The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-08-10

WAS an invalid hi.
wife was much in evidence, takino
exercise on deck, with long, swing.
ing stride which was the envy of all
the other women on the ship. During
the first day she was very friendly to
her fellow voyagers, but some imper-
tinent questions vexsd her, and she
became glacial.
Johnny McQuiston declares that he
felt like kissing the shiny brass plate
on the after stairway, which intro
duced him to that armful of loveliness
There was nice rolling sea on and
some breeze, and johnny had gone to
seek heavy coat and WAS backward
bound when Her Grace, in descending,
slipped on the brass and went bang
into Johnny's arms. 1t WAS no joke
to prevent that tall young woman
from coming 10 grief, and johnny
grasped and clinched his teeth harl
MS he held msnfully to the railing with
his left arm and hugged lis real live
Duchess with his right.
She thanked him prettily for his
MD, and nodded afably when she
came on deck and met him at the
companionway door, where he was
waiting for nothing in particular if it
was not for that nod. The roll con-
tinued to befriend him, for he had to
help her to her chair, and there, in
order to continue some vague lands
mans comments on the voyage, he sat
down beside her, and in this way the
acquaintance began.
1t was the manner Johnny sang
hymns, however, which cemented the
acquaintance, and even opened tho
doors to friendship. He used to think
of the farmhouse and his mother when
he Gang "Abidc with Me- and the
other familiar music, and it came out
in the look in his eyes and his earnest
manner-and besides, his voice was
rs clear and sweet as his mothers
memory. He had a dashing way of
singing the new comic opero hits or
music hall ballads, but dignity set
tied upon him when he sang n hymn
that affected the Duchess even more
than it did other people. For a
young woman Of society she was un-
usually religious, and the blood Of the
champions of John Knox tingled with.
in her now and then.
"You forget all about me when you
are singing sacred songs" said the
Duchess, approvingly. "And L like
it, she added. looking at him frankly
with great gray eyes.
81 am generally thinking Of my
mother-and she is no: with me any
more" replied Johnny, sturdily.
"You could sing yourself into fame,
dare say" she said, graciously.
81 did sing Ecyself into a trip to Eu.
vope," he says, laughing and flushing.
.fIn concerts?" and she seemed a
trthe dismayDd.
"Oh, no!S he answered. "Shall we
take turn before luncheon? I'll tell
you about it rs we walk )" and they
left the audience in the ladies' cabin
to gossip about the Irritation III pro-
gress between "that stuck up woman
with title and that singer fellow" as
the man from Illinois put it.
81 don't know if told you I was a
newspaper man." began Johnny.
"Oh, pressman !" said she. sails
bury nsed to be one, you know, and
lots of our best men write leaders and
things"
'Well, I don't write leaders," ex-
p'ained Johnny. 81 write the things
as you call them, that the leaders are
often based on. Well, one day L was
sent to write up Mortimer's new house.
He's about the biggest man we have
on Wall street now, and he had just
done up palace. He was Mt home,
and showed me about civilly, for he
was proud OF planning most Of the
place himself. Finally we came to
the music room, and there was a
splendid piano open. l don't know
how it came about, but L sat down
and rambled along with the air
of 'Watchman, Tell Us of the Night.
Can You sing that?' says Mr.. Nor
timer. / sang it, and for half an hour
he kept me there singing one old
hymn after another. / could see he
was in deep thought about some
thing, but he didn't explain. AS
was going away he said. 'You
won't put the hymn singing into
your article, will you, and he nodded
approvingly when I said it was only q
side issue. That was Two months ago.
About week later met him on the
street, and he stopped and shook
hands. Our big men, rs a rule, don't
do that unless they want something
put in or Kept out Of the paper, and
wondered what was mp. He talked
about my article and said something
nice, and asked abruptly, Have you
any money saved?' OF course ] wa:
startled, but / said I had about $1,000
and some stock worth about $lOO(
more Go get it and bring it to ny
office in half An hour, said he, and of
he went. / did AS L was told. and h'
gave me receipt, and all he sait
was: Come here Monday week.
There were very lively days On the
stock market after that, and l won
dered if my money WAS having nm,
n