The Argosy — page 251: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

236 A Sailor's Wooing. direction from the Father of the fatherless. When she got into bed she had adream. Of course, she dreamed of the sea and a ship, for she generally did—but this was a peculiar dream. She saw Shon standing on the top of a tall mast, just like one of the acrobats at the travelling circus. The ship was rocking and rolling about like mad on big waves, and she was standing at the bottom of the mast, entreating Shon to descend. Just as she was stretching out her arms, in the agony of —nightmare, and he appeared to be about to jump into them, she awoke. But the dream decided her. Be it understood that she was sadly superstitious, and believed in all sorts of omens, in spite of the superior teaching of her ladies. Either Shon was dead and that was his spirit, or Shon was alive and coming back to her. How she worked out this contradictory problem I cannot say; but in either case, she was not going to be a dairy-maid, and so she told Morris Typicca. They had a stormy interview, which ended in her lover walking surlily one way and leaving her to return home alone. This was the first Sunday evening she had ever walked back from church or chapel unescorted, and it made her melancholy; although she was glad at heart to be rid of Morris Typicca. “T wonder if it was his ghost ?”’ she said with a shudder, as shadows flitted before har beneath the great trees, and she quickened her steps. ‘“Nanno!” said a voice. She shrieked. It was his ghost. “Nanno! Nanno!” was repeated, and she shrieked again. What a huge ghost it was! In another moment it was at her side, and she saw that it had a gold band round its cap. “ Are you married, Nanno?” it asked, in a great, deep voice. “No! No!” she cried, and fainted from terror. When she recovered, she was in the arms of this very substantial ghost, who was kissing her emphatically. It sounds very improper, but we daily hear of equally strange spiritual manifestations. “Are you dead? Did you fall from the mast?” she Be in perturbation. | ‘‘On the contrary, I’m at the top of the tree. I’m first mate, and shall be cap’en soon, and come home to marry you. Now or never.” It was Shon in the flesh; handsome Shon, actually in uniform, with splendid gold lace and gold buttons. Nanno was dazzled, and scarcely knew which to admire most, the eyes or the trappings. But she laid her pretty head shily on Shon’s breast, and gave him to understand that she had never forgotten him, though she had only just dismissed Morris Typicca. He laughed a laugh that echoed through the woods. : “Bravo, Nanno! Then we'll be married at once. ‘To-mofrow or Tuesday at latest. Come and tell the ladies.” This was rapid work, but Nanno had had one lesson, and remem- Eomilcbooks.com