Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-10-03
THE TALE OF A JAGUAR.

Mr.. Thomas Hanscom is the junior part
ner in the great coffee and spice house OF
Hanscom, Blackstone & Co., of New
York, Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City and
San Francisco. The senior partner is Mr..
Joseph Hanscom, who lives at Lake View,
near Chicago. Until within the last two
years Thomas has had the management OF
fhe Omaha house; the other member of
the firm, MIR. Blackstone, was the pur-
chasing agent at Rio Janeiro. 1t was just
a little over two years ago that a dispatch
arrived announcing his death. 1t came,
too. at a particularly inopportune moment.
Thomas, on the day previous, had mar
ried very charming young lady, Lydia
Lathrop, of Council Bluffs, and the intel
Egence of his uncle's death necessitated
that the newly made husband-who, by
the way, had only become acquainted with
his bride some six weeks before marriage
should without moments delay take
the train to New York and thence sail for
Rio.
The affair was pressing. Mr.. Black
stones death would certainly throw the
business into confusion, and any hesita-
ton on the part of the home partners
go at once, my dear boy" wrote Mr..
Joseph Hanscom to his son, land send
your wife to me. would go myself, but
my health will not permit me-"
There was no help for it. Mr.. Hanscom,
Jr., felt that he must go; SO go he did,
putting the best face on the matter and
bidding his poor young wife a very long
and tender farewell. She settled down in
her new home and he for many months
afterward worked hard at his desk in Rio,
arranging the worldly affairs of his dead
uncle, and from time to time sending home
reports of his progress and sending his
love to Lydia.
Two years, in fact, elapsed ere he was
able to return, and then he returned as he
had gone, without a moments notice,
Unforeseen circumstances suddenly left
him free, and unwilling to lose a day he
took the first homeward bound steamer,
which, so it happened, was also taking to
Richmond a letter written a few days
earlier, in which he regretted to his wife
that the pressure of business would not
leave him at liberty for at least a month.
He Travelled home without adventure and
in due course landed in New York, and
without having written a word of warn
ing to Lydia hurried on next morning to
Lake View. Just why he did not write or
telegraph is not known; perhaps he thought
his sudden appearance would agreeably
surprise his wife, or perhaps he was too
excited to be able to think at all.
But in any case he neither wrote nor
teiegraphed a single word of preparation.
He arrived in Chicago, but was at the
home he had purchased, before his depart
IRE, in Omaha. It was one of the most
Df Inn dow hn r.
ing eagerly up the carriage drive leading
to the house, when, happening to cast his
gaze toward the upper windows, he caught
sight of fair, white, draped figure that
was watering some flower plants that
stood in a row on the sill. He at once
recognized the figure as that of his wife
and was about to utter cry of salutation
when became conscious that she did not
recognize him, for with graceful modesty
she withdrew from the window and disap-
ueared as soon as she became conscious of
his gaze.
An idea struck him.
1t was foolish but not wholly unnat-
ural one He would pretend to be some
one elsa friend, say, of her husbands
and would ask to see her as such. OF course
she would at once recognize his voice, but
then the surprise and consequent pleasure
would be the more complete. To the serv-
ant who appeared he announced that he
had lust returned from Brazil and desired
to see Mrs Hanscom. He gave no name,
but he was admitted and shown into the
reception room, where in some perturba-
ton of mind he awaited the appearance of
the wife from whom he had been SO long
and so cruelty separated.
81 suppose that she will know me, f" he
reflected, "although I am considerably
tanned and have grown q very large beard,
but suppose that will make no difference,
and she would know me in my shirt
sleeves and with both legs cut off at the
knees On the other hand, she thinks am
still in Rio, for she must have had my
letter this morning. l hope my sudden
appearance won't upset her,"
Here his thoughts were switched aside
by the unmistakabie sound of rustling
skirts in the passage without, and as the
door opened he voluntarily turned and
gazed into the garden.
'May offer you a chair?' said a soft
voice behind him.
go, no; not at all" he returned, facing
his wife for an instant, and then hastily
resuming his survey of the garden.
Mrs. Hanscom did not in tho least rec
ognize her husband. Tom turned around
at last, conscious that even his nervous
ness was not an excuse for his rudeness.
'sThe fact is, Mrs. -"
"My name is Hanscom."
sob! thank you-yes! The fact is that l
am not yet entirely reconciled to this
abominable climate. I-ah-that is to say,
man who has existed in groves of mango
with the thermometer standing doggedly
at 1O2 in the shade, is-ah; but dare say
you understand"
"Oh, perfectly, Mr.. --. I think I have
not the pleasure of knowing your name"
"Who am l." thought Thomas. "My
name" said he after pause, sis Thomp-
son."
"Yes, my husband writes that the heat
in Brazil has been excessive. Possibly, Mr..
Thompson, you may have called to give
HE some news of him. I hope SO, at least"
"That is satisfactory" thought Mr..
Hanscom. "The lapse OF two years has not
changed her love for me-
eyes" he said aloud, II can give you
some news of him, for month ago saw
him in Rio"
"Irdeed? How delightful Do sit down,
Mr.. Thompson. 1t is very pleasant to meet
any one who has seen my husband SO re-
Gently. How was he?"
''He was" he said. with deliberate hest
tation, "es we'll as could be expected"
''As well as could beexpectedS" repeated
Mrs. Hanscom, with alarm. "Do you
mean that he has been ill?"
"Well, not exactly ILL.," prevaricated
Tom, who had not yet quite made up his
mind just what TO say.
"But do I understand youg Tell me,
please, what has happened to him."
Mr. Hanscom wondered what the end
would be. He heartily wished that his
wife would recognize him and settle the
difficulty by throwing her arms around
his neck.