Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-11-21
The VALLEY OF MATRIMONY

There is no more thankless task that
can fall to the lot of middle-aged spin
ster with quiet tastes than that of engi-
neering young woman of any consid-
cradle personal attractions across Eu-
rope. The trouble began on the ocean
steamer IN the shape of captain of the
United States navy. At Paris it was
big Frenchman with a nature like that
of Newfoundland dog; at Marseilles it
presented itself under the guise of a
dreamy-eyed German; at Rome it was
silvery-tongued italian; at Naples it
concentrated itself in the most violent
and virulent form in the person of
young American doctor.
Miss Sutherland was troubled with
cough-an entirely natural and appro-
pirate thing to young woman who ex-
posed herself to all kinds of weather on
ship-board simply to know how the sea
looked in a storm. The idea that that
cough needed physicians care was en-
tirely preposterous; but, all the same we
had not been at Naples ten days before
Miss Sutherland's lungs were as much
an object of soicitude to DR.. Manning
as if she had been in the last stages of
consumption. What delightful thing
a cough is-one, that is, which is quite
sufficiently slight, does not keep the suf-
ferer awake at night, or otherwise inter-
fere with the comfortable progress of
existence There was just enough real
ity to Miss Sutherland's cough to pre-
vent her undertaking the fatigue of a
journey up VesuYius, but not sufficient
to interfere with any number of small
excursions to San MARITIME, Capo di
Monte, or anywhere else that might be
accomplished within a reasonable num-
Der of hours. That cough contributed
to Miss Sutherland just the one element
of attraction she did not need. The
rather firmly set lips took on quite a
gentle piteOus expression when the irri-
tated throat was trying to relieve itself
by fit of coughing, slight fever gave
the usually colorless cheeks and clear
eyes brilliancy, and the exhaustion
that followed reduced the young lady
from her usual attitude of sturdy inde-
pendence to a most fascinating condition
of womanly weakness.
It very soon came to be understood
that Miss Sutherland's carelessness in
regard to her health, her ignorance, and
mine also, Of Neapolitan patO5S, the
viciousness of donkeys, and.the cupidity
of guides, made male escort almost a
necessity IN the neighborhood of Naples.
Whether the necessity grew out of the
ready provision to meet it, or the provi-
sion out of the necessity, it is not worth
while to argue. Judging from the indie
pendence of other lady travellers, the
former theory seems the most tenable.
During the fist Of these excursions
Miss Sutherland had something of a
body-guard about her. Three or four
hands at least were put out to help her
over every rock and up every height.
Presently the number was reduced to
one. DR.. Manning had, in fact, as
sumed the same Jurisdiction over the
rest of Miss Sutherland's movements
that he did over the cough. That all
ment had been mis- especial charge from
the beginning, and he seemed to be rap
idly assuming t@e responsibility of what
ever else appertained to the young lady.
Matters had been in this shape for about
month when it became apparent that
something had begun to go wrong. By
using the united intelligence and expert
ence that have fallen to my lot 1 arrived
at the conclusion that as Miss Suther-
and had regained her health she desired
to discharge her physician. I was not
prepared, however, for the manner in
which she undertook to do it. The plan
was revealed in the simple announce
ment that she intended to change her
quarters to the island of Capri.
Unhappily my relations to Miss Suth-
erland are such that for me to hear is to
obey. l looked at the bleak mass of
rock from my window and shuddered, it
being February, and hevaunted climate
OF Italy being in fact as chill as an Eng
ish May. The effect of the announce