Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-09-16
THE GRAY COUPLE.
BY CECIL CHARLES.

My friend Kunmels is handsome
fellow-barring the nosc-and carries
his forty odd years gracefully. lie is
a bachelor, but kind hearted on the
whole, a good story teller and good
company when you have the blues or
got into a sentimental snari with your
wifo.
kummcl owns hotel OIL Long Is
aud, ono of those cool, quiet North
Shore places overlooking tho Sound.
lie docs not aspire to manage il, but
he spends somc of the hottest days Of
tho year out there and occupies him
sclf pleasantly with d1iug nothing and
doing i, prottily.
A short time since my wife and
were his guests fer week at the
Mansion House. o o rainy evening,
when I long grass forbade wander
ing and the Sound was gray with fog,
kummel entertained us with story.
My wife was unusually restless ana
continued pacing up and down the
long piazzt, alleging mosquitoes, until
Kummers good-naturol narrative had
begun as follows:
"Did ever tell you about the GRAY
Coupler
81 don't remember it," l said.
"Perhaps AIthea does
Aut Altlea didn't. 50 Kummel be.
gan III earnest.
'Onc afternoon l was sitting here
in the porch when carriage drove up.
1t was very neat yellow affair drawn
by sorrel horse with banged tail.
The occupants were lady an,l gentle
man, both dressed in gray. The gem
ileman was perhaps my own age and
the lady was about twenty-five or SO.
she was one of those gray-eyed, gem
tle' fragile creatures. Herman was
manager then, but he did not
come Immediately, SO when the gentle
man asked if was tho proprietor !
answered No, only the owner
Then whistled for Herman and
asked him to kindly wait moment.
''ln the meantime | had opportunity
to look them over aud form an i'm.
prompiu opinion. gucs cd them to
be bride and groom, or very nearly
so-tterc was such a palpable- attempt
at appearing easy aud accus; s;omcd TO
the situation. At all events, | took
something of fancy to them and was
rather glad when they dislnounted and
made arrangements with Herman To
remain a fortnigh ht They were given
tile corner suite, just above and look
ing out on the pi ~, above this. Aud
they settled down very comfortably
and unpackcd their small ya!iscs and
the banged-tail sorrcl was put away in
the stable and carefully fed aud
W tered. Now, the Gray Couple
were gray in more than one sense Of
the word. They were Mr.. and Mrs.
Nathaniel Gray by mame, and they
were all logged out in gray clothing
gloves, hats, everything. Their eyes
were gray, and | believe the gentle
man had gray hair or two.
''Wcll. a day or two passed and they
seemed very happy and con,cntcl.
lhey were comparatively bridal cou-
pic, for they hui not been III rried
three weeks. They were everywhere
hand-in-hand almost, arm-in-arm, any
wayi and delighted with each other's
good taste in matrimonial selections
that was clear enough. But after the
firsttwo or three da, of sunshine the
sky seemed to cloud up. Mrs. Gray
appeared one morning looking fright
fully pale. She had nothing to say
and she wouldn't cat a mouthful of
breakfast. Gray spent all the fore
noon fussing about his banged-salcd
horse and after luncheon went off for
a drive alone. | suspected fir,t
quarrel, but didn't wish to inirudc
However, must say it made me feel
bad TO sec the poor little woman walk