Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-04-27

was very blue when leisure permitted
his thoughts to be absorbed with self,
and grew fond Of thrusting his hands
deep in his pockets and modify solila-
quizing, 1T was always So" Probably
from childish "Reminiscences Of "that
dear gaelic"
One wintry afternoon during his stay
in the metropolis, being especially mis-
anthropic and time dragging with him,
Arthur got into an uptown stage, for its
numbering misery seemed commensurate
to his humor. lie cnsconced himself in
one OF the further corners, and IN each
Jolt and bump discovered similtude to
the course Of his existence. Passengers
came and went, but he needed them not.
They went more than they came, until
he was alone, alone with the straw and
the rafting glass and the dangling
straps. Then he liSened himself TO a
prisoner in a tumbrel on the way to exc
cution and became almost cheerful in
the thought. Oh, if it were only true
He would send lock of his hair dipped
in his blood by one Of the naughty
minions and then her stony heart would
melt-that being natural attribute of
all stones.
The stage stopped. A young lady
entered and took seat by the door.
She extended her fare and Arthur for.
got himself sufficiently to take it. AS he
did 50 he gasped, and well lie might, for
it was James little hand that he touched.
His Jane, alas, his no longer! What was
she doing alone in the great city, Could
she be lost, or wandering from dis.
,,vIar nf -. T.
nized him from a distance and followed
through the throng? No, She seemed
composed and at eases indeed, far to
much so. She evidently had not noticed
him, for her eyes We're demurely cast
down. She had not and she should not.
Arthur drew his hat over his brow, but
not SO low as to prevent him from
glancing askance-in which he found
proper though melancholy pride--and
shrank back in his corner as much as
the vibrations would permit
Oh, how pretty, how sweet, she looked!
Was it possible that one so fair could he
so false? Yet We're not these terms cor.
relative, and was not seeing believing?
Had he not the damning proof in his in.
side pocket, gnawing away his vitals
like Spartan boys fox? But yet she
was SO pretty, so sweet Did ever
coquette possess such pure face, such
u maidenly mien? Yet She had allowed
her picture to be taken with Robert
Prince in that very position which their
troth had sanctitied; and who knew but
that half the young men Of their native
town had similar trophies? Oh, yes,
she was SO pretty, so sweet; but beauty
wa nnlN Hlr
found only faint consolation in the say
ing, for he realized that like Mercutios
wound it was quite deep enough for
him.
Arthur sighed so fervcntly that he
must have attracted notice, but at this
instant the stage lurched and fell to one
side There was scream, shout, and
for a moment the separated lovers were
as thoroughly mixed up as their unfor.
tunate affairs were, for one of the hind
wheela of the vehicle had come off and
rolled away, as if disguised with lack
of patronage, and about to set up bust
ness on its account,
The attraction of the accident was
speedily overcome by the repulsion of
recognition.
"Mr. Lathers ~ cried Jane, and
bounded on the uppermost seat like a
chamois.
"Miss Dobbins!" growled Arthur,
making dive for the door. But it was
jammed. Push and strain as he might,
he could not bulge it. The only result
of his e2ertion was very red face,
whose glow Jane seemed to catch and
family reflect. He tried window, but,
as he felt as much like a camel as il
looked like needles eye, he soon de.
sisted, and, sinking into the lower
corner, which gave him the sensation Of
being caught in chasm, he abandoned
himself to Werther-like despair.
The driver now leisurely descended
and stood at one side, proud in the faith
that his horses required no attention
from him, rs they yet had sufficient
strength to stand alone.
'Iez IL hey to stay in until yez gifts
out" he said consolingly. "But I'll not
be after chargin' yez DOODLE"
BY this time a crowd had collected
and began, after the fashion Of crowds,
10 theolize regarding the accident Some
maintained that it was of no moment,
since the stage would 30 as comfortably
on three wheels us il had gone on four.
Others, that the imprisoned passengers
were lucky in their confinement, since
If it was prOtraCted, there would be no
lack of fare. A messenger boy in pip
ing voice volunteered to run for Il doc
tor, and provoked incrcdulous laughter
at the likelihood of his running. This
gave Arthur chance to display his
magnanimity.
"Stand back" he shouted, "and give
the lady air." As ii "A stage ever wanted
for this essential except in warm wea.
thcr.
But the throng, impressed by his
vehemence, withdrew to the sidewalk,
and stamped feet and chafed cars as il, ,
like the Roman sentinels at Pompeii, they
couldn't desert their posts, i. c., lamp
posts.
THANK you, Mr.. Lathers," said Jane
in tones akin to the tip of her nose.
"There was a time when YOU wouldn't
"Ies, and not an hour ago"
"lou knew me them"
81 saw you. didn't recognize YOU"
"An yet my heart is the same as of
yore."
Toward Susie? Yes? How interest.
ing"
"What am to Susie or Susie to me?
|, who am naligned, bereft, discarded"
You should feel at case now, Mr.
Lathers."
And why, now, pray"
ION the stage, you know. You are
such an actor"
AT least haven't the craze for indis.
criminate picture taking. That seems to
be a feminine characteristic"
you haven't? To think that any
camera could have twice sustained tile
shock of that smirk! Oh, it's too ridicu