Oxford eagle., 1895-06-13
SHADOW OF A THOUGHT.
BY HARRY LANDER

BY HARRY LANDER
Fred Sclfton was melancholy, apPar-
emily without any just cause. He had
speut very pleasant day in the exc
cutinn Of his duties in the shelving de
partment Of the home Office. where he
had read the morning paper. washed
his hands three times. chaffed Bertie
Gapes and heard the latest gossip from
Tcmmy Townie Then Tommy had
take n him 10 the Junior Gatherium 20
recuperate, and his journey down 10
Ealing had been most comfortable. II
was 4 pleasant afternoon in the early
summer, his little villa looked particu-
larly bright and comfortable. and he
still had an hour to lounge away before
dinner. which was the most cherished
aim ot his daily life. Yet he sighed a
be opened the door and entered his
home.
hate had taken the baby TO see her
mother. but would he back to dinner.
This was net unusual but upon this
occasion il struck him as being very
ipeunsiderate Of her Having performed
his toilet he wandered mournfully
rb-,ut the garden Then retiring to
his s.udy-a misnomer. for he was
guiltl.-> II such follv-he lit cigar
cite tnd flung himself into an easy
chair with the air ot man weary uf
existence Had hi wife been present
she would have wondered anxiously
what calamity had ovcrtasen them.
brit the fact was nothing more slarn-
ing than that her lord and master was
suffering from what = technically
t-ru-ed ''the hump"
Tle other men IN his room had beeu
iisc1~sinE holidays. Gapes was saving
him-cif for a MONTH, salmon fishing In
san irrland~ai-c. Toyvuie contemplated
hili-tinx himself ur1n hi cousin. who
was attacked 20 the embassy az Wen
ua- Niiliam~1u was engaged for a
Yachting cr1i>e 20 Norway. and Elliot
had raved - tine green golf links az
Easth9arne lie had yawnei disnally
aud mentioned Hsrue hay. with the wife
and family. 10 tones which quite iasii-
fed TpsFu.e in holding him up as an
awfal example q premature mAsri-
moi.r.
Nay, iH his heart he called himself
fosl far ia fhes@ dsys a man u thir-
" IS tao vesuE for such reSponsibili-
ties and we'll. Privstions- OF course,
he had heeu quite infatuated with
kittF. a. were several better men
The drsf year of their married life had
beeu as charming a. the last chapter
u a thrce-valume novel, am he had
never enjoyed anything 50 much a.
that delightful scamper about the con-
tinent they had together. Now. there
was the baby, jolly little chap. but
responsibility. and a somewhat costly
one After all. there was sound wis
dom IN Towuis's cynicisn There are
two aspects Of the marriage question.
usually considered before and after.
lie was just realizing the unpleasant
one.
He had never seen the club look more
coy than it did that afternoon. lie
/ had been welcomed bv crowd Of men.
[ the pleasant associates OF past life.
who seemed genuinely happy 70 meet
/ him again He had been a very popu-
lar man. and some Of them still remem-
bered his little evenings in Gray's inn
| What pleasant rooms they were. 10 b.
sure. At one time ne used 10 think
that Kitty had sacrificed great deal
when she married him. but perhaps
the remuneration was not 80 one-Sided
as he had imagined For instance.
there was the club. lie could no long
er afford TO 60 there, and with il he
had renounced all intellectual society.
kitty's people and their neighbors
We're rich and respectable. Most ad-
mirsble Of their kind, they ate, drank.
slept. and made money; withal. most
worthy creatures, but particularly un-
entertaining. Mr.. Turner. her father.
was type-a kindly, honorable man,
but without the slightest artistic OF
literary culture; he could talk for
hours Of his business. and knew more
about tallOw than any other man il
England Fortunately, his pride oi
this distinction was slightly mitiga,et
by the fact that he was also a eonnois
seur II wines His sons wore riding
breeches ON sunday mornings and reaC
The Lunar Month" in their bedrooms
His eldest daughter was gifted Will
sufficient religious enthusiasm for ter
such families. while Mrs. Turner wa
motherly in the extreme
HIS thoughts wandered to Georrie d,
Naux. his old college ehum, who has
shared those Gray's inn chambers II,
was always bright and witty. he coul,
dance all night and work all day. pul
= good oar, sail a half-rater against tn,
best. walk fifty miles. ride ike cen
taur. sing, drink and gamb'e. will
never a headache OF touch OF repent
snee- Then the gay assemblage o
actors, artists and literary men, VIII,
would there fore-gather to talk of an
and rythtng, more especially of tn
great things they were going TO dc
And by no means the least were thos
jolly holidays upon the river, the sea
and the continent Faugh, il wa
awful to contemplate; a whole mont
at seaside boarding house. Yaw
over the newspaper all the morning, Q
make the acquaintance Of those obje,
: tionable persons who. adorned wit
/ yacting caps, grace the esplanade an
indulge in many morning bitters.
l Lunch, boredom, dinner, boredom il
tensified by drawing-room filed wit
old spinsters, giggling girls, and youth
who persist in singing. with the mi
taken idea Of amusing the sufferers.
The shadows deepened in the corner
|. OF the room as the twilight died ava,
! The house was perfectly still. the ga
! den looked cold and gloomy. II wi
! the silence and gloom Of sorrow, 4,
: his home was house of mourning
: erossing the room wearily. he peeps
! into tSe garden Of dim shadows, pres
! ing hll feverish face against the co.
: glass; s.s dry eyes were heavy vii