Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-04-09
From London Society.
COUSIN DAN.


almost empty street-how queer il
cooked without its hurrying day crowd,
now hollow it sounded with newsboy
shouting the latest murder at the cor
ner-he took some food, of what sort he
neither knew nor cared, and crept up
stairs to that stiff, ugly room, so differ
ent from the big, CHEEKY one at Hill
House, with its draperies and pretty
mirrors, and toilette toys and-Madge
One mirror here was enough. AL
most too much. He saw his face in it,
and didn't wonder Mrs. Cook had
stared when she brought his chop in
He looked ghastlier than when he had
been nigh wrecked in the Iona on his
home voyage. Alas, the profound est
wish OF his heart now was that he had
oee1 quite wrecked. He would sooner,
Infinitely. have lost bis life SO, than
nave had to lose his Madge-thus
The poor fellow was SO worn out he
sctually slept, but all that night through
his dreams were of "Dan," cousin
DAN" Capt. Dan !" Fifty times he
woke, each with that evil sounding
name on his lips, Dan, Dan, Dan -
and when he got up unrefreshed, and
when he breakfasted after a fashion,
aud when he forced himself to look
ahrough his letters and pencil orders to
his clerks, those three great staring
signs, DAN" seemed floating all about
aim. Nothing could blot them out.
There was a note from mis- wife. A
zittle scented, cream colored envelope
among his business pile. 1t called him
Dearest Cyp," and said she was fright
NV h fa1o I hn
not home punctuallv to-morrow-that
eeyening-she would come for him. She
wanted him particularly.
''To see the last of me !" groaned the
unhappy man, crushing up the bit of
perfumed paper and savagely pitching
1t from him. well, she shall have
me-"
And all through that dreary day he
mentally rehearsed the looks, the
words, the very gestures with which he
should meet his wife; meet. enlighten,
reproach, then-heaven help hlm-part
from her!
That was what he meant to do. The
little fends of newsboys were yelling
cut the latest moves Of a divorce suit as
he went down to the station at 5
o'elock. His wretchedness. his name,
should never be blazoDed out like that.
He would bid her go-to be happy;
never to return. He would stay behind
and-though he was 40 he felt the pos
sibility, good reader-and break his
heart!
The soft September twilight lay over
his house as he approached. Upstairs
some windows were shining. Down
stairs no lamps were lit. At the front
bow there was-yes-truly. the face that
always used to make his steps quicken.
lie shuddered at the sight of it now.
Nadge to be crafty. Ugh
She nodded with semblance of glad
ness as he went UP the steps. He
s9urned his head aside and pretended
mot to see. Walker opened the door
with smirk. He felt as though he
could have struck her. His self-pos-
session suddenly collapsed.
who's been here to-day 20 he asked
roughly.
Ito day, sir? Been here?" stam-
ENered W alker, taken aback bya his
manner and question.
Yes; to-day, sir. Been here" So
thoroughly off his head, he condescend-
ed TO mimic the servant. He was on
she track OF these hateful doings now.
Might as well begin at one end as the
other. answer me and don't prevari-
cate"
''Sir," said Walker, deeply afronted,
for that long word meant something
nasty, she was sure, nobody has been
mere: At least" . hesltatlng, nobody to
speak Of"
mo, not to speak Of" her master
echoed bitterly. He could only too
we'll believe that. "Tell your mistress
want to see her.
''Yes, sir, She is in the drawing
room waiting for ycu."
He couldn't bear that room, where
he'd lavished his very best on her, to
witness what was coming.
81 wish to see her in-in-in my own
room," he said. shortly, and began as
cending the stairs toward the rarely
visited den called by courtesy his
study"
Walker changed color. Then with a
nimble movement got before him and
ran up ahead.
'sNo, sir. please. The study is-un-
eidy," visiblv inventing an excuse. Il
haven't busted it to-day. Would you
mind going to mistress morning
room?"
Eyes, should" retorted Mr. Hay. 81
will thank my wife to come and to
speak to me here, and more slowly
reaching the first landing, he thrust
aside some new-fangled curtain and es-
saved to open the door.
It was locked
He turned upon the servant with
tones Of concentrated rage.
f'What does this mean ?" he asked.
e'What does what mean :" said anoth-
er voice-Mrs. Hay 's-as she came hur-
rying up. "Are you never coming
down to tea, dear? Oh, Walker" stop
ping short, surely your master
hasn't"
"No, ma'am,' said the woman in
stage whisper; she wanted to go in, but
81 nipped up and got the key in my
pocket"
"Give it to me this moment" said her
master imperatively.
mo, Walker-to me, please" eagerly
@nterposed the mistress, with hand out