CHILDREN'S COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9832, 29 May 1895, Page 3

CHILDREN'S COLUMN.

PERI. On a warm summer evening of fcke year 1830, the British ship Pinta, Captain Nelson, from Liverpool for Montreal, stood slowly up the Gulf of St. Lawrence against a light wind and strong tide. On her starboard bow, not more than a mile distant, was a long, low, smart-looking schooner, bearing south-easterly across the Pinta'a course. Having tide and breeze with her, she was making good time. The schooner was the packet Hochelaga, plying between Montreal, Pictou, and intermediate ports. Among the passengers grouped about the schooner's decks was Airs. Robert Norwood, of Montreal, who was chatting with another lady passenger. "I declare," said she, "I can hardly wait until we get to Pictou. It is nearly two years and a-half since I was married and wont to live in Montreal. I have nob once seen my father or mother since." , " And they've never seen your baby ?" "No, they have not had a look at Edith, althoug she is fifteen months old. Such a scene as there will be when we arrive !"

" Where is baby now ?" asked the other lady, looking around. " Oh, she fell asleep, so I carried her down and laid her on a mattress on the floor of my state-room. I did not dare to pub her in a berth, for she would be certain to tumble out as soon as she awoke.

"I left the door open for ventilation," continued the young mother, " and Peri is mounting guard over her in the passageway. That dog is really more trustworthy than most nursemaids."

" Baby doesn't walk ab all, does she ?" " No; bub she's such a creeper, and such a climber! I have to keep watching her all the time. 1 think I had better go and look at her now." It was very warm beneath the deck, and the child moved uneasily as her mother approached. When she had dozed off again Mrs. Norwood slipped out of the stateroom. Shestopped amomentoutsidethodoor to pat Peri, the great Newfoundland dog which lay watchfully in the passage, and then returned to the deck quite unaware that little Edith had been aroused by her departing movements. Baby Edith sat up, rubbed her eyes wonderingly, and then crept from the mattress to the dog, just at the foot of the companion way, as her mother went upstairs. Mrs. Norwood had spent only a few minutes below, but a great change had come over the scene during her absence ! The sun had gone down, and the very heavens seemed to be pouring themselves out upon the waters in a flood of living splendour. Sky and sea were blenb in one glow of colour, and passengers and crew crowded the starboard rail with exclamations of wonder and delight. Mrs. Norwood quickly made her way among the others, and joined eagerly in the general admiration.

The porb side of the Hochelaga, toward which the Pinta's bow headed directly, was quite abandoned, when a little white-clad, soft-shod baby figure, closely followed by a large disapproving dog, came noiselessly up the companionway and crept towards the deserted side.. No one bub Peri was there to notice baby Edith as she clambered on a bench, reached the rail, leaned far over, and a moment afterward dropped into the deep green water within the shadow of the schooner. The dog leaped after her instantly, yet no one heard a splash or cry. The Hochelaga kept on her course, and the Pinta slowly moved toward child and dog. After the sunset glow had faded Mrs. Norwood continued strolling about the deck, tempted by the evening breeze and the starlight to remain longer than she had intended. Nearly an hour hod passed before she again tripped lightly down the companion way. Peri no longer mounted guard in the passage, and the stateroom was empty. The mother's heart throbbed quick with fear, but she stilled it at once. "Some of the ladies must have found Edith awake and taken her up," she said to herself, and ran up the steps to the deck. " Have you seen anyone making off with my baby she inquired half playfully of the first person encountered. " No. I thought she was asleep below." "So did 1 until a moment ago, but she is not in my stateroom, and I fancy someone must have taken her up." She flow quickly along the deck, asking questions with a easp and a sob. Word speedily ran over the schooner. The passengers came flocking about her with pale, sympathetic faces, and a hurried search was begun. " Look for Peri ! Find him! He will be with Edith !" screamed the now frantic mother ; bub neither dog nor child could be found.

At a hoarse order trora the captain the Hochelaga came about with flapping sails, and began tacking back and forth ever her course, while the distracted mother watched the water in dumb despair. lb would have been useless to lower a boat. Many minutes had passed si nee the child was first missed, and no one could say how long before that she had gone. Meantime the Pinta had been left quite out of sight. : The Hochelaga's search was hopelessly continued an hour or more, merely for the purpose of satisfying the unhappy mother thab her little one had not been given up without an effort to save it, and then the voyage was resumed. On board the Pinta Captain Nelson stood watching, the sunset until the last lurid rays smouldered into dusky grey. Then he turned his eyes on the sullen waste of water, from which the Hochelaga had disappeared in the gathering darkness. Captain Nelson wa j about) to go to his cabin when an object a short distance away on the starboard bow arrested his attention. He gazed curiously a moment, and gave his eyes a vigorous,rub as if they were not serving him aright. •'Strange," ho muttered ; " what in the world can that be?"

He called to the men forward. There was a rush to the rail, and a dozen pairs of eyes peered eagerly over. " Looks like a bundle o' white clothes," said a sailor. "It's a-making straight for us," cried another. " It's the tide that's a-fetchin' o' ib along." " No, it boanb no tide—it's a-movin' itself!" Bub the captain's eyes were keenest of all. Here his commanding voice broke in, and the men sprang to obey. " Look alive-there 1" he shouted. " It's a dog supporting a child in its mouth !" The ship's head came slowly about. A boat was lowered, and shot swiftly astern. A few quick strokes brought ib up with the white moving object. One of the men reached oub and took hold of a senseless baby form. Bub Peri refused to loosen his hold of the front of Edith's frock, by which he was holding her face clear of the water, until he had been taken inbo the boat. Then he resigned his charge to a sailor, beside whom he mounted jealous guard until the ship's side was gained. Captain Nelson received the child in his arms as she was handed up to the deck, and bore her directly away to his own cabin, Peri following closely. Ib was soon found that the child's unconsciousness was due rather to 6hock than to suffocation or chill. Her lungs were free from water, and her heart was distinctly beating.

Captain Nelson applied restoratives at once, and soon a feeble cry, which speedily increased in vigour, told of his success. A hot bath and hot blankets were sent in from the galley fire, and in less than an hour the captain announced ou deck that a baby girl was comfortably sleeping in his cabin. A sharp lookout had been kept) for the schooner, from which there was no doubt the child had come; but the wind had freshened after sunset, and she was probably miles away ere this. " It's most mysterious that no effort was made to save the child," said Captain Nelson to his mate. "lb looks as though the pretty little creature bad been abandoned intentionally." "It's an awfu'" warld, sir," said the Scotch mate, "Hangin'stoo good for the likes of you '."and he shook his mighty fist 1.1 the direction where the Hochelaga had lasb been seen, while the Pinta proceeded on her way.. , . .» >-• [To be concluded.]