Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-03-20
you old married men cannot be az.

| -. ooNOu WIN surprise NJ NdtcfS
while he sank back in his seat with the
resigned air Of man in the hands Of
his enemies. We had both been care
tully conceallng tho fact that we were
married men and the blunt announce
ment of the lady was q painful shock.
Waters gave q side nod at Blair. as
much as to say; Hes given it away"
| looked reproachfully at my old friend
at the head of the table, but he seemed
to be absorbed in what our sentimental
lady was saying E...
1T is this, she continued "IIere Is
a young lady. Her lover sends her a
basket. There may be some hidden
meaning that sho alone will understand
IN the very flowers chosen, or in the al
rangement of them The flowers, lel
us suppose, never reach their destinS.
ton. The message is unspoken, or
rather spoken, but unheard. The youn
lady greves at the apparent neglect
and then, in her pride, resents it. She
does not write and he knows not why.
The mistake may be discovered too late,
and all because basket of flowers has
been missent."
Now Blair" said Waters, eff any
taing can make you do the square thing
surely that appeal will. +"
Il shall not so far forget what is due
to myself and the dignity of this table
to repy to our erratic friend. Here
is what ! propose to do first catch our
hare. Stewar !, can YOU find out for
me at what table and at what seat Miss
Mcmillan ISL
White the steward was gone on his
GRAND Mr.. Blair PROCEEDED.
u will become acquainted with her.
Mcmillan is "A good Scotch name and
Blair is another. On that as basis
think we can speedily form an acquain-
lance. shall then in casual manner
ask her If she knows young man by
the name of Edwin j., and ! shall tell
Jou what effect the mention of the
name has on her.
Now, as part owner in the flowers
mp to date, protest against that.
insist that Miss Mcmillan be brought
to this table and that we all hear ex
actly what is said to her," put in Mr.
Walters.
Nevertheless we all agreed that N.Y.
Blair proposal was good one and the
majority sanctioned it.
Meanwhile our sentimental lady had
been looking among the crowd for the
unconscious Miss Mcmillan.
II think | have found her." she
whispered 10 me. 10 you see that
handsome girl at the captain table.
Really the handsomest girl on board.
u thought that distinction rested
with our own table.
Now please pay attention. Do you
see how pensiye she is, with her cheek
resting on her hand? / am sure she is
thinking of Edwin"
Il wouldn't bet on that, f." replied.
There is considerable motion lust now
and there are indications of storm
The fensiyeneSs may have other
causes. Z"
Here the steward returned and re
ported that Miss Mcmillan has not vet
appeared at the table. but had her
meals brought to her room by the stew.
ardess.
Blair called 10 Mrs. Kay, the good
natured, portly stewardess of the Der
lin, who at that moment was passing
through the saloon.
is Miss Mcmillan ilp' he asked.
mo, not i'll, )" replied Mrs. Kay, "but
she seems very much depressed at
leaving home, and she has not left her
room since VIC started"
There" said our sentimental lady
triumphantly
Il would like very much to see her.
said Mr.. Blair; IL have some good news
for her."
Il will ask her to come out. It will
10 her good, said the stewardess as
she went away.
In few moments she appeared, and
Following her came an old woman with |
white hair and her eyes concealed by a |
pair of spectacles.
Miss Mcmillan, said the stewardess.
this is Mr.. Blair, who wanted to speak |
to YOU"
Although Mr.. Blair was, as we all
were, astonished to see our mythical
young lady changed into a real old
woman, he did not lose his equanimity.
nor did his kindly face show any sur.
prise, but he evidently forgot the part
hO l"o ln'cHueu W pay
"You will pardon me for troubling
you, Miss Mcmillan, he said but this
basket of flowers was evidently in
tended for you and was sent to my room
by mistake"
MissMcMillan did not look at the
flowers, but gazed long at the card with
the writing on it, and as she did SO one
tear and then another stole down the
"rinkled face from behind the glasses.
There is no mistake, is there9" asked
Mr.. Blair. "You know the writer"
There is no mistake" replied Miss
Mcmillan in a low voice-"he is q very
lear and kind friend" Then, as if un-
able to trust herself further, she took
The flowers and hurriedly said Thank
you," and left us.
There" | said to the lady on my left.
your romance turns out to be nothing
after all"
mo, sir" she cried with emphasis;
the romance is there, and very much
more of romance than if Miss McMil.
an was young and silly girl of 90"
Rerhaps she was right.