a wife or 

 learn to judge a lover's moods and whims. 



"But I can speak myself for this young 

 man. I pledge you he is upright, virtuous, 

 kind. 



"And as for you, my son, she is far 

 more. Her features would be ample pass- 

 port without this commendation fr(jm the 

 church. That you already love her I can 

 see. What do you answer?" 

 , Tiie- younsr man looked to her, then 

 dropped hi.'- gaze. "You speak but truth, 

 sir. She is dear to me. I would not have 

 her leave me, but still less would 1 enjoy 

 the thought that she was forced by sense 

 of duty onh to share my lot. 



"I pray let her decide for both of us and 

 give her till the morrow to reply. If she 

 should wish for more delay, it is not nec- 

 essary we should wed at once, and mean- 

 while I may try to win her love." 



"What saj's the madchen?" 



Tlus girl was touched by the generous 

 thoughtfuliAss the youth had shown and 

 by the kindness of the aged inan. She cast 

 one swift, wistful glance through the open 

 window at the anchored brig, where the 

 captain ' s st; .vart figure paced the quarter, 

 and l)lushed and bowed her head and tried 

 to speak. Tiii;n, with returning courage 

 and resolve, she approached and knelt be- 

 side the old man's chair. 



"Father," she said, her sweet voice 

 tremulous, "I have had thoughts, unwor- 

 thy of my faith, rebellious thoughts and 

 fears and wickial moods. If either is un- 

 worthy, it is 1. 



"Give me some few days more before wo 

 wed — and let the brig sail. I will stay 

 with you." — Kalph Graham Tabor in 

 Truth. 



Roundaboat Messages. 



A special c<irrespondent found hintself 

 shut out of a London newspaper office in 

 Fleet street and unable to make himself 

 heard by any one within. His errand 



