The Delta independent., 1888-09-11
A Strange Disappearance


from London to Folkestone. My
companion was in deep mourning.
He was not what you would call an
intellectuall ooking man; and on
looking it over afterwards, remem-
ber that he had narrow and retreat
ing forehead. never can quite make
up my mind whether what
my fellow-traveler told me was abso-
lutte truth; whether his confidence
was caused by the natural yearnings
of his soul for human sympathy; or
whether, to use an Americanism, he
was merely ''tilling me up"
1t was not only my fellow-travel-
ers retreating forehead, but the ma
ture of his travelling literature, that
caused me to look upon him as some
thing other than an intellectual giant.
In the first place, he was reading Isis
unveiled; the Proceedings ofthe Phys
ical Society was there too; and a fat
book in very large type was labeled
Fragments and Remains of Madame
B-y.
He was kind enough to offer to lend
me one of his books; and, like an ass,
gave a snort of Indignation and
waved it off.
Il have no sympathy with such
things" said.
ga sceptic, 1 perceive, said he po-
litely.
II look upon the whole thing, sir, !"
1 replied, "as bosh and humbug, mis-
cradle trash, wretched balderdash un-
worthy of notice." And then glared
at him.
tried to silence the little man in
deep mourning by looking as much
like the Gordon Medusa as possible.
far from being turned to stone he
simply began to sit on the backs of
his hands, that which nothing is more
undignified and irritating.
II was like you once" he said with
pity-"yes, was u scoffer once; but /
have been bitterly punished-in fact,
my incredulity was the cause of my
bereavment, and he pointed in Il
solemn manner to the deep black
hat-band he wore.
When l looked up at his hat-band
saw the mans named printed in little
gold letters upon his travelling bag.
which lay on the rack above his head
-"Mr. Augustus Boobyer."
When had heard that name be-
fore? OF course it came back to me
in a flash Boobyer! that was the
man who ran off with little Hetty
Stareley, of the Frivolity Theatre. /
am not theatrical man, but / saw
Miss Stareley in the celebrated ballet
of "The Swallows" and very pretty
indeed she looked, with her big eyes,
her curly black hair and her dot of a
mouth. She was pretty, plump lit
tie nonentity till she married BOBBY
er, when she became II nine days
wonder. Then she left the stage, dis
appeared from the photographers
windows, and nobody ever heard any
more of Miss Hetty Stareley.
"1t's not SO very long ago." he be-
gan, "that it was my privilege to
lead to the altar an exceedingly love-
ly girl. worshipped the very ground
she trod upon, sir. My wife
!. was SO excessively good-looking as
to attract considerable attention
wherever we went. / was proud
oft at first; but after awhile it be-
gan to pail. My wife, sir, was a
young, inexperienced girl, and she
felt it bitterly Mine was a run
away match" he went on, land it
made considerable amount OF
noise at the time. live at Wimble-
dom-close to the camp, unfortun-
ately for me; and when we returned
from our honeymoon, the Volunteer
Camp was in full swing. 1t seemed
to me that when they were not ac-
tually engaged in drill of shooting for
prizes, the greater portion of the Vol
unteers occupied their time in walk
ing up and downin front of my house
in order to catch glympse of my
beautiful wife. I'm not exaggerat-
ing-not the least bit. AT last, how
ever, it became unbearable to both
of us. We determined to seek soil
tude, and found it at Herne Bay.
"Herne Bay is the most solitary
place ! know. 1t is frequented by
persons of limited means with large
fancies. There is a pier mile long
at Herne Bay; but it was dull
terribly dull. We were both
feeling rather bored. when l
made an acquaintance while l was
fishing for bass with rod from the
pier-head. l used to fish there the
greater part of the afternoon. l
never caught anything; but at a
place like Herne Bay one must do
something. He was a very decent
young fellow, and took great inter-
est in my fishing. III had known at
the time who he was, pehaps
shouldn't have been quite so ready
to foregather with him, The fact is.
he was q professional conjurcr; but
he was a most gentlemanly young
fellow, and decidedly good-looking.
He talked about spiritnalism; he was
nm advanced thinker; and !. from the
lofty pinnacle OF my Grass ignorance,
looked down upon the whole thing
as sbosh, humbug, and balderdash. -
Hete, still sitting on his hands, he
smiled impertineptly at me.
.sAlonsieur Kardec (for that was
~ prqll qllsgionM name) tried to con-