Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-30

all at once In a writing mood, as If /
must SIT down and write the saddest,
sweetest story that ever cried over as
wrote. When I'm rich"-she was very
fond OF talking about the time when she
should be rich, which with her, meant
anything between twenty and thirty
Thousand a year-''when I'm rich shall
look out for girl with real rich, SYM
pathetic voice, and shall just have her
to sing all the touchingest songs to me
by the hour together"
We're looked at her smilingly. "Should
do for that post?"
IL should think you would"
Then why don't you try me? I will
willingly give you my voice in exchange
for my board and lodging"
There was more than touch OF
seriousness in the girls voice, as if she
however, took it quite as a joke, and
laughed merrily.
'Oh, my dear, you'll be married and
singing to charming husband, l hope,
long before can afford such luxury
as songstress of my own"
'That Is very doubtful" said We're
coolly, as she moved to the piano, but
whether she meant that it was doubtful
II she would be married long before Mrs.
Jock could afford herself certain lux
ury or whether Mrs. Jock would as
suredly soon be able to afford anything
that she wanted, she did not explain,
and she struck the opening cord Of
song before Mrs. Jock could ask her.
Before she was half way through the
song the two men came in, bringing
with them faint scent of their cigar
ettes-Jock Airlie going by instinct to
the hearthrug and George Lumley es-
tablisbing himself in big basket-chair
as near to the piano as he could very
well get.
Another" he pleaded, when voice
and music ceased.
eyes, another, DEAR" said Mrs. Jock,
who was wandering restlessly about
the room, aimlessly changing the posi-
ton Of the flower vases and photograph
frames.
So We're began again, and while Lum-
ley drank in the beauty of her lovely
head and throat, and lay back in the
big chair his senses soothed by the rich
tones of her voice, Mrs. Jock made a
little ghost of a sign to her lord and
quietly disappeared through the door
way which led into the conservatory,
whittier he in moment or so as quietly
followed her.
"What is it?" he asked in aloud whis-
per.
"Gooseberry," she whispered back
s'cOme and sit here by me-"
There was pleasant seat at the end
of the long conservatory, and Jock sat
down and put his arm around his wifes
waist contentedly enough.
"You can smoke, jock" she said
presently.
81 don't care to, dearest" he an
swered.
ord rather you would, jock" she
said. sit will be good excuse for our
not staying in there. You couldn't
smoke there when she's singing, al
though do let you smoke upstairs and
downstairs and in my lady'S chamber"
'But why do we want an excuse"
"Wel, because-oh! you stupid old
thing, don't you see?"
He looked at her in the clear moon
light for half a minute before CLEAN
OF real understanding came to him.
"What! you don't mean--old George and
her?" Jerking his thumb over his Shout
der in the direction of the door of the
drawing-rOOm.
"Of course / do. And don't want to
spoil 1t by being always in the road"
she replied. "That's the worst of being
such small party, there's no getting
away from each other without making
it too conspicuous"
Now Jock Airlie was very big, and
like many big men, he was not as quick
to see what was going on around him as
his keen witted wife was. He looked at
her incredulouSly for few minutes, and
then burst out-"Well, what on earth
can he see in herr"
Mrs. Jock was almost angry. She
seized hold of his arm and shook it.
Jock, you stupid boy, they'll hear
YOU" she cried under her breath. ut
doesn't matter what you see or don't
see. You are not wanted to marry her,
so it is immaterial whether you can see
anything in her or not! George Lum-
ley
HAS got to, I suppose?" he said,
drlly.
Mrs. Jock nearly cried in her vexation
at his obtuseness.
"Oh! Jock, what did / ever take
fancy to you for?" she exclaimed. my
Door father always said was too sharp
to live, and that l would marry the
biggest fool on earth. II l didn't do
that L"
"Went within an ace Of it. Quite so,
my dearest. Well, you were saying
that"
THAT George Lumley is over head
and ears in love with her." she explained
in rapid whisper. "Its no doing of
mine. Should l be likely to 'OGnt
George Lumley to marry anybody? Is
IL reasonable to think would actually
plot to get rid of my smartest man
friend, the one that all the other women
are envying me? OF course not-only
when after puzzing for days to find out
what is the matter with him, suddenly
find out it's the very girl I've got stay
ing in the house, l naturally want to
help him il l can. I'm not selfish, what
ever other faults 1 nay happen to have"
Jock Airlie broke into smothered
roar Of laughter, and gathering his little
wife close to his capacious breast, kissed
her dozen times as passionately as II
he had been engaged seven days instead
OF married nearly seven years. Mrs.
Jock wriggled free and shook herself
into order again as sleek cat does when
it has been roughly Rugged in the cruel
ly affectionate clasp Of child.
s'Then it's as good as settled" he re-