Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1895-07-11
SHADOW OF A THOUGHT.
by BARRY LANDER.

-'HNbEt
FRED Selfton was melancholy. annar-
cplly without any just cause He had
eien' 4 very pleasant day in the exc.
cntlon Of his duties in the she,v;na d.
parement OF the home Office. vhars he
had read the morning pancr washaS
ms hands three times, chaffed gertie
wapes ana heard the latest gossip from
tommy Townic. Then Tommy had
taken him to the Junior Gatber;nm A.
rccuperate, and his journey down to
'1ii'ng noa been most comfortable. It
was q pleasant afternoon in the early
summer, his little villa looked particu-
hriy bright and comfortable, and he
stu had an hour to lounge away before
dinner, which was the most cherished
aim OF his dailylifc. Yet he SIGHED ne
no opened The door and entered his
home.
ha1c had taken the baby to see her
mother, but would be back to dinner
ms was not unusual, but upon this
occasion it struck him as being very
inconsiderate of her. Having performed
ms toilet he wandered mournfully
ABOUT the garden. Then retiring to
ms study-a misnomer, for he was
guiltless Of such folly-he lit cigar
cFte and flung himself into an EASY.
chair with the air of man weary OF
existence. Had his wife been present
she would have wondered anxiously
what calamity had overtaken them,
but the fact was nothing more alarm
ing than that her lord and master was
suffering from what is technically
termed 1.-THE hump"
The other men in his room had been
discussing holidays, Gapcs was saving
himself fora months salmon fishing in
Sunderlandshirc, Townie contemplated
billeting himself upon his cousin, who
was attached to the embassy at Wen
ma. Williamson was engaged for a
yachting cruise to Norway, and Elliot
had ravcd of the green golf links at
1aastbomne. He had yawned dismally
and mentioned Hcrnc bay, with the wife
and family, in tones which quite justi-
lied Townie in holding him up as an
awful example of premature matri-
mony.
Now, in his heart he called himself
( a fool, for in these days man of thir-
3 ty is too young for such responsible
ties and--well privations. OF course,
he had been quite infatuated with
Kitty, as were several better men.
The first year of their married life had
been as charming as the last chapter
Of a three-volume novel, and he had
: never enjoyed anything SO much as
that delightful scamper about the con-
tinent they had together. Now, there
was the baby, Jolly little chap, but
responsibility, and somewhat costly
one. After all, there was sound wis
dom in Townie's cynicism. There are
two aspects Of the marriage question,
usually considered before and after,
lie was Just realizing the unpleasant
z one.
He had never seen the club look more
coy than it did that afternoon. lie
had been welcomed by crowd OF men,
the pleasant associates OF past lie,
who seemed genuinely happy to meet
him again. He had been a very popu'
lar man, and some of them still remem'
bered his little evenings in Gray's nm
What pleasant rooms they were, to be
sure. At one time he used to THINK
that Kitty had sacrificed great oeal
when she married him, but perhaps
the remuneration was not so one-sioeo
as he had imagined. For instance
there was the club. He could no long
er afford to go there, and with IT. ne
had renowned all intellectual society
Jlittv's people and their neighborS
were rich and respectable, Most ad'
mirable of their kind, they ate, drank
silent. and made money; withal, most
worthy creatures, but particularly un
entertaining. Mr.. Turner, her 1atner
was a tvpe-a kindly, honorable man
but without the slightest ar'istic o.
literary culture; he could talk 1ol
hours of his business, and knew more
about tallow than any other man IL
England Fortunately, his prioe %
this distinction was slightly mltlgateo
bv the fact that he was also" commons
scur of wines. His sons wore Iioint
hraacbes on Sunday mornings ana reae
,.The Lunar Month" in their bedrooms ms
His eldest daughter was gifted wlVi
snfricient religious enthusiasm 1or tel
such families, while Mrs turner W."
,notherly in the extreme. !,
Ills thoughts wandered to 0eorRie "
" .vany b;s old college chum, VINO mac
.hared those Gray's inn chambers ~
Vas always bright and witty he coul'
,sonce ali night and work all day pui
! GOOD oar, sail half-rater Against sn
best. walk fifty miles rae i.ne ~, vi
taur. sing, drink and gamse' WV
lever q headache or touch OF repent
80 Tben the gay nssemolage o
aotors artists and literary men, wn'
sSnu1d there fore gather to talk Oh an.
and everything, more especiaiiy ~ w.
great things they were gong W ~
Az NV no means the least were tnos
iall, HOLIDAYS upon the river 1ne sea
y ia the continent. Faugh! u wa
",nf,l n contemplate; whole mont mont
If seaside boarding house. - ~" y
over the newspaper all the mo, nhis =
10 the acouaintance of those opJeS
.;anable persons who, adorned wiz
non .;',l .,ns grace the esplanade an
sHco,s :, manv morning oitters'
,nuuise ,oredom. dinner, boredom II
tonsified by drawing-roo,n and vouth
old spinsters giggling girls t snt tb y0u mi.
who persist in singing 3, VS." sufferers.
Tho shadows deepened in tne eo,n .,e
- the room as the twilight dle a., aw va,
THE house was perfectly stlll' me pt s 81.
den looked cold and gloomy, NV, T e.
the silence and gloom Of II s %ournin ns
Crossing the room wea ahSso Ms pres pres
into the garden OF ann sna the co,