Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-05

The second evening after the depart
ure of the Laplocks for the continent,
| two hearty, handsome men, still within
the pleasant and hopeful neighborhood
| of 30 years of age, entered the beautiful
| grounds of Rosemary Villa, and pro-
ceeded leisurely and confidently along
the avenue of sycamores toward the
| Laplock mansion.
tom Tarbot," exclaimed Professors
| Winfield Rodgers, the geologist, with a
sudden start, "bless me, if that little
| speech of mine for the hand of Cecil
Laplock is not at this moment as lost as
the lost Atlantis "
"Oh, bother the speech, Rodgersl
shall just tell them plainly that love
Janet Denham; that wish to make her
| my wife; that if they consent, we will be
very happy; and that if they don't, I'll
have her anyhow
I" You forget, Tom, she is ward, and
under protection Of the court. You
might find yourself in contempt, and
further still, in jail, my dear Tarbot."
"Whew IL never thought of that ~
"But I'm in worse predicameut than
that. The odds are against me for con-
sent in the first place; and then, Tom, if
l finally secure it, think of my fate with
a mother-in-law and an omnipresent
aunt like the Laplock family Mind and
that maiden sister Of the tertiary epoch I!
Why, Laplock himself is positive ray
of sunshine; but how could one ever
tow those two old female glaciers into a
latitude where they would melt? It's
impossible"
"Confound it'll The house looks as
though there were to be funeral. Can't
be possible anything has happened 2"
| suggested Tarbot in alarm, as they
gained the entrance and rang the bell.
| A servant-a strange face and sour
one-answered their call. The professors
were about to enter, as their constant
coming and familiar acquaintance war
ranted; but the servant held the door
and stood before them uncompro-
misingly.
"The-the professors, you know"
suggested Rodgers to the maid in
sinuatingly. ave have an engagement
here this evening, my good woman"
THAT is, said Tarbut sub rosa to his
friend, and with melancholy exaspera-
ton, "we hope to have"
1.-The Laplocks is away" said the
maid sharply.
AWAY" they both echoed. Mot
not all of them"
Eyes, everybody. Travelin' on tn
continent"
Travelling on the continent?"
Yes; indefinitely, as is instructions y
"lndetinitely?" gasped the professors,
looking at the maid, the closed shutters
and then obviously at each other.
And they left no word for US; for the
the professors :"
"Oh, yes; word wus left"
From Cecil?" briskly inquired Rod
gers.
From Janet?" as anxiously asked
Tarbot.
From Mrs. Laplock;" was the in.
different answer. "She said as 'ow tc
tel. you-if you be TIL professors that's
been hangin' round-as 'twasn't no use
The Misses is bestoke elsewhere; anil
probly ave 'usbands as'll become 'em
long afore tn family comes back
the maid here shut the door with q
smart bang, and the two upon the out
side heard the bolt click into its place
and the chain 60 up with rattle and
clang of disheartening irrevocability,
They passed down the stone step!
and cut along the broad avenue, arm il
arm, almost as if for mutual support
Not word was spoken by either unit
they had reached the street. There
underneath the great lamps of til,
entrance arch, they turned and gazec
tixedly for time in each others faces
speaking of glaciers" Tarbot at las
ventured, 'it rather seems that there
has been some radiai glaciation quit
recently, reaching to our vicinity"
Exactly" groaned Rodgers, ''and W,
are the powdered detrlus of tho result
Jehosephat Tom, / can't think tina
Cecil, Janet or poor little Laplock hay,
had hand in this infamous business?"
ION the contrary, they are its victims
along with us. See here, old boy, wei
not suffer this sort of shameful defea
at all. You have your heart set upol
studying the meralnes of Norway?"
Precisely, Tarbot! And you, the min
eralogy and the theory OF Il double axi!
OF eruption of Mount Etnag"
Their right hands came together will
hearty crack and their left hand
clapped each others shoulders reassur
ingly, as they instantly comprehendet
their mutual meaning; while purpos
and plan came alike, and like flood o
, enthusiastic determination, almost sim
ultaneously from their lips.
well start Immediately after tn
Christmas holidays ~
And find Cecil and Janet and dea
old Laplock, if it's the last act of gu
:. lives u
I And when we find them
a "Keep them"
III there's the biggest row."
Ever known in"
continental EuropeI"
so help US, all that's manly"
: "Womanly--"
S 'And goodw
Then the two temporarily defeate
!. professors shook hands once more, a
y though they would shake each othe
apart and together again, and set ou
J buPyantiy along the darkening street.
!. III.
s on MOUNT ETNA.
: AT any place within this wonderfr
: region, ones fancy can summon to the
!, olden places the myth. wraiths of Joye
: most powerful heipers!"
d The speaker was the Laplock Mine
still oratoric and dominant, seated upo
d astout Catanian mule and the foremos
n barring the chattering, swarthy guides
!, OF party of five, toilinr through
5 pleasant April afternoon up the tediou
i ascent Of Etna, through the Bosco G
0 wooded region, between Nicolosi an
$ Casa lnglcsi, where the frigid zone an
n eternal solitude begin.
n Miss Cornelia Coventry, smiling til
4 Jovian air in sympathetic exaltatior
Q followed closely upon donkey. Gee
u Laplock and Janet Denham, in tur