, 1884-01-26
IF MY FIRST WIFE

0@
My dear Frank 1 am glad to see you"
There was an embrace, and the lady burst
into tears.
"Lesbia has not a beaming eyer cried
Frank Reston, barTister. who had just leaped
down from the dog-cart after a cold drive
from the station at Ramford, to his brother
in-law's handsome place, the Coppices, Calk-
ston, where that new relative had settled
after his return from Australia, where be
had been sent-the younger son of q good old
country family-to see what he could do as
what is euphoniously termed a squatter. He
had squAttsd to some advantage, the Fntes
having been kind; and, after making a
moderate fortune, he had suddenly doubled
It by marrying the widow of a colonial mag
nate.
At the lady's desirs-her will being para
mounr-they were on their way TO England,
when ono night they were awakened by an
awful crash, and, rushing on dock, they
found all in confusion. Some vessel had run
into them during a fog, cut the great Austral
liner down below the waters edge, and dur
ing the next half hour there was a fight for
life.
John Audas behaved admirably. When
the rush WINS made for the boat, he knocked
down half a dozen towards one after the
other, and by sheer strength helped the cap
tain to send of the first boat properly manned
"ieu Va VIC women PoSSonseis "eieay eap
uA1hs tnn'n AnieknS, enaerly "ne, 'nouia
got that of safely, before being overpowered,
for a mad rush ensued, the other boats were
flled anyhow, and at last tho captain, second
mate, half a dozen men and the brave young
passenger were left alone upon the deck Of
the sinking ship, with just time enough to
$50 =" 'paIs NsoNu, ~ 'H -
oOHuI anu uw e u H"n
upPoLt Ion sesi mon' ~"
Ei - .~sy "ie pSa up
uAu, hAii osau' " passing snip, having
seen no more OF lne ooals, an o. whien Were
,ost, presonaeiy, IN tne gaie Mn'cn came On
Dio.e NAM nouIs na. passea, anu mus
49, 81 and To- sron tacoranI.hIa -
y ~ ~ ~
peIcnIaI ,aanat. "a -. - ~ 49, -,
rhIah $50 naanIa - u,aIaa..s
rerm.
- u..,o tusua u.. ..u
.oIoni., aFoctsJ ~ ~ - 49, - -
IT. - ~ ~ ca,.icas -. =
,naiaS u, tho W,o =, = op,ntr a~n.
voar had LandIv nasss5 49, - -
s,i,or for ,he 49, ~ rosha pas.on .ha
danobter of the old vicar q, CaItston ard
,ha Ill -, ,ha oo,ntv
49, ,oIIo,ras - naa..a -
nrosaio ,rar Tohn go. -. h.uaai y.
prooch ,or . son.in1sv. III vxoo,na we
dornr;rh, .rd hanas,. 80 a.. -. -
| the blnff snn .hroyyned yv.IlJn,ormsJ fs,low
-albait he was far from clav.rNouI,a ! -
trast and rsI;ef aftar The ins,njd s1ocois, :,
the ~neI0hborbood. 20 the resnlt vas that
| after a rather sbort Intimacy Jobn Audss
nroaosad @aa.aso.t5 - pH-nnm
fro,p tho ts,nn,s 10 h. nroso,,t a. ~ a,s.ulis
wedding and NOW that n, r,o,ths ,...r -
had run down to spend a few DAYS at the
Conpieos to havs a little sbootine bsr so,nd
he thin. pale. areworn and ready al n rord
10 hn,xt into tsars ""u
"Ybv little I .sbv = h. cr,.d vI,h al ri,
old netting way,D "ybat q n, sn-s,s let
10 not hebeving hadIy 10 vo,yn
UNo ar No, IL Z. no.hI.n ut
i. rttIe brst.,Jca, ~
o.. i. -Sa~s.L,.-u ,r,
49, g. -. - - II
.N,H 49, Fr.nn no,m
90 vo,; sav 4 vn,d n ~
II - 80
win nota ..id her brnthsr. d., -.
| down here for a rest and To h,va 4 ht ~ on
ioyment. and And Won in t.arsS
Tvs YES and it,s ali NV nor.a,s.
dear. There. its ali zone nov rt,. -.
WEATHER. I tbink y
s.Wbere,s Jobnr,
either In the stable. or ,,ovvn m. r.rn
dear. mi send for bfm,p ~
"Oh m 90 ana Loot h,u
he'll be glnd TO see meTn
.sWby' of cou,,e dear "a. he, IN.
inc ahont notbirs s,.s .i,aa 10 49, 80
we're coming, and making No .nd 20 y y
"Ab. tbat,s riebt sstd Fr.rS -
smiling.
All rn = .,.5
daor Van = b., at1sta n
companv for dear .Jobn-,o, s,oh on.S -
many p..as I tbint hi s,st -
w. ,,onp.o . 5aaI -"
she is now.n ~
'rIl try very hard 10 tall. nm irtor,~t e.
hi. rnrsrit.. ~ b. iheIFes, IN
I'm afraid he Tots ont Of %nstisnc. 'nN
aTn tell Won Ssbs. ~ /.
Reston bluntly; 'If YOU two people can,t h.
happy in this glorious plnce. Win everv I'M.
ury about YOU, and oniy 10 xneak ~ bs,a
whatever you please, YOU dsserve-von AZ.
serve-there, 1 don't know what Won don,t
deseryeln
yves. dear WA do " aid a.. -
"Ab. mere come, dear .Iohn mi Iry ne en
dout tell him I've been CRYING ~
istufYI IL n lkeIvTr
'.And. prav. prav Franz do,,, Ia, ILL.,
.h,nh ~ T - uont yet nun
make him 40 unhappy
As abe spoke she ran off. and Frnnk Ras+or
crossed the hall to meet his stalwart hrothsr-
in-law, wbo hooked tho hear idaai -, aasS
try gentleman, and a striking contra,t 10 the
pale, careworu student freah from his
gloomy chambers In town =
All, Frank, my dear boy. / am glad 10
zee YOU. Whv. Won nale hloaoha5 -
here, CONT out In the open air. and let,.
get some color in your cheeks. Come ana
have a look at the dogsn
They went and had a look at the ,nlendid
settlers and retrieyerx In their kapnaI. 80 :.
Heston admired thein-