Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-08-26
THE MYSTERY
OF A.
HANSON CAB.
BY FERGUS Q. HUME.
ICoNTINUKD I
CHAPTER X.

~ w. - e-SAaAA hNn -OhO W hnOoS
cloudless days. with the blszing sun beat
ing down on the arid streets, and casting
deep, black shadows. By rights il was
December day, but the clerk of the weather
kad evidently got little mixed and pop
ped Il into the middle Of August by mis-
take. The previous week, however, had
been little chilly, and the delightfully."-
hot day had come rs q pleasant surprise
and forecast Of summer, 1t was SstuT-
day morning, and OF course all fashion
able Melbourne was iJing the block.
With regard to its "BloUk" Collins street
corresponds to New York's Broadway, Lon
don's Regent street and Rotten Row and to
the BOulevards of Paris. 1t is on the
Block that people show of their new
dresses, bow to their friends, cut their enc
mics and chatter small talk. The same
thing no doubt occurred in the AppiaD
Way, the fashionable street of Imperial
Rome, when Catullus talked gay nonsense
10 Lssbia, and Horace received the con-
eratulatiOns Of his friends over his new
volume of society verses History repeats
itself and every city is hOuod by all the
laws Of civilization TO have one special
street, wherein the yotaTies of fashion cal
enpgragate Collins street is not, of course,
such y grand tbOrOughfars az those above
mentioned, bat the people who stroll up
aud down the broad pavement are quite a.
charmingly dressed, and ss pleasant a.
auy OF the psripatstiOs of these famous
cites. A the sun brings out bright flow
ers, 30 the seductive Influence OF the bot
weather had brought out the ladies in gay
dresses of innumsrable eolors, which made
the long street look like restless rain
bow. Carriages were bowling smoothly
along, their occupants smiling snd bowiDg
as!they recOgnized their friends on the side
walk; lawyers, their legal bubble finished
for the week, were strolliDg leisurely
a!oog, with their black bags in their hands;
pDTtly merchants, forgetting Flinders Lane
and incoming ships, were walking beside
their pretty daughters, and the representa-
tives of swelldom were stalking along in
their customary apparel of curly hats, high
collars and mashsr suits Altogether, IL
was a very pleasant and animated scene,
aod would have delighted the heart Of any.
one who was not q dyspepsic nor IN love-
dyspeptic people aud lovers disappointed
ones, of course, bsing accustomed to sur
yey the world in q cynical vein.
MadRe Frettlby was engaged in that
pleasant occupation, so dear 70 every 10
male heart, OF shopping Sne was in Mou
bray, Rowan and Hicks', turning over
ribbons and lacsS while the faithful Brian
waited for her outside, aud amused him
salf by looking at the human stream which
flowed along the pIyemeot. II there IL
one thing above another which is dreaded
By men, it is shopping with ladies, for
then q few minutes with them becomes
hours and the weary husband pensiyely
smoking cigarettes outside, while mis- better
half worries the Young man at the cOnnter
about the last new shade, wonders "Wha-
tia deuce can be keeping Maria, until
that estimable lady makes her appearance,
followed by shOpman bending like Atlas
under his load OF boxes and parcels. Brian
disliked shopping quite as much ~ the
rest OF his sex, but, being lover, OF course
il was his duty to be msrtyTized, though
be could not help thinking of his pleasant
club, where ne could have been reading
and smoking, with something cool in q
glass beside him. After MSdge hsd pur-
chased dozen articles she did not want,
aud had interviewed her dreSsmaker on
the mOmeUtous subject OF new dress,
she remembered that Brian was waiting for
her and hurried quickly to the door.
~ haven't been many minutes, have l
dear, - she said, touchiDg MIN lightly 90
the arm.
''Oh dear, nc" answered Brian, looking
= L, gsa,1y, Nhfrkty n
ing, considering a new dress was being dis
cussed "
II thought had been waiting longer"
sail Madgs, her brow clearing, 'but still l
am sure you feel martyr"
''Nat at all, replied Fitzgerald, hand
ing her into the carriage; Il enjoyed my
self very much"
Nonsense" she laughed, opening her
sunsnade, while Brian took his seat beside
her; that's one OF those sOcisl stories
which rvery one considers themselves bound
To tell from sense OF duty. I'm afraid
did keep YOU waitiBg-though, after all "
she went on, with true feminine idea a.
IL lhe fight OF time, IL was only lew
minutes"
And the rest, ;" said Brian, quizzicslly,
looking at her pretty face, 20 charmingly
flashed under her great white hat.
MadXe disdained to notice the Interrupt
tinn.
James" shs cried to the coschman,
"drlye to the Melbourne Club Papa will
be there, yea know" she said to Brian,
land wen take him of TO have afternoon
tea with us"
"Bat it's only one o'clock" said Brian
~ the Town Hall clock came in sight.
Mrs Simpson won't be ready"
'Oh, anything will DO, " replied Msdge
"a cup of tea and some thin bread and
butter isn't hard to prepare. l don't feel
like lunch, aud papa eats 80 little in the
middle of the day, and you
Eat a great deal at ali times, " finished
Brian. with laugh. Msdge went on
ehsttering in her usual lively manner, and
Brisu listened to her with delight. II was
very pleasant, ne thought, lying back
among the soft cushions of the carriage,
with . pretty girl talking so gaily. He
felt like Saul must have done when be
heard the harp of David, and Ms5gc, with
her pleasant talk, drove away the evil
spirit which had been with him for the
last three weeks. Suddenly Madge made
an observation rs they were passing the
Burke and Wills monument, which star
tied him.
Isn't that the place where Mr.. Whyte
got into the csb?" she asked, looking ct the
scotch Church, where ysgraut of musical
tendencies was playing Just Before the
Battle, Mother" on battered old coneer-
tips IN a most dismal manner.
$50 the papers say" answered Brian,
listlessly, without turning his head.
at wonder who the gentleman in the
light coat could have been, said Madge, rs
she settled herself again.
''No one seems to know" be replied
evssiysly.
"Ah, bat they've got = clue" she said.
EDO yOu know, Brian, she went on. that
he Was dressed Just like you, in light
oyerc0at and soft hat?"
SHOW remarkable" said Fitzgerald,
speaking in a slightly sarcastic tone, and IS
calmly as he was able He was dressed
q