The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-22
JOE BARRErrs CONFESSION.

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friend Phil. Somers and Miss Maud Morti-
mer, young lady they hoped he might be
induced to consider the future happiness of
his existence, stood quite alone upon mar
row strip of sand on the Long Island coast,
not far from the great metropolis. Joe Bar
rett and his wife had long ago been given
| over by their relatives and friends, and the
| genial circle OF society they adorned, as an
old-fashioned couple that prolonged their
| honeymoon to a most unprecedented and
unheard-of period. They had lately cele-
brated their silver wedding, and for the
| amusement of others and the romance for
themselves, would have gone through the
| original ceremony but for a serious obstacle.
| The clergyman was still alive and vigorous
| for his years, and Phil. Somers, Joe.'s best
man at his wedding, was yet his best friend,
! but the pale, pretty little bridesmaid had
| vanished long ago off the face of the earth,
and had become one of that shadowy band to
which 1--WE call, and they answer not again.
There was a rumor that if she had lived
| she would have become the wife of Phil.
Somers, thus making the happiness of the
| four complete. 1t was currently believed
| that because of this tender and romantic
| episode of his life Phil. Somers had remained
bachelor. In his younger days this appar-
| ent halo of soft regret and unappeasable
| longing lent a melancholy grace to his
| endeavored to console him; but, although he
was gentle and even chivalric to all woman
| kind, he remained, to all matrimonial in
| tents and purposes, unconsoled.
And here he was a bachelor still, fifty
years old, getting rather grizzled about the
| temples and crow-footed about the eyes,
bronzed by his partially for the open air,
| thin but muscular tall but straight while
Joe Barrett and his wife might both pass for
fiat, fair and forty" though they were not
SO many years Pills juniors.
And here they were, plotting as lively as
ever for Pills connubial bliss. The present
victim of their tolls, although no longer in
| her first youth, would have seemed so in any
| other light but the critical one of sun against
sand; and now that thick bands of gray
clouds lay heavily across the sky, tempering
| the brilliancy of the suns rays and the
| young lady had pulled her veil about the
outlines of her face, Miss Mortimer seemed
at the heyday of her charms
While waiting for dinner, which was in
! process of preparation in long, low hosiery
dozen furlongs or so inland, they had
| strolled down to the waters edge, and, true
| to the plan in hand, Joe Barrett had pulled
his wifes chubby hand through his arm and
trotted her away from Phil. and the young
| lady,
Let's leave them alone together for a
| WHILE" said Joe. 1T seems a propitious
| time for love-making, and hope something
L
| awfully tired of working like a pack-horSe
for Phil. 8 happiness"
| While strolling along, they INDUCED in a
| spirited conversation about Phil. and the
matrimonial projects in which they had been
engaged on his account AT last Joe re-
marked, looking fondly at his wife: 'Pd be
| the happiest fellow in the world if Phil
could be happy too"
His wife shook his arm impatiently.
'See here Joe" she said, II think you are
absurd about Phil. Somers, and you may as
well understand once for all, that if this
thing falls through, Pm not going to bother
| about his marrying at all. It's none of your
business or mine. 1 don't believe he wants
to marry. anyway. Some natures are so con-
stituted that they can only love once and l
believe all the love Phil had to give any one
! was squandered long ago on our dear little
/ bridesmaid. After all, there's something
very sweet and touching in his remaining
faithful to the one memory all these years"
Joe shifted uneasiIy from one foot to the
other He picked up a stone, and sent it
savagely whirling over the water.
polly" he said, II think FL take plunge
in the sea; it will tone me up, and give me
an appetite for dinner There's a bathing
suit in one of the little cribs behind u.s."
| Look at that big black cloud Joe."
81 won't stay in long, Polly" He gave his
! wife tender squeeze, looked down upon her
| with an expression that seemed to say he'd
kiss her if it wouldn't shock Miss Mortimer's
sense of propriety, ran uD to the bathing
house, and, to the surprise of Phil. and Miss
| Mortimer, presently disappeared in a huge
| green wave that covered them with its spray
Joe is a regular water-dog," said Phil
| Miss Mortimer made no reply. She had
/ not come down to the sea-shore that day to
! listen to the laudations of Joe Barritt and his
wife Miss Mortimer felt that she had no
time to lose and was resolved to waste no
words upon Joe Barretrs maritime proelivi-
| ties.
Phil, however, kept his eyes upon Joe as
! he swan out to the open sea, and went on
talking about him without requiring any
special reply.
Joe is little impulsve and reckless, per-
haDs." said Phil, but he's capital swim
| mer."
at is growing cold" said Miss Mortimer
| contracting her shoulders in that graceful
way that some women have of making even
a SILVER attractive.
Phil. remembered with re:norse that her
wrap was hanging forgotten upon his arm
| He fastened to put it about her shoulders
| but the wind, which was rising to a gale
made the effort prolonged one.
| Don't you hate the wind?" said Miss Nor
| timer, coouettishly.
| liam never ungrateful said Phil, captur-
ing the ends of the shawl again. and holding
| them fast this time about her slender form
| A keen look of incipient triumph flashed
from Miss Mortimer's eyes. Pills words al
ways seemed to mean so much more than
they said. And she could not, unfortunate
| ly, see that his eyes were still looking fixedly
| over her head upon the water beyond the
surf
A shaft or two of wild light flashed down
| upon the scene. An ominous rumble from
the clouds mingled with the roar of the sea-
Suddenly the earth and sky were enveoped
in binding glare. In this spectral light
! afin lv To Ra Iii
wildly aloft and disappear in the darkening
waste,
Phil. threw off his shoes and his coat as he
ran to the sea, and Miss Mortimer had great
difficulty in rescuing his vest, which was
nearly carried out by a returning wave. Her
! L. i Il. L l.