The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-07-25


gIish or American consul.
Poor Ciara's much travelled letter
reached Yokohama in due season. and was
sent to the English consul.
After remaining some days in his hands
uncalled for, is was passed on to the
American consul, where 1t remained a
month, and was then returned to Allison
at New York. Great was his surprise to
receive his letter again, bearing the post
mark yokohama. He could also see
that it had been to California. There
was nothing to do now but wait Until
Henry himself reported.
Several days after letter came to Alli-
son, postmarked vienna, Austria" As
it seemed to be the continuation ri a for
mer story, Allison concluded that the
previous letters from Henry must have
miscarried, 1t closed with these words:
.'Mr. Hawthorne didn't like Japan; so
we did not stop on those tlowery shores.
Our stay here promises to be prolonged;
so write me care United States consul.
When / shall return to my native land is
a problem do not try to solve. So long
as / and my agreeable employer are as
.'appy as we are at present, as he would
say, we shall probably remain in partner
ship. He has formidable tour marked
out. St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, Rome,
Moscow, Paris. the Alhambra and the
Holy Land, in about this order, believe.
So, you see, we have years of travel be
fore us. Will write you when leisure and
inclination comedies.
Allison answered this letter at once; and
without opening the former one. which
he had laid away in his desk, iLclosed it
and its Enclosure in larger envelope,
that also bore his name on the end.
III.
Time passed-three months, six months,
q year, and no word came from the wan
derer. 1t never occurred to Allison that
his letter had never been received But
such was the fact.
After his usual cratic manner Haw-
thorne suddenly determined to leave vi
emma for st. Petersburg.
While journeying through the Suez
Canal, they bad made the acquaintance of
an English spinster, a Miss Winthrop, ae-
companied by very pretty American girl
as trayeling companion. Milford felt a
lauguid interest in the girl, but he had a
suspicion that his employer was more than
interested in Miss Winthrop. These ladies
suddenly appearing in Vienna, tie ac-
quaintance was renewed, and Milford was
not at all surprised when Mr.. Hawthorne
announced that he did not, in the least,
care TO go to Russia, but resolved it would
be for his health to seek more genial
cline This opinion seemed to be the re-
suit of learning that the ladies were going
to Rome for the Easter festivities.
'sWe might as well got Rome for
Heaster too, said Mr.. Hawthorne. cit
would be deal more Christian-like than
spending that holy time among those
beastly Russians"
Milford did not like to seem to be fol-
lowing the ladies, but the more he opposed
the Italian trip, the more determined Mr..
Hawthorne became.
Like as not I'll never ave chahEce to
see Hitalian Heaster again, and Pm going.
You can do as you please.
OF course the young man pleased 10 &C.
company his employer. The days in
Rome passed very pleasantly in sight
seeing. The two gentlemen acted as es-
corts TO the ladies.
Mr.. Hawthorne and Miss Grey would
wander away by themselves, returning to
the hotel honrs after Milford aud Miss
Winthrop, with some strange story of get
ting lost, to which the elder lady would
listen with an incredulous smile, while Mil
ford was forced to admit that the smitten
Englishman was superior to the national
prejudice against Americans.
One day Henry took little jaunt with
severalAmeticans, leaving Mi. Hawthorne
as sole Escort for the ladies' 1t was quite
late when he returned to his hotel, at the
door of which he met an acquaintance,
who greeted him with:
"Hellol Milford, you didn't go with
your party. Miss Grey looked charming.
Expect to go to Florence myself next
week. How soon do you go?'
With careless remark. Milford passed
On TO his room, to find it true that Haw-
thorne and the ladies had gone to Flor
ence, leaving word for him to follow. The
hasty note left for his instruction con-
tanned this closing sentence. event to
United States Consul Saw a letter for
you and ordered it forwarded"
After greeting his friends the next
morning in Florence, Milford said he would
run out to the Consul's and get his letter.
ssYou won't find it," said the old gentle
man. 81 ordered it sent on to Switzsr-
land"
Milford sat down, disappointed.
'Why didn't you bring it with you ?"
asked Miss Grey.
Never thought of it, assure you. 1t
would ave been the easiest thing in the
world, now wouldn't it? But il never en-
tered my ed. Thought we had 70 order
letters forwarded Believe I'd forwarded
my own, if there'd been any there"
"To what place in Switzerland did you
order IL ?" asked Milford
81 think it was Zurich, and we'll hurry
forward and overtake it"
But Milford would not consent to shorten
the stay in Florence on account of myth
ical letter, and manifested no more anxiety
in regard to it. But Mr.. Hawthorne had q
secret anxiety concerning that very letter.
He was not so sure that ne had ordered 1T
to Zurich, and the more he thought about
it the less certain he became. These fears
proved well grounded. The letter was not
at Zurich, and the Consul was sure it had
never heen there Mr. Hawthorne prieved