The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-09-03

She was just lamenting the mat
tention af every one to her, when a
young man with fair mustache and
straightforward-looking blue eyes,
entered the office of the consul, who
was busily writing to catch the
mail.
II am expectinga a young woman
from Europe, whom | have married
lby proxy" said the visitor, 'and
have come to make inquiries.
"She has just been brought here" "
said the official, without stopping
his writing. "She is in very bad
state, and you would do me favor
by taking her off my couch as soon
as possible. Leave your address and
the baggage will be forwarded"
The meeting Of the pair may be
imagined. He timid, she a weaken
ed, PROSTATE ghost Of her former
self.
The young colonist was, however,
pleased with his acquisition, and
hailing two coolies, had his wife TAX
ZEN to the Samarang depot. The
| train took them half way to Djok-
Iiokarta, where two almost nude men
lifted the well-nigh insensible Nina
out.
An hour later she was seated next
to her legal husband on the rough
cushions of a two wheeled cart,
drawn by two jogging oxen, which
shook her terribly. However, Nina
felt better. She looked up at her
husband, and was pleased with his
appearance. Gun in hand he SEEM
ed to watch furtively every nook and
Granny as they payssed, but paid
her no attention. This seemed
strange to her.
"You are very fond of sport, it
seems ?" she said, in a semi-reproach-
ful tone. These were the first words
she had uttered to her companion.
II never was so frightened at
meeting game as / am at this mo-
ment. This is a lovely climate, and
/ hope you will ike the country:
but it has one disadvantage After
six o'clock in the evening it is infest-
ed with tigers. who prowl about in
search of what they may devour, so
that 1t is best TO remain at home af-
ter that hour. However, we have
passed the most DANCE Gus part, and
we are getting near hone"
Poor Nina She no longer wished
to talk. She trembled from head to
foot. At last they arrived at fine
bungalow, raised off the ground, to
avoid the snakes and adders, with
verandahs all around. On the steps
stood a pale, thin old lady, who
came forward. attracted by the noise
of the wheels. She was Mina's
mother-in-law.
"What, my child, you here al
ready ?" cried the old lady, much
surprised. 'We did not expect you
until next week"
"We had an accident on the way,
madame"
"That would delay rather than
accelerate your arrival. However,
here you are /; that is the main
thing. Be welcome, my child. You
must be hungry"
"Ch, madame, l only want sleep
If you only knew what a journey |
have had -
Don't make any excuses, my
child. l will get your room ready at
once. and take you there myself"
Al hour later Nina slept beneath
the waving Punkah, wrapt in sweet
sleep and pleasant dreams.
do you know you will have a
pretty wife?" said the mother on re-
joining her son under the verandah.
1T is astonishing how little she
resembles the photograph your un-
Gle once sent of her"
"Yes," said the young man, "she
is very lovely. l would like to go
early to the church, mother, because,
after all, we have not been regularly
married"
On the morrow Nina came down
all pink and white.
''Did you sleep well, dear Anna ?"
said her husband for the first time,
kissing his wife's forehead.
But" said the young woman,
smiling. "my name is not Anna, my
name is Mina-Mina Claereboets.
Had you already forgotten it?"
"What p cried the colonist, pale
as death, "are you not Anna-Anna
Tanssens ?"
"Great God and you"-
~ am called Hans Van Hasselt. |
Don't you come from Edam ? Isn't
your father a cheese merchant?"
He is gardener near HARLEM.
l have married Micheels Maassen,
cashier of the house of Van Meeruyt.
Here is my certificate of marriage"
Hans seized the papers, with
trembling hand. and glanced over
them hurriedly.
Mother, SAID he, 10 OLD MIS-.
Van Hasselt, who at that moment
entered, arrayed in her finest robes,
"a misfortune has occurred. made
mistake at Samarang. The young
lady belongs to another"
The matron was sensible wo-
man. In a moment she understood
all. 1t was certainly hard on her
son, already three parts in love with
a woman who was not for him, and
whose husband would have to be
found in an island fifteen hundred
miles away, and he would have to
be found before the real Mrs. Hans
appeared on the scene, else she
would have two daughters-in-law on
her hands.
Without losing day, they start
ed off with Nina, who thought rest
would never come to her. The only |
plan was to go to the consuls of the I
various islands till they heard news
of the happy Maassen, to whom he
would have to give up Nina, to be
replaced by the homely original of
his photograph.
To less resigned natures the posi-
ton would have been insufferable,
but these two contented themselves
., Al, bo--,~ ooo of coasrr, aoob 9th