Stella Rosevelt : $b A novelSheldon, Georgie, Mrs.
General
Stella Rosevelt : $b A novel
Sheldon, Georgie, Mrs.
Dime novels; Love stories; Romance fiction
The sun was shining brightly into the saloon, where, only a few hours
before, all had been so dark and dismal; the sky was beautifully clear
and blue, without a vestige of the angry clouds which had so threatened
ship and life a little while ago, and the good vessel was riding the
gradually subsiding waves with strong and steady pulsations, which
seemed to have almost a sense of victory in their throbbings, while the
terrors of the night seemed only a troubled dream of the past.
She arose from her soft couch with a murmured “How kind!” as she
realized who had made her so comfortable, and went below to her
state-room to make her toilet.
After a refreshing bath she brushed out her long, abundant hair until it
shone like strands of finest gold; then gathering it in her two hands,
she plaited it into one massive braid, leaving the ends loose like a
great golden tassel, and tying them with a broad blue ribbon.
Then she substituted a charming little blue hood edged with white for
the thick crimson one which she had worn all night, wrapped a soft gray
shawl about her shoulders, and went up on deck looking as bright and
sunny as the morn itself.
She was very lovely. Short fluffy locks of her hair fell like a shining
mist over her white forehead; her great azure eyes gleamed like
bluebells after a shower; her cheeks were tinged with a delicate color,
and a smile of joy at the return of fair weather parted her red lips,
showing two rows of small white teeth between.
As she stepped out upon the deck, she espied her companion of the night
standing aft, looking out upon the silver-tipped, dancing waves.
She glided to his side and saluted him with a sweetly spoken
“good-morning,” which fell like music on his ear.
He turned and looked at her, an involuntary smile parting his lips,
which evidently were unaccustomed to such relaxation.
“You are rightly named—you look like a star,” he said, abruptly, while
his keen eyes were fixed intently on her bright face.
She flushed, but answered archly:
“Stars belong to the night; they are of no account in this glorious
sunshine;” and she lifted her face up to the sun, as if in gratitude
that its friendly beams were shining on her once more.
“It _is_ a glorious morning,” said the old man, taking a long breath of
the pure, keen air.
“Sorrow may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning,” Star
murmured, in a low tone, but with a thrill in her voice which told how
she felt the words.
Again a sneering smile distorted the lips of her companion.
She saw it, and flushed a vivid crimson, and the tears sprang quickly to
her eyes.
“Mamma used to repeat those words so often when she lay sick and dying,”
she said, sadly. “I know that _she_ looked forward to the ‘morning’ when
she should be released from her suffering; but they never sounded so
pleasantly to me as they do now on this beautiful morning after our
night of terror.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account