CHAPTER LXVL.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 241, 11 February 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

CHAPTER LXVL.

".BOUND ON A VOYAGE Ol*J£n AWFUL. Now, in thy woo, beseech, of Him , ;- IWho1 Who giveth, upbraiding not : Thai His light in thy heart become not dim, Nor his love be unforpot ; .. . „ And th> God m the dnrkcSt of days shall be Beauty, and greennebs, anil strength to ihee. IiCKNAKD UaUION. *' ' Bound to San Francisco, by the way of Cape Horn 1" echoed Gertrudo/iri a fainting voice, as she sank back in her chair, pale as death. * In' an instant Captain Wailes" saw the error he had committed, and hastened to rectify it. " Bub we need nofc take you so far away from your home, my dear— l mean madam, ' he said, as he poured out a glass of water, and handed it to her. •'Thanks. It is a very long voyage— a voyage of many month", is it noi> V she inquired, as she rallied her strength, took the glass and drank the water. " Yes, my dear, child — 1 mean my dear madam; but you are so infantile, you know. Yes, it is a very long voyage ; but, as 1 said before, we need nob toko you so iar, if you do not %\ish to go." " Oh ! I leave all my friends behind me ! —all I have in the world I" said Gertrude ; but she meant Gerald Fitzgerald, and no one else, for he was all the world to her. " Well, we must try to send you back to them, by the first homeward-bound ship," .said the captain, cheerfully. "Oh! you do meet homeward-bound ships ':" exclaimed Gertrude, flushing with renewed hope. 41 Why, certainly we do ! lots of them ! heaps of them! flocks of them ! dioves of them !" cried the captain, exultingly, but with the flagrant exaggeration inspiied by his wish to comfort and cheer nis little passenger. " Oh, lam so glad ! And we may even meet one to-day V" "We may indeed 1 or," added the captain, who thought he had gone too far in promising so much — " we may not meet one for two or three days ; no one can tell. So do not keep your attention on the gui rive of expectancy, but compose yourself, and above all eat > our breakfast. You are eating nothing, my dear child— my dear madam, I should say! Pray, forghe me, but I have a HttJe girl at home, in old St. Mary's, who is just about your age, and I should not think her marriageable for half a dozen years to come. How came you to marry so young ?" inquired Captain Wailes, with a frankness which in him seemed perfectly natural. " Because Colonel Fitzgerald asked me to do so," answered Gertrude, simply. "Oh !" exclaimed the captain, with a little laugh — "and papa and mamma consented." "I had no papa or mamma," Gertrude gravely explained. "Ah," said the captain, in a more sub- ' dued manner, " but your guardians, little matron ?" •'They had no power to prevent my marriage. It was especially stipulated in my grandfather's will that I might marry under age if 1 should wish to do so." " And you did wish ?" "Yes." "Why?" j " Because Colonel Fitzgerald asked me. " j "Oh !— but suppose any other eligible) gentleman had asked you?" { "I should have been very sorry, for I would never have married any one in the world except Colonel Fitzgerald," answered Gertrude, earnestly. And then, all of a sudden, she blushed painfully. Indeed, any oneless meek and gentle than Gertrude might have taken offence at these home questions of the plain fatherly old sea captain ; but our little lady, besides her meekness and gentleness, possessed the charity that "is not puffed up," that " thinketh no evil." The good captain, perceiving that he had embarrassed "the little matron," immediately changed the subject. Meanwhile, the other passengers, who were seated around the breakfast table, seemed to be too busily engaged in talking about the wreck with each other, and with the ship's officers, to be&tow the slightest attention on this little side conversation between Captaiu Waiiet and Mrs Fitzgerald. When the company arose from the table, Captain Wailes gave his arm to Gertrude to steady her steps as he took her on deck. " Do you prefei to sit here, or would you rather go below '(' he inquired. "Iwill'go to the cabin, if you please," answered Gertrude. " I hope, my dear lady, that I have not been so unfortunate as to have given you offence by the plainness of my questions. I fear you thought me very impertinent ; but I really mean not to be so. I am a fatherly old fellow, with a daughter of my own at home, so you see how it- was," said the good captain. "Indeed, Captain Wailes, I think you are very kind to take so much interest in a stranger, and I should be silly as well as ungraceful to feel any offence,'' answered Gertrude, as soon as his silence gave her the opportunity of speaking. " You are a good little lady. Now, I hope you will let me know whether you require anything that the ship can provide for you," he said, as he handed her down the companion way. In the cabin Gertrude found a curious scene going on. It looked as if a dry goods store had been opened there. On the table lay whole pieces of cotcon linen, and woollen goods, piles of Scotch plaid shawls, lamb's wool hose and undorvests, and cases of needles, thimbles, scissors, and spool-cotton. Around the table were gathered all the women in the cabin, examining and selecting from the goods. "What is it all about?" inquired Gertrude of the good stewardess, who seemed to be the saleswoman of tho concern, if it was a sale. " While you ladies were at breakfast these goods were brought up fcom the hold by t'iQ captain's orders. They are out of the captain's own share of the cargo, which is composed, as you may judge from these here specimens, otManchester, Sheffield and Scotch goods," explained the stewardess. " But \vhat are 'they brought here for ? We have no money to buy anything. # Our money has all gone to the bottom in the Zanzibar," said Gertrude. "Bless the child! The captain don't ■want anybody to buy anything. All this is a free offering to the shipwrecked ladies ! , ' God bless Captain Wailes arid the Becky !' Captai i Wailes knew the ladies would want more than one chapge of clothes, and the ' Becky ha*l her hold full of all necessary goods. So the captain has had all this Btuff got up for' you, and even' the scissors to cub 'em ou.t, and tHe needles and thread to make I 'em ' up, I,t wjirbe'rare amusement- for youV too,' ladies, oh, the long voyage." •;"'*' .','',, f" ,

"All this is verjHtfrul of' tfti 'cripikin^ Indeed, everything thab ho does is exceedingly kind and thoughtful. But it seoms scarcely worth while to mnko up any clothes when we expect to lea\o the ship bo soon. " 11 Eh ?" exclaimed the stewardess and Lho ladies in a chorus. " I say it is scarcely worth while to avail o^&solves of the captain's munificent liberal jicy, for the few days ov; hours that wja slnill remain era fchfe s&p^re&potidecT Gertrude. ' . " I don't "knbw What, you- mean at nil, yfcung madam, bub,. if I knoNv anything' about it we 'shall bo on this ship a good six months beforo we land," said the stewardess, while all the other women looked at the confident face of Gertrude with mingled astonishment, incredulity, and —hope. " I don't mean thab we— that we shall land from this ship/ I know, of course, that the oyage is a very long one ; but the captain says that we may bo transferred to the first homeward-bound one that we meet, if we wish/to be sent home, as of course we all do, ' Gertrude exclaimed. " Oh, \es, of com so,' 1 paid the srcwaidess indiscreetly ; " bub who knows how long it may be before wo meet one ? 1 think tho ladies will do well to take the captain's offer, and make up one suit of underclothes apiece ab least, if they want to be clean and comfortable." " But tho captain said wo might meet a homeward-bound ship any day, any hour." pleaded Gortnule, clinging to her hope with the tenacity of desperation. "So we may— any day or any hour. But, then, again we mayn't— not tin's side of the Horn. So, I tell you, young lady, as you'd better take this bolt of linen and cut you out a suit of underclothing ; and I'll fit you with a thimble, and give you needle and thread to sew it up," persisted I tho stewaulness, pushing a large roll of goods toward Gertrude. But she had dropped down into a chair, overcome with sudden disappointment and dread. Had the good captain only prophesied "smooth things/ that had no foundation in truth, when he told her that they would meefe "droves" of homewardbound -.hips ? She could nob tell, instead of touching the bolt of linen, or answering the stewardess, she asked a question. " Is there, then no certainty of our meeting a homeward-bound ship before wo reach Cape Horn ?" "No, there is no certainty; there is never any certainty ; but there is a chance —always a chance," replied the stewardess, oraculaily. " Well, in that case I will believe in tho captain, and hope for the ship," said Gertrude to herself, though her heart was very heavy. Then, admitting the need she would have I for additional clothing, in case she should remain on the Becky even a week longer, she followed the advice of the stewaidets and went to work with the other women. These was not another individual among the wrecked party who was as much alone as Gertrude. For even in the hurry of putting the passengers of the Zanzibar in the life- boats some attention was given to the expediency of keeping tamily parties together. All on the boat Number 2, with Gertrude, were in complete parties, and had been so received on the Becky, although the limited accommodation of the ship necessitated the arrangement by which ail the women and children were bestowed in the after cabin, and all their husbands, fathers and other male relatives in the main cabin. But Gertrude had no one with her except her providential deliverer and escort, Sallust Rowley. And a delicate sense of propriety warned her that she must not make a companion of him ; but, on the contrary, she must habitually avoid him as much as she possibly could do without discourtesy. She felt that- the plain-spoken but kindhearted old sailor, Captain Wailes, was likely to be her best and safest friend at need ; bnt she knew that she would see very little of him either, on account of his many duties, for he was an active commander, and did nob leave bhe conduct of his ship exclusively to his subordinate officers. As for her fellow -voyagers in the ladies' cabin, they were absorbed in their own parties with their own troubles, and gave little thought or attention to anyone or anything outside of their own little circle of grievances. And, lastly, the good stcwaidess had too many ladies and children on her hands to give much sympathy to any one individual So Gertrude was very much alone even in that crowded cabin. But she did not cultivate her solitude and nurse it as a grievance. Her good heart going forth in kind thoughts and then kind acts towards all around her, soon created a sphere of love which embraced first the little children, then their mother?, and then even the selfish and thoughtless within her influence. She exerted herself to be useful and agi'eeable to her companions. When fche had finished but one change of clothing for her own use, she made up one for the old lady whose sight was too impaired bo enable her bo sew for herself. When she had completed the task, she helped the mothers who had several children already suffering for clean clothes. Indeed, by the third day of wearing, the litble children's raiment was so much soilled and begrimed as to bring forth this exclamation from the stewardess : " Well, I think it's a special Providence that our cargo is all in dry goods instead of tea and coffee and liquor and thing**, and that the captain had a share in it, too, else I don't know what would have becomo of these children." But Gertrude's nimble fingers helped the mothers so effectually that the children were soon cleanly clad in their new clothes, while their old clothes were taken off by the kind fetewardess to be washed and mended. Then Gertrude made a shirt for SallusO, and sent ib to him by the stewardess. She thought, poor child !' that one change of clothing all around could be made to do, for she hoped, from hour to hour, and from day to day, to meet thab homeward bound &hip which was to carry them back ''to old Virginia's shore." Bub when a week had passed away, her heart so utterly failed and sickened thab she felt she could be &ilenb no longer. She went on deck on bhe afternoon of the seventh day to look for the captain. She found him near the wheel. 1 "Oh, Captain Wailes," she paid, "tell me truly —please tell me truly— is there any hope of our meeting a homeward-bound ship?" The good captain took his pipe from his mouth, and turned and looked com* assionatcly on her little, pale-careworn face and pathetic brown eyes, lifted bo pleadingly to his, and he answered, kindly : . « My dear child, I do tdll you truly— yes, certainly—there is good hope of meeting a |. homeward-bound ship, or atlea&b some ship [by which you might reach home. Foxinstance, if we were to meet a Steamer or sailing vessel bound to London or to Havre/ we could put you on her, and' you could go to ' London or, ,to J# ?&vvo or' to any other port in Europe to which she might be first bound, and from thence take Bhip .to the United .States, and reach your home in tbre^qr'four weeks.'' ■ • "Oh! .howlongJ how long I" ,c*ied , Gertrude, in a woe-begun" voice.

" ;u My fclitl^¥e T^6\i4reagSn<f getftfome that you cannot endure the unavoidable delay ?" "Oh, CaptainWalcs, I know I ought to be patient, butJpC'i^nnot ! Oh ! I cannot ! Oh, if you only "knew ! — if you only knew ! My case is the worßt case on board, Captain Wales !" she moaned, wringing and twisth ing her Jittle hands that had growja so pale tßiJ>. jlfV At , '5 My' litou^pughter," hearted ola sailor," V every dive on theship* thinks his oWn or her own case the hardest to bear. That is very natural." 11 Oh, Captain Wailes ! you don't know ! you don't know !" ' , "Tell mo, then, daughtor : What is it makes your case so much Avorse than that of all the others ?" he inquired sympathetically. • ( *Oh, sir, my husband believes me to be dead ! he bolieves me to be dead !" "En?" •'He believes mo to bo dead, and he is grieving for me, any I cannot got near him to comfort him, or even get a chance to send him word that I am living. I am being carried farther and farther lrom him every day, and no one knows how far I am to go, or how long I shall be parted from him, or what may happen in tho intoiim," she said in a voice of despair. " You must not look on the darkest side, daughter. Of course he will hear of the wreck of the Zanzibar from some of ,those passengers in the other lifeboats that will have been picked up by other ships nearer home ; but he need not, therofoie, take it for granted that your boat was lost and believe you to bo dead," said the captain, earnestly. 11 Oh, sir ! he believed me to be dead — he was ronviiiccd that I was dead before the I Zanzibar ever sailed." ', "Eh!" • I <% Indeed, he did ! And he had the very best reasons for believing so. Have you not heard of the burning of the Messenger j in Dover's St.-aits ?" 4 ' Of course I have. I have read all about it in the papers. 1 havo read every man's i statement— the captain's statement, and the first engineers statement, and the steward's statement, and Lord Theobald Nugenfc'a, a passenger's statement. I always read all about the shipwrecks and disasters at sea, daughter, because I can learn practical truths from them ; just as doctors read up all remarkable cases in their lino and lawyers in theirs. But what has the burning of the Messenger to do with you ? ' " Did you read the list of the lost?*' " Yes, of coui-se — conscientiously." " Then you must know what the burning of the Messenger had to do with me." "Indeed l do not." " My name was in the list of the lost." "Eh !" "My name was in the list of the lost. Did you not see it ?" " My dear, I read over abont two hundred nameB of the saved and lost, and saw not a name of anyone I knew. So you see how difficult it is for mo to remember, among so many, whether I saw the namo of Fitzgerald or not. You were on board the Messenger ?" " Yes, I was, and I was reported." " How was that, my daughter? 1 ' "Listen, and I will tell you, Captain Wailes." And sho told him the story of the burning of the Messenger in Dover's Straits, and of the swamping of the women's lifeboat, and of her rescue by Sallust Rowley. She did not tell him that she had been picked up first by her husband, and abandoned by him, for she said to herself, " The captain jvill be sure to misunderstand it, and to blame Gerald." 11 My dear, I giva in ! Your case is the hardest case of all the shipwrecked party. But you have faith and courage, daughter ? Exercise them still. Hope for the coming ot that homewaid-bound ship !" said Captain Wailes. " But if it should not come ?" "At the worst, you would havo to sail with me'ioundCape Horn and up the Pacific Coast, and back again the same way ! It would take about a year ; but you have no idea how soon a year really pastes ! Young people never have ! It will soon pass. Meanwhile, Colonel Fitzgerald is not suffering the anguieh of suspense about you. And believe me, daughter, there is no grief in the world so hard to bear as such a suspense would be, tor thero is no rest in il ; it is a torture-rack that holds the spirit in agony. He is not subjected to that. He believes that you are in heaven and his soul rests in that belief, however mournfully, but it rests." Gertrude bowed her head, but made no reply. " Now turn your mind to another view of tho case. Do not look on the dark side exclusively. Do not think that every mile is taking you farther and farther away from your husband, though that is true ; but look to the end. Look on the bright side, look to the end. Think how every day is bringing you nearer and nearer to the time of meeting, for this also is true." " I will try to do so," murmured Gertrude gently. " And, meantime, trust in Providence. Pray for faith, hope, and charity ; for faith to sustain you under this trial ; for hope to brighten future prospects, and for charity that will so go forth in good offices to those around you that you shall in a measure forget your own cares and troubles." "I will do so, Captain^ Wailes," she meekly replied. " And keep up your spirits and take care of your health, my little matron. You are looking pale and thin. You must take care of yourself for the good colonel's sake." " Thank?, Captain Wailes. I will try to do so." "And the time will pass more quickly then, and so bring around the day when you will meet your husband — when he will receive you as one risen from the dead. Imagine his joy ! Is not that worth struggling and living for ?" " Oh, yes ! Indeed it is, Captain Wailes. And I will try to be strong and patient— r )es, and helpful too," said Gorbrude, earnestly. " And one last word now." " Yes, Captain." " Remember that there is always a chance of meeting a homeward-bound ship Let that hope cheer, but not disturb you." " I will try to govern my own spirit, Captain Wailes," she replied, as she loft the deck. The captain," when he next met Mr RowIcy, spoke to him about the burning of the Messenger and the rescue of Mrs Fitzgerald. And Sallust told him the whole truth, including tho portion that Gertrude had loyally loft out. , *" What !" exclaimed the thunderstruck sailor. ' " Did this Fitzgerald leave his wife to perish while 1 he rushed from her to rescue another woman 1 Was he mad or false ?" • "That is the hardest conundrum lever tried to guess. &7ie says not, and She ought' to know, "replied Sallust. , , ", i After that the story of, .Mrs , rescue fro'ns the' sea* on the burning of the ! Messenger 1 got bYiiitecl 'riroupd 'among the ' ship's crew and' 'passengers -of -the Becky; but it was told according to Gertrude's version, so that no blame was attached to Colonel Fitzgerald, though red-headed little* SrtlluBt s! Ro\Wey Ws/elevifted' into ( a^hero, and Gertrude became ari objectof greater in-

u t'eVesfc'a.in'd' affection than ever before among her fellow-passengers. The second week of their voyage on the Becky passed without a sign of homewardbound vessel to be seen. Gertrude kept her promise to the good captain. She tried to be strong, patient and helpful. Patient and helpfuLsbe could indeed be without any effort at |11, for to be patient", and helpful was in h$* t very nature ; but she* could ribfi be 'strong. "-; The Becky was approaching the warmer latitudes, hiub the voyage seemed to grow more wearisome every week. The days were monotonous. Like John Hay's "engineers," they were "pretty much all alike." Here is a specimen : Thu cabin passengers rose at half- past seven o'clock. The captain, who was a good churcl'm.in, read prayerß in the main cabin at eight. They had breakfast at halfpast eight. After that, if the weather was iine, the ladies and children t-at on deck, the childron playing, the ladies knitting, shewing, or reading ?orae book from the captain's well-selected library ; or if the weather was foul, these avocations were i pursued in the cabin. Gertrude, who was an accomplished reader, sometimes read aloud while others knit or sowed. Often sho made rag-dolls for the children, and tuught the littlo ones how to dress them. And she helped to take care of the babies. Yet she was patient and helpful, but she was not strong. Ah day after day and week after week passed without a sign of a homeward-bound ship, her heart grew sick with "hope deferred." She grew paler, thinner and j weaker than before. ! But we must leave her on her long voyage I and leturn to Gerald and Geraldinc.