Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1884 — A CLEAR CASE. [ARTICLE]

A CLEAR CASE.

It was nearing sunset on the fourth day, and the steamer wasplowing along through Erie—that most deceitful, most dangerous lake of all the chain—clearly intending to reach Buffalo by next day noon. The passengers had been having their little fun, for they had all become pretty well acquainted in those seventy sweet, blue hours, velvet beneath, satin above, sunrise to sunset, with never a cloud or drop of rain, or seasick soul, save one dear woman, who early retired to her state-room and partook, a discretion, of nux vomica, third potency. Some one had bottled a written account of the trip; some one else had mounted the caps! an, made a bright if rhapsodical speech, and hurled .the bottle into the waters, the deremony being attended with much laughter and handclapping. This concluded, a most excellent humor pervaded the company; even the six stately representatives of two most exclusive families: —social pillars of aWestern metropolis—conceded the claims of the occasion. Of this party of six, two were elderly ladies, sisters, Mrs. Wolfe and Mrs. Close; the remaining four, the two daughters of each, young ladies, whose ages might safely be reckoned within the limits of 17 to 22. Papa Close had put them all aboard the steamer in their own dear, dirty Western river at 8 o’clock the Tuesday evening previous. It was now Friday, and Papa Wolfe would meet them at the dock in Buffalo on the morrow—Deo volante. So they could not be considered exactly as unprotected females. Besides, was not the jolly skipper their “most obedient,” with all his Hibernian absurdities ?

They had started out with an excessive frigidity toward each and every one else aboard, but this had thawd, and they were now disposed to patronizeafter a kindly fashion.i The young ladies wete standing, arms lovingly entwined, in groups of twos; three of them were dressed alike anti resembled each other; the fourth was an odd lamb, her countenance being more piquantly expressive than that of sister or cousins, light, sparkling, mischievous, where theirs wei e tolerant and heavy, with the weight of propriety and “good form.” Her eyes were heavily lashed; her nose tipped saucily; her mouth 'was a' carnation-leaf, and the sugar-spoon hat she ■wore, like the others, had hardly secured her from sunburn and freckles. She carried a yellow, foot-square satchel of alligator-skin, with her name silver-lettered on the outside—one of her names at least, and that by which she was best known—“heliothope.” She wore a blue-flannel yachting suit; her hair was the sweetest brown with veins of red gold shining throughout. She lacked the self-conscious expression of Isabel Close or Agnes Wolfe, the ladies at her left, just back of Delicia Close, a thin edition, whose embrace bordered her a little. Nearly all the passengers were on deck, in groups of threes and fours. The excellent mammas, Close and Wolfe, sat not far away, middle-aged, well-dressed, with an occasional fine diamond as a lettet of credit. Up apd down the narrow passage between the cabin and the rail of the propeller sauntered the steward of the vessel, a remarkably good-looking, yet at times melancholy, young man, with a cigar in his mouth that might have been an immortelle sos his apparent everlastingness. At times.. he seemed, to gaze meditar tively upon either Delicia Close or Heliotrope Wolfe, an unprejudiced observer on oath mignt hesitate in asserting which. Perhaps Mrs. Wolfe could have said, though, for Helie was only too often in mischief of the kind. Besides—but this takes me back to the night they started. That night the moon was just rising, yellow as gold and as smooth as a platter, when the good byes were spoken, the last kisses exchanged, and Papa Close, with others equally forlorn, went ashore, reflecting that during his family’s six week’s sojourn at the seaside he might give uridivided attention to his newestracehorse. N. B.—lt was the middle of August; but they had all been doing the DeUs of the Northwest—all save Miss Heliotrope, whokhad spent two months, with a school-friend not far from her own city. ;

The propeller was growling hoarsely as it moved down the river, through open bridges and the tangle of shipping, out under the star of the harbor light, into the caressipg arms of the lake; and the Wolfe-Close party, having concluded the inspection of their three staterooms, sniped doubtfully at the sixinch looking-glasses, and wondered if there were mosquitoes—or anything else that bites—on board, appeared on deck to witness the moonrise. They all found, seats together, excepting Helie, who, with usual perver- , rity, wondered off to the other side and stood gloomily by herself. _ ; She stood so but a few moments, however, when a gentleman, who had suddenly emerged from the cabin, approached. She stared a second, then thrust out her hand with a joyful cry of recognition: “Phil! Phil Lawson!” He caught both hands and squeezed them hard-~nobody was looking at them; everybody was interested in the moon. “Yes. heroism,"he laughed. “Aren’t you surprised ?”

“Awfully! But awfully glad. How did you know we were coming? You did know, didn’t you? Are you going clear round? Why it is simply splendid,. But I have a scolding ready. What did you mean by such a melancholy letter as that last one ?” She poured this out in a breathless way as audacious as the proximity of her face. “‘Yes,” he said, “I am going all the way—” then hesitating for some reason. * , Helie glanced across the deck and suggested that they stroll to the stern of the boat, as she had much to say. “Tell me how you knew,” she ran on, “and O, by the way, were you angry, awfully angry?” “About what?” “About my letting you think my name."

“O fudge, little puss. You didn’t suppose I didn’t know about you weeks before you came to your friend’s ? Why she wrote me to come so as to meet you. She knew I’d fall in love at a glance—well she wasii’t far out there ” and he gave her arm a hug. “But then the absurdity of your coming there with only a couple of sateen dresses at 30 cents a yard, and making her introduce you as Miss Healy, a poor orphan, selfsupporting, and so forth, for the purpose, I’ve no doubt, of making all the young fellows wild after you because they couldn’t marry you. For of course a man doesn’t care so much for a girl he knows he can marry.” “I didn’t ask Laura Dodge to introduce me as ‘Miss Healy.’ ” said the young lady, spelling out tire name, “I said ‘Helie.’ ” “O didn’t you? Nor you didn’t allow me to call you ‘Miss Healy,’ ‘Miss Kittie Healy,’ ” he remarked pensively. “Now, see here, there might have been some fun in a poor girl palming herself for an heiress—” “ O that would be horrid!” “Think so?” “Why, of course! Phil, shall I take you back new and introduce you to mamma, and auntie, and Isabelle, and Agnes, and Delicia ? O dear, I wish they were at home !” “So do I!” Another hug—of her arm only, of course. She laughed. “ Well, come along. I shall introduce you as Laura's friend. No one knows we have corresponded.” “But first, Helie, I’ve something to say.” “O, afterwards.” They were standing quite alone at the stern, directly over the screw (nice place to get sick) with a single lantern overhead, faint in the moonlight. And he was looking very fond and very melancholy. He was a good-looking young fellow, with a per-fectly-golden mustache and a tenorpitched voice. He was a little lazy of speech—being of Southern parentage. “No, Helie. for when you have heard me out I fear you will hardly wish to introduce me.” “Why, Phil!” *

“It is true. Pussie—l used to call you Pussie, didn’t I?—when we last met, only a few weeks ago, I had a fortune of my own, a very decent one, which I might have asked a certain dear little girl to help me spend, if she loved me enough. Now —it is gone. Irretrievably gone! Speculations have carried it off as the wind carries thistledown. lam a poor man.” “O Phil!” She clutched his arm with’ both hands and regarded him tearfully. “Dearest, you do care ?” “ You know it.” And, having kissed him fondly and wiped away her moist grief, she inquired : “But where are you going ?” “To Buffalo.” “And then?” “No further. I return with the boat, because, you see”—he winched as he confessed it—“l am the steward.” “The steward ?” she echoed. “Yes,” resignedly. “So, of course, it wouldn’t do to introduce me. Your family couldn’t sympathize as you do, dearest.” Helie sighed; but presently her spirits rose like life-buoys. “I don’t care Phil; it must be jolly to be steward and order all the meals. Please have ice-crcam often and lobstersalad.” ' “Just wait,” said Phil lugubriously; “wait till you see me inspecting a great ugly chunk of raw beef to-morrow, and watching the men to see’that they don’t comb their hair in the pudding, ok wise their faces on the dish-towels.” “Do they do that?” she asked faintly. “O Phil, I forgot how long I was staying. I must run back. I'll see you early in the morning. Deliyia—she is my rqom-mate—Delicia always sleeps late. Good-night, Phil.” “Good-night” (y ith usual accompaniment).

Miss Heliotrope lay awake a long time that night, in the upper berth where she could look out through the little window and see the mqonlight on the blue velvet. She Sighed once or twice and, when she slept, dreamed ever of Mr. Lawson. Next morning she was out on deck early and had a little ehat with him, but the rest of the day Delicia clung to her most provokingly. Nevertheless, the melancholy young steward sauntered about, consoling himself with a wonderfully good cigar and occasionally making himself of service to the matrons of the party. He seemed not to care much for the other passengers, among whom were noticeable a fat lady with a thinnish husband, a widow, a small boy, and a family entire, including twins in arms, though at meal times he was on the alert to* see that all were well served, taking his own refreshments an hour later at one end of the long lable entirely cleared. “That is a very obliging young man,” said Mme. Wolfe to Mme Close, the second or third evening! as they sat on .deck in the Mackinaw harbor and watched Mr. Lawson escort a party of young people, including their own 'daughters, ashore to. board a Lake Superior steamer which was waiting there with its brass band playing serenade music fit to break, one’s heart—along with the moonlight. “Very obliging, almost think him fit for something better. Such a life must be degrading. I passed him to-day as he sat as dinner. You should have seen the great dish of

corn-beef and cabbage!"—with a shudder. f “Dear me| Was he eating it?” “Well, he was looking at it.” “Dear, dear! What a beautiful night, Teresa! It reminds me of Naples Bay.” The young people returned in high spirits, and, as soon as the boat left the harbor, got up a social dance in the cabin. Helie, who furnished the music from the cabin piano, was greatly amused on glancing up to find her cousin Isabel waltzing with—the steward. x Isabel spoke of ft a little later in a singular tone of hesitation and deprecation: “Itwas ao absurd! The stewward came up and asked me to dance. I hardly knew—that is—well, he waltzes very well—came right up and asked me “ “Yes, dear,” putin her mother suavely. “And such an obliging person, really. You are tired; you musn’t dance again.” And now to get back to my startingpoint as fast as possible. It was midforenoon of the fourth day—Friday—when Agnes Wolfe, who had been lolling on the upper deck with a goodisli umbrella and a baddish novel—her back against a small boat, and her feet most anywhere—heard her sister’s voice in the passage below, and leaned for--ward to see whom Helie was talking to so confidentially. Immediately after she sprang up, and, flouncing forward to the ladder, she descended rapidly and sought her mother.

“Mamma,” she cried, gasping and choking over it: “Mamma, Helieis—flirting with—the steward!” “My love! You shock me. Ask her to come to me at once.” And Helie saw no more of Mr. Lawson until, standing by Delicia, in the sunset, she observed him patrolling the passage with hia cigar. Delicia carried her off presently to dress for supper. Delicia talked a great deal. “It’s been a lovely trip, Helie. The St. Clair Flats were heavenly— if the men hadn’t tried to shoot birds. I can’t see any fun in shooting things you don’t Wan’t. Can you?” “No,” said Helie, with disgusted brevity. That night, when Delicia’s regular breathing told that she slept, Helie slipped down from her berth, drew aside the curtain, and peeped out. One single, melancholv figure leaned upon the railing. a _ “Phil!” He turned quickly. “Helie darling.” “Phil, it’s making me awfully nervous.” “Is it darling?” “Yes.? “But yojjr father will surely forgive us.” “I think he will. But, Phil, if he shouldn’t, you are young and brave — you could work.’’ “O yes, I could work; I’d make the chips flv.” “Chips?” •

“Yes. Out of the logs, you know'.” “But if any one knew. what a fuss there would be! What time do we get to Buffalo ?” “About noon.” They whispered a while, then closed the conference, and Helie returned to her berth. Toward noon next day there was a general stir. Sentimental passengers gathered in the cabin and sang “The Sweet By and By.” Miss Heliotrope, not being of this assembly, went out and feed the baggageroom porter to unStrap her trunk, from which she took sundry smaller articles and crammed them into her alligator satchel. Then she went forward and climbed to the upper deck to hear the steersman yarning as he neglected his wheel and got the steamer headed for the sandy side of the lake until the skipper ripped out an oath or two and bade him be careful. Then the city grew nearer and nearer, and finally the journey was at an end. Five of the "Wolf-Chase party seemed in no haste to land, but stood gazing intently over the railing. “Ah, there is Mr Wolfe!” cried his wife, waving her handkerchief. “Agnes, Helie, there’s papa! He will come onboard. We must wait here!” Some ten .minutes after the gentleman was embracing them all in turn. ’‘Where’s Helie?” he asked at'length, in surprise. “Why didn’t she come?” Sure enough, Helie was missing. Mr. Wolfe turned pale. Had anything happened her ? The girls ran hither and thither wildly. The other passengers had landed and the crowd dispersed. Helie was not on the landing. Mrs. Wolfe was faint: Mrs. Close frantic; the girls hysterical. “Where’s Capt. Burke? Where’s the steward?” cried Mrs. Close. But neither gentleman could be found.

After a half hour's excitchment the baggage porter appeared, and, with a knowing grin, admitted having seen the steward and the young lady going ashore together the very first of ’all. Mr. Wolfe was nonplussed for a little, then started to the door (they were all in the cabin), where he was met by the porter, who had gone out reconnoitering, and returned to report the delinquents as coming aboard again in good shape. Mrs. Close, first to recover, darted out to meet them, leaving the others to regain self-possession. “Oh, Helie! How could you!” cried her aunt, reproachfully. “Your mother, is perfectly prostrated!” “Is .she?” Helie returned, coolly. “Never mind, she’ll get over it. Do you suppose papa will forgive us for getting married?” “Married!” shrieked her aunt. “Yes, know in this State it doesn’t take fiiteen'minutes. You don’t need any license —only a minister.” Mr. Wolfe met them at the door. “Why—why Lawson, where did you drop from?” he cried. “Helie, I thought you were up to some folly with the steward?” “Oh no, papa,” and she kissed him. “No folly at all; he teas the steward, but he isn’t any longer; for of course vn'n’li HpJn him nut now hn’a mxr kwoband." 1 ~ Mr. Wolfe stared and his countenance underwent a series of expressions. Then he gave a short laugh and ejaculated:

“Great Scott! If this doesn't beat all!” Then severely’: “Where’s your marriage certificate, Helie ?” “Here, papa.” “Very well, my dear. Lawson, you’re as bad a crank as 'your father, bless him. But of course I’ll have to forgive you; don’t let it occur again. Funny my wife didn’t remember you. Been abroad two years, haven’ta.you? Helie has been shut up in boarding-school; that’s 'what makes her so romantic.” “But, papa—” “O, it’s all right, my dear. No divorce talk.—if he has fooled you. You ought to be glad I’m so pleased.” \ And so Mr. Lawson found himself gobbled up in short order, and blessed as well as forgiven by his mother-in-law. Then they all set off for the hotel in high spirits. “Steward,” said Mr. Wolf, “how many trips had you made ?” “This was the second.” “Last, too, eh ?” “Yes, nnie.ss Helie wishes ine to continue. Hhe thinks it awfully jolly.” “It is not so bad,” said Helie stoutly, t ♦ * ♦ * * * Postscript—lt occurs to me that the whole affair may have been a preconcerted plot. Girls and their mammas so often understand each other nowadays, and Laura Dodge used to say that Helie was “a perfect little divil.” Tlowever, as faf’as MrTEawson’s affections were cocnerned, every one said it was “a clear case.”—LiZZy M. Curry, in Chicago Tribune.