New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1892-01-27
TWO STRINGS
BY AN IDLE EXILE.

~ began to feel their govt
and say they must go to Homburg.
Up in the Himalayas, where the little
collection of chalets dotted about the
precipices among the lex and the
rhododendrons form what is called a
hill station, the monsoon was at its
height. Drip, drip, drip-hammer,
hammer, hammer-for sometimes q
day and a night at stretch, down
upon the corrugated iron roofs Of the
bungalows, came the rain. The frogs
and the leeches and fungi and the ferns
grew and multiplied, but it was enough
to damp the cheeriest, giddiest nature
that ever reveled in the ceaseless
round OF frivoIity and fooling that
goes on at Murree.
Ten o'clock at night. A wood fire
made of damp logs that declined to
burn brightly. The wind bowling
among the deodars, the rain pelting,
Che shivering servants rolled up in
rugs asleep in their own log huts-not
a soul stirring in the draughty little
bungalow but herself. 1t was most
depressing; the kind Of evening when
every error, everything you would
rather not have said assumes mag
nifed proportions and haunts you.
So il was with Queenie Vayle,
though q more unlikel ylooking subject
Cor the horrors of remorse and de-
preston did not exist. Such golden
ihair-the true dark gold color-such
appealing brown eyes and nose just
the least bit retrousse to give piquancy
TO the face, and only one-and-twenty.
They had considered themselves en-
gagged ever since Queenie was in short
frocks with pigtall of gold brown
hair, and the hideous uniform OF the
Royal Military College, Sandhurst,
did its best, though unsuccessfully, to
take off from Reggy Vayles good
looks and well-set-up manly figure.
Then, in order to prevent the posi-
'bility of their ever changing their
minds or coming across any one they
liked better than themselves, they,
were married at the end OF Queenie's
'sirst season andprepared to make the
acquaintance OF the world together.
1t was tempting the gods and the
usual result followed.
Two years later Vayle's regiment
was ordered to India. Queenie's baby
'died-the young mother and the ayah
itogether muddled it to death; she got
fever and the doctor packed her off to
the hills. Reggy could get no leave.
To the Mayo Hotel at Simree that
season, sent up to recover himself in
the cool from polo accident, lame
aud interesting, came Cis Lorrimer,
the ugiest fellow in the Crimson CUR
'assiers, and the most popular and the
most fascinating. He found himself
sitting at the table d'hote next Mrs.
Vayle, aud he forthwith took her I'M
der his charge. She was so new to
Iudia-to life in general, and such a
refreshing change from most OF Cis's
female friends Queenie's silly head
was soon perfectly turned by the at
tentions OF a hero such as she had
nnever met before; a man who, when
his foot was upon his native Piccadil-
..iy, was one of a set royalty affected,
and whose every nod and word were
accepted with effusion by the elite Of
;Simree society. In India, where the
table of precedence is ruled by the
number Of rupees drawn, alittle flavor
OF real aristocracy goes a long way.
Under the influence of Lorrimer.
Queenie Vayle developed wonderfully.
She had come to Simree simple child;
before many weeks were out she was
% WCman-and q woman devOuteG
with the great passion OF her lie. The
glamour OF LOrrlmer was over her;
Reggy became more and more com
!TnOnplace and unlnterestlng because
so familiar; her letters to him fewer
and fewer.
At last, however he got one, the
penning OF which was Of all the foolish
things Queenie had done in her silly
little life the most foolish. She wrote
and told him that she no longer loved
aim as real love goes, but having met
the one man in the world for her she
was off on a trip into Cashmere with
aim. She was very sorry but she
couldn't help it, and hoped he would
forgive her, or words to that effect.
Reggy Vayle, an honest, straightfor-
;griiling away at Punkahpore, did not
prove OF the ordinary type OF patient,
acquiescent Anglo~Indian husband,
who calls his wife's "bow-wow"
by his Christian name and
takes care to give few days
notice before he. runs up to the hill
station on leave.
There was fearful scandal Soci-
ETY. in India winks at good deal, but
tilelawmakes upforit by severity. The
Cashmere trip had to be cut short;
the case came on in the High Court,
and Cis Lorrimer had to sacrifice
everything and make q bolt OF it to
somewhere-Japan or Australia.
The court gave him two years and
Rnulcted him handsomely. He was
absent without leave, and after the
usual interval the Gazette recorded
that Her Majesty had no further need
OF his services.
And now another monsoon had
come round again and Queenie Vayle
sat solitary, listening to the rain, ut
terly. alone in the world Lorrimer
made no sign, and her family at home
had cast her off as completely as her
husband. She feltso utterly wretched
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