The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-01-14


came sideling up to the gal / noticed he
watched him like a cat; but as I made it
out, he saw she was only foolin' with Ross,
jest having little fun all to herself, and
then he got easy again. Now, thinks l, if
Tony gets after the gal in serious sort o.
way, there'll be man know in the steer
age bobbin' round awful"
4" And how has he behaved during my
gallantIies ?" inquired.
cts better than a play" said SLOUGH,
shaking his sides with suppressed laughter.
"That chap and got to be chums you
know. So took seat alongside him
while he's squirting toward you and the
gal and 1 says, "There's loving couple,
amt they?" Then he looked at me and
says Maybe she's somebody else's wife,
That is no hinderence," says 1. "That
ere gal, anybody can see, has gone spooney
after that man, and widder or wife, he can
lead her where he likes"
Then he gets up, rolling up his eyes,
and biting his lips, and goes pacing back
and forth upon the deck Pretty soon he
sits down and asks me what my opinion is of
women. "Wimmon, says l, "is not to
be trusted" "Frailty, thy name is wo-
men," "Do you know who proposed
that ere toast ?" " I can't say do" says
he civilian Shakespeare" says I, "the
wisest man that ever lived. If there was
anything about wimmen he didn't know,
there's no use of any other man trying to
find out" Then says I, "You don't look
very we'll Maybe the rough weather's eff
fectin' you" 81 am little Sick" says
he, and then he muttered to himself:
"There'll be a sicker man than me aboard
this boat soon. "Look out sharp Tony.
He's got very jealous constitution, and I
can see by his eyes that he means mis-
chief''
"Wel, Slouch, - says I, "what do you
advise ?"
"Go,on with your love making, Tony
lay it on pretty thick and strong, III keep
wide awake that he don't hurt anybody
Pitch in strong and we'll bring him out"
Upon reflection resolved to act in ac
cordance with the recommendation of my
partner. The motive that could induce
man and wife to separate themselves, hold
no communication nor recognize each
other, upon journey like this, was a sus-
picious one. The fact that two tickets
were purchased with the spurious bills ac-
corded exactly with the case. So deciding
that the end would justify the means, de-
termined to push my advantage for this
tickle, inconstant woman, to test the sa-
gacity of SLOUGH and my own reasonable
surmises.
The following evening was calm and
clear, with just sufficient starlight to
create dim shadows upon the deck, and to
exhibit the outlines of objects about. |
had been making myself as agreeable as l
knew how to the woman during the early
evening, and about 10 o'clock at my sug-
gestion, she took my arm for a promenade
upon the deck. Almost every person had
retired, save the officers of the watch and
a few struggling passengers who were
alone. A man lay extended on one of the
seats, wrapped in a cloak, and apparently
asleep, while on the seat opposite, another
person whom l recognized as my partner
SLOUGH, was stretched out in apparently
the same somnolent condition.
While we sauntered forth in the dim
starlight, whispering a love that was false
held constant eye on that figure in the
cloak, and saw that it twisted and turned
as we receded, and remained quiet only
when we approached it. Counterfieiting
the ardor of true affection, placed my arm
around the woman's waist, and while
treadiDg back and forth IN this loving con-
dition, observed the figure by a side glance,
as we reached the greatest distance from it,
rise spasmodically into sitting posture
and then drop again as we returned and re-
sumo its quietness. | proposed now that
we rest awhile, and after seating ourselves
a little distance from the pretended sleeper.
| made so bold to place my arms around
her neck and give her sounding kiss. Be-
fore ] could turn to observe the effect,
felt two powerful hands grasp my shout
ders and without time to assume position
of defence was forced upon the deck. A
man stood bending over me with his knee
upon my breast, and grasping my throat
tightly in one hand, he placed his face
near mine. "You wretch, what are YOU
doing with my wife ?' said he, kissing the
words between his teeth.
"Thatll do for the present." said
Slouch, as he turned my adversary over