Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-06-06


ah-with the thermometer standing dog
gedly at hundred and two in the shade,
is-ab; but I dare say you understand.
"O1, perfectly, Mr.. II think
have not the pleasure of knowing your
NAME"
"Who am II" thought Mr.. Thomas
Bilbury. my name," he said, after a
slight pause, lis Tilbury.' 49,
".What curious Similarity" said his
wife. eyes; can readily believe that
people coming home from India find this
climate very trying at first, even in sum-
mer. My husband writes that the heat
in Calcutta has been excessive. Possibly,
Mr.. Tlbury, you have called to give me
some news of him? I hope SO. Thought
that his last letter was not written in
very good Spirits,
"That is satisfactory" thought Mr..
Bilbury. "The lapse of two years has
not altered her love for me"
eyes" he said aloud; 81 can give
you some news of him, for, month ago
I was in Calcutta"
"Indeed? How delightful! Do sit
down, Mr.. Tilbury. 1t is very pleasant
to meet any one who has seen my hus
band SO recently, for gather from what
you say that you have seen him. How is
he ?"
Mr.. Bilbury was by this time much
exercised in his mind as to what to say
next. On the one hand, he was afraid
to declare himself for fear of frightening
his wife; on the other, he rather en-
joyed the situation. He therefore de-
termined for the present to retain his
incognito.
"Ho was" he said with deliberate
hesitation, "as we'll as could be expect
ed"
"As we'll as coul! be exosoted?" re-
pea!ed Mrs. Bilbury with alarm. EDO
"Well, not exactly ILL.,, prevaricated
Tom, who had not yet quite made up
his mind as to what he should say.
'But do not understand you. Tell
NE, please. What has happened to
HIM ?"
Mr.. Bilbury wondered what the end
would be-. He heartily wished that his
wife would recognize.him and settle the
difficulty by throwing her arms around
his neck.
"Notaing very Serious he said. II
dare say he has told you that he has be-
come very fond of tiger-shooting %
"Ab, tigers! Tell me Mr.. Tilbury, tell
me!''
| "Wel], he went out tiger-shooting
one day as risual-ah-he was accompan-
led only by his servant. They entered
the jungle! Suddenly, and without warm
ing, a huge female tiger sprang upon
your husband and bore him to the earth.
Tue native fed for assistance; help ar
rived; and the victim was found faint
from loss OF blood, with his left arm
torn out at the socket, his left eye de-
stroyed, and the calf Of his left leg-ah
deeply scored by the cruel claws of
the ferocious monster"
"Dear me, how alarming!" comment
ed Mrs. Bilbury; and the Explanations
seemed SO out of proportion to the gray
ity Of the story that Mr.. Bilbury felt
seriously disappointed. "Tbat fully &C.
counts" continued Lydia, "for his bad
spirits. His right ANN
eyes, torn out at the socket, Mrs.
Bilbury. He has learned to write with
his lefs hand"
"Ah! dreadful. And his left eye de.
stroyea?"
eyes, he wears glass eye, poor fell
low.
"It must be agony. And the calf of
his leg deeply scored by the cruel claws
of the ferocious monster! Terrible mis-
fortune! And when you left him, Mr..
Tilbury, how was he? Will he sur
vive?''
A new light seemed to break upon
Mr.. Bilbury. Did his wife want him to
survive? He felt by no means sure
of it.
cit is impossible to say with certain
ty,"he said; "but you must hope for
the best. Let ne beg of you, my dear
Mrs. Bilbury, to keep up your spirits. "
should be miserable. There is very
pleasant society downhere at Richmond;
and, you know, there are as good fish in
the sea as ever came out OF it.
Toms worst suspicious were by this
time more than confirmed "The heart.
less woman!" he thought. ..'This is
how she receives the news cf my being
mangled and disfgured." But still, I'M
willing to give up hope, he continued
aloud: "Poor fellow! l assure you
that in his delirium your name was very
often on his lips"
"Indeed! Then he had not quite for
gotten me-"
"Forgotten you ?" repeated Tom, his
feelings for an instant getting the better
of bin. "Oh, no! l think that it is
the lot Of but few women to have hus-
band so utterly devoted 10 her,"
"And OF but few men to have a
wife -
$50 charming" said Mr.. Bilbury,
finishing the sentence.
sob, MIR. Tilbury! But excuse me.
OF course you viii stay to luncheon.
Do; to please me! You know that a
woman hates solitude little less than
SMALL ox. One moment. I will just
go and give the necessary orders" And
Mrs. B,lbury rose and quilted the room.
swell, this is awful" reflected her
husband as soon as he was left alone.
"She doesn't recognize me, and appar-
emily she doesn't seem to care for me
much. She reminds me that there are
as good fish in the sea as ever came out
of II. That, I suppose, means that il I
would only die and hberate her, she
would promptly marry some one else. A
nice instance of the faithlessness Of
womeo! Perhaps l should do we'll to
leave her at once, an never let herknow
the truth; but l can't d. that. I love
her still; indeed, I'm afraid I love her
more than I ever did. No; I will see
this affair to the end. If she is unfaith-
fu', I will find her out, and then"
His meditations were cut short by the
return of his wife, who informed him
that she had ordered some luncheon,
and That he must meanwhile do his best
to atmuse her, as there was no one else
in the house except the servants. This
style Of conversation made Tom more
and, more reckless; and at once he
launched out into an account Of an i'm
aginary moonlight picnic at Alden, where
so he let it appear had broken
the hearts of several charming girls,
ard upon the whole had behaved in q
highly reprehensible manner.
''It must have been very delightful, I"
said Mrs. Bilbury. "Iwish had been
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