, 1886-09-19
SEASIDE EPISODE.

Il never was so ofohc up III n" ny
life
The explanatory Interrogation was adj
dressed TO a we'll known New York mer-
chant, a man of middle age and the hus-
band of a wonderfully beautiful young
wife, as he sat in the corridor of the West
End last might. 1t was late, and the
friend who spoke was just returning from
a caucus Mt the Pennsylvania club, where
he and several other distin yuished poll
ticians and amateur statesmen had been
trying to influence Mr.. Philip DAILY. The
hour was exactly half past IL. The second
speaker continued, speaking less enig-
maiically;
TIE bar is closed; have you anything
In your room. old mann"
II was evident that the sick man
was suffering from the effect of a men
tai shock OF some kind. He was perfectly
sober.
When they were seated together the
merchant grew confidential, and bit by
BIT to relieved his overburdened MIND
he revealed one of the most curious am
lily episodes that have ever come 10 the
personal knowledge of your correspon-
dent. Henceforward the story Will be
told In the wor Is of the mutual TREND,
who, since he finds that all the ladies in
the house have been gossiping about the
matter today, feels justified in repeating
the Incident with all their e~xtenuating
circumstances
when we sat down In my room" began
the confidential friend OF the elderly mer-
chant, my sad, distressed companion I'm
ally said:-'It was like this. you see. l
can trust you with what to me Is an awful
secret. accepted an invitation some
time ngo from my friend Harry French, a
vero jolly fellow, to make n cruise In his
yacht. A mall party of clever men were
to be acoard. | was glad to go-not that
l love the sea, for don't. Curseit, l hate
1t. But the novelty of the experience
caught me, you know. l Joined the pretty
little steamer at New York, expecting to
be gone n week at least. Yes, hat was
last wednesday. thine has moved so
rapidly in the last few minutes that l
have to check IL off to be certain I'm
right.) We sailed eerly in the forenoon.
Harry is n bold %bucaneer, and we put out
TO sea at once. The wdter was very rough
ought as rough as a country tin lantern
l was beastly sick for two days, but late
this afternoon we spoke a pilot boat
bound inward The skipper said he would
land me at Sandy Aook wharf for a valu-
able consideration. | was rejoiced at the
prospective end OF nv seasickness. and
with considerable difficulty wa trans
ferred to the schooner. Blessed IL / now
remember how it was accomplished. |
felt If / only could get my feet upon dry
land again I'd be the happiest man in the
entire universe. Alasl You behold me a
miserable wretch, who, when you spoke
to me. wa contemplating suicide
"He thought | would speak, but [ only
looked very nprd at him and kept silent.
About 9 O'Clock we reached the Horse
shoe and I Vyua lanHa1 Mt the nfar , nv
companion resumed, signing heavily.
The last train to Long Branch was gone.
Still, l didn't worry. l found n couple of
strong railroad workmen who agreed for
$40 to bring me down to Seabrignt on a
hand-car. Once there | knew | could hire
n team to bring me home, and | did. /
was right glad to get OF LAND and see my
poor anxious wife, who | knew must miss
me very much. To cut it short, / sprang
out of the carriage here exactly half an
hour ago. In my impotence | didn't
wait to say a word to any of the "regu-
lars who were moving toward the bar
room for the flnal ball, - but | climbed
the stairs To my wife's-our room. |
knew the number we'll enough-l9s, on
the third floor. l had gone to it many Il
time under less advantageous circum-
stances-for | was perfectly sober, upon
my word, rs ! regret to remark, | am yet.
Strange to say. | couldn't find the door. |
went back and followed up the numbers.
Yes, they were all In regular nee
lg4, 1896. l9s. but as there is a God above
us, a pair of mans shoes sat In front of
my door,
az don't believe It, | promptly inter-
rupted.
= But | saw them
"'You are grossly slandering a good
woman; and the mere circumstance that
she is your wife, sir, does not Justify
Don't lose you temper
How can | keep it when | near a man
that l have known for fifteen years care
lessly blast the character of n most anna
BILE aud virtuous woman. Now. shut up
and go to bed. You are either crazy or
drunk, | ont know which. Get outl'
He moved toward the door not be
cause he was overawed, but with a bouy-
ancy. a clearly defined sense OF relief. that
his ~eyes-indeed. his whole manner
showed. Plainly as words, his glide
toward the hall said:
Perhaps l am wrong
"He got as far as the middla.of the wide
corridor. Then he came back just as |
WIS about to close the room. His appeal
was almost pathetic, as he stammered:
"'Wll you come with me as far as my
door, I'm a trifle uncertain OF myself, rs
you say When | hesitated for a mo-
ment he added: You're a severe friend,
and a candid one. but / forgive you. Only
come with me. Do2'
-The affair was none of mine, but as l
was morally sure the merchant had mis-
taken some mans room for his, | finally
consented to do a foolish act. | took his
arm and we started. Turning a corner
in the hall | instinctively noticed that the
husband peered forward, with something
like the intensity that a ~hydrophobic
patient stares at "A bowl of water. hat
was he trying to ind Oh, yes, | forgot,
the shoes. | chuckled ut the laugh I'd
have to myself about the matter.
"But, where was the room2 1 glanced
at the nearest door. Odl number on the
front OF the house; even numbers at the
back. Then his room faced the lawn in
the rear Of the hotel. All we were get
ting wan, as the children say. Here was
ecs; next was 204; then came zoe; Il stair
way followed, 200 was the first door aud
1875 was the-good God, there were the
shoesi
II had them in my hands In a minute.
Mems shoes, beyond n doubt-'tens' at
least-and almost new. for found the
sole- only slightly discolored. turned 10
my poor friend who sat limp and droop-
ing, upon a large trunk at tine side of the
door-his wife's trunk, as the full name
on its end attested. Happy thought
Probably his thoughtful spouse had
placed IA pair OF her husbands shoes
outside to have them hlacked for his use
on his return. Noiselessly "a possible |
lnid the shoes | held alongside one of my
companions feet, He wore a hvei This
shoe would nave fitted the Chinese giant
- V-I Ina ~. A. ~