Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-24
CHAPTER XLI.-ONE POCKET HAND
KERCHIEF.


KERCHIEF.
Philip Pennycomequick was on his way
to Andermatt. He had come to an under
standing with Uncle Jeremiah. His COM
fort. his well-being for the future depended
on Salome. The old man had taken a fancy
tn spend his winters abroad, and he had no
wish to remain tied to his business in smoky
Merratroyd. He was quite ready to make
il over to Philip, but then Philip must first
be reconciled to his wife, and bring her
home to hold rule over the house. A Swiss
nurse had been found ready to take the
child and accompany Philip to Andermatt.
Philip did not travel in the same carriage as
the nurse and child, but he saw to their lack
ing nothing He occupied a compartment of
hrst-class carriage by himself, and thought
good deal about himself and his wife. And
frst-it was particularly annoying to have only
one pocket-handkerchief. The strictest in
'qulries had been made, but not more than the
one in use could be discovered The washer
woman insisted that she had received none,
and the housemaid protested that she had
given dozen. Between the two they had dis
appeared, and Philip was obliged to purchase
half dozen fresh silk ones; he would not buy
more because he was resolved to get, with his
wife's aid at the bottom of the mystery and
recover the lost pocket-handkerchiefs, where
ever they were Unfortunately he was not
aware how many he had had originally; but
Salome knew-she had taken count of all his
clothing knew the number of his socks and
also of his Observation-Disclosures, There was
some excuse for the havoc wrought among the
former, for the friction of boot heels and soles
does destroy the texture of worsted socks, but
no rubbing of noses Injuries the grain of silk
Observation-Disclosures.
81 Know said Philip, as the train drew up
atsThionville, "Iknow that when one has cold
the secretion is acrid, but it is not sulphuric
acid to burn holes in pocket handkerchiefs.
What? Turn out here, and have ones boxes
examined? 1 will come to the bottom of that
disappearance of pocket handkerchief am
put to intolerable discomfort. hate wiping
my nose with silk till it has been washed
three or four times and become flexible, and
has lost its harshness-it irritates the mucous
membrane 1 am going through, voyez mon
billet! What nonsense examining ones bag
gage here, ,Salome will know how many handker-
chiefs had. I am glad am going to Ander-
matt; il will set my mind at rest, and l can
have these hateful new handkerchiefs washed
there"
But other matters occupied Philips mind.
He had his wife's letters-the last two-in his
pocket and he reread them; the jolting of the
train, the flicker of the light in the lamp over
head, made the reading difficult, and predis-
posed him to take umbrage at her expressions
What especially annoyed him was her praise OF
her new friend the American lady. and it gave
him satisfaction to conjure up before his imagi-
nation the scene of introduction of himself to
her. and to picture himself. with frigid courtesy
looking at her, raising his hat, stitfiy bowing,
and with cold words giving her to understand
that her friendship with his wife was against
mn
places at table d. hote, he supposed, were ar
ranged according to priority. He would in
form the waiter that as he came last, all his
belongings. his wife, his sister-in-laW, and her
nieces must relinquish their seats and come
down to the end of the table by him-that
would separate his party from the ambiguous
stranger. II, after dinner she came to speak