The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-24
A DRAWING-Roo ( COMEDY,

y
member of the firm in the person OF
Thomas uncle, Mr. Darlington Black
thorne, the Calcutta representative OF
the establishment. But, unfortunately,
Mr. Backbone, like many Englishmen
who live in India, drank too much Scotch
whisky and Bass ale, ne ate too much
curry and too many Bombay ducks;
the result being that at the age of 50 his
liver declined to bear the strain put mp
on it, and collapsed, leaving its owner
so weak and i'll that he had barely
time ere he died 10 telegraph to his part
ners in England brief notice of his inn
pending fate This alarming dispatch
arrived at a particularly inopportune
moment. MIR. Thomas Bilbury had Oh
the day previous married very charm
ing young lady, Lydia Lapples by name;
and the intelligence OF his uncle's sad
condition necessitated that the newly
made husband-who, by the way, had
only become acquainted with his bride
about six weeks before marriage should
without a moment delay take the train
for Dover, cross to Calais, and thence
go by the quickest route to Calcutta
The affair was pressing. Mir. Black
thornes death would certainly throw
the business into confus on. and any
hesitation on the part Of The Epolisb
partners might imperil the future of the
firm.
Go at once. my dear hoy" wrote
Mr. Joseph BiIbury TO hi, son. who was
in the Isle of WIGHT. "and send Your
wife 10 me. | will take care Of her, and
see her settled in your new home at
Richmond. WoVd go myself, but my
govt won allow me. And above all
things, take care Of youc liver.
There was no help for ii, MIR. Bill
bury, Jr., felt that he must 90; so he
did. putting The best face on the matter
and bidding q very long and tender
good-by to his poor little wife. He es-
corted her across 10 Portsmouth, put
her into 4 London train. kissed her off,
and then took the next train for Dover.
She settled down in her new home at
Richmond Hill; and lie formany months
afterwards worked hard at his desk in
Calcutta arranging NE worldly affairs
oil MS dead uncle ana rom ume 70 time
sending home reports OF his progress,
and love letters to l-Nda.
Two years IN fact, elapsed ere he was
able to return to England; and then re-
turned, rs he had gone out, at mo-
ment snohce. Unforeseen circumstances
suddenly LETT him free, and, unwilling
to lose day, he took the first home
ward-bound steamer. which. 50 it hap
pened was also takino TO Richmond ,
letter vrittor = Cow, do,S oarI;or II
which M R;Ihr,,,- o,,,o,,S. ,+bo, -,
ters. regretted TO his wife that the nres
sure of business would NOT leave him a.
liberty for at least a month.
He Travelled home without adventure
landed in due course at Dover. arrived
in London late at nioht. and without
havinr written O word of WARNING, +o I !,
dia hurried on nevt mornino to Rich.
mond Hill Why he did not write q,
TELEGRAPH. we cannot say: perhaps he
thonrbt his. sudden apnearance Womb
acreeably surprise his wife; or perhap.
he WAS too excited 70 he able TO thinL
at all Rutin any cosn he neither wrot,
nor taIeorarbad . sinoIa VOID of ,,ro
marathon
1t was n fine sunny mornino in sum.
mer; Mr.. Thomas Bilburv had scarcely
| seen his new home which he had taker
in a hurry immediately before his wed
dino. and he was WALKING eacerlv M
the short carriape drive ,padino 70 thu
honse whom bannnninr ia cast his oaz,
touard the n,,ndr n-indoyys Ia ca1oh,
sipbt of a Northumberland firure whicl
was watering some Towering plant,
that stood in row on the sill He a
once recognized the fioure as that of hi
wife. and was about to utter a cry o
sanitation when he suddenly became
| conscious that she did not RECOGNIZE
him, for with graceful modesty she with
drew from the window and disappeared
as soon as she became conscious that h,
was watching her An idea struck him
! 1t was foolish. but not wholly Immature
| one. He would pretend to be someone
else-a friend, say, of her husband ;
and would ask to see her as such. o
course she would at once recognize hi:
voice; but then the surprise. and the
| consequent pleasure, would be the more
| cOmpleteif he thus deferred them HI
Knocked, therefore, at the door. and t,
the servant who appeared announced
that he had lust returned from Ind,
and desired to see Mrs Bilburv. H,
gave no name. but he was admitted ant
shown into the drawing-room. where. il
some perturbation of mind, he awaited
the advent of his wife from whom h
had been so long and so cruelty separ
ated
Il suppose that she will know me.
he reflected. as he stoodewith his bacl
to the window; but it is true that
have grown a tolerablv bio beard sine
| went away. and thai | have become
considerably tanned. However tn
beard oucbtto make no great difference
I supnose that she would know me if sh
saw me in my shi1t-sleeves or With hot
| Iers cut off at the knees. On the otbe
hand, she thinks that am still at Cal
cutta, for she must have had my last lei
ter this morning. | hope my sudde
appearapce here won't upset her
must be careful
Here his thoughts were switched asid
by the unmistakable sounds of rustlin
skirts in the passage without, and as th