The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1895-06-14
VIRGINIA w. JOHNSON.

ing a clear head at mess when feeblel
brains had become hopelessly obscure
over the wine. Arthur Curzon beheld
him in as odious a guise as did Charles
Lambs crier of the thief; his plain ex-
terror exaggerated to m~onstrosity, as
his SOU was capable Of any evil in
tent. Youth is prone to extremes of
feeling, and the sailor vas very young
in all matters of the heart.
How very odd that 1 can not get
the name of Dealtry out of my head!'
said the Ancient Mariner, removing
his hat, and suffering the warm breeze
to sweep over bis bald Uranium,
fringed with white locks. "When 1
was in the Baltic a man."
John, dear, put OF your hat, or you
will catch your death of cold," inter-
posed Mrs. Fillingham with her usual
decision of manner.
The lady was in the best of spirits.
She wore a hat of juvenile aspect and
a metal belt with a whole arsenal of
miniature daggers and pistols of silver
attached.
The Ancient Mariner slowly replaced
his hat. with an expression of offended
dignity. 81 was about to remark, if
you will allow me to finish, Mary
Eyes. yes" rejoined his helpmate,
with her hurried lisp, while her pale
blue eyes wandered abstractedly to-
ward the luncheon cloth spread on the
ground at some PAGES distant. "Mrs.
Griffith is waiting for us. Let me find
a nice sheltered corner for you, dear,
and some sherry. You must keep up
your strength, you know"
"Promlse to preach us a sermon on
st. Paul at Malta" said Mrs. Griffith
to the clergyman.
The hostess felt that transition from
sacred to mundane matters might be
too abrupt without such a suggestion.
Very good" he replied, smiling.
81 invite you all to my parish in Sur
rey next summer to hear me preach
about St. Paul at Malta. l fancy the
ordeal will prove a sufficient punish
ment for all small peccadilloes.
Promise to lunch with me at the Vicar
age a~fterward."
LII IL SCIiCldl doSSuG SdpUdiu ID1dhC
evinced marked fervor. Much desul-
tory talk and laughter ensued, amid
the popping of corks and the discus
sion of cold fowl and ham, sandwiches
and salad.
The Ancient Mariner, with a Scotch
plaid spread I'VE his rheumatic knees,
a plate of jellied beef before him, and
q ,r,- 1O&%i1 ~ III, .1l~,, Ill a~,
cred his amiability.
"Get married in the heyday of
youth" he admonished. Every man
needs a wife to take care of him"
The clergyman, who was a widower,
sighed, and helped himself freely to
mustard. Miss Ethel Symthe sat on a
camp-stool, with Arthur Curzon on
her right hand, and Captain Blake on
the left.
1.-THE latter, investigating the depths
of a jar of potted tongue. remarked,
1.-THE worst of it is, Malta is such a
beastly hole to be stationed in. There's
nothing whatever to do"
= find it very jolly" said Arthur
Curzon. Thereupon he sang, in a fine
baritone voice, the ballad of Destiny.
The Ancient Mariner listened with a
sudden shadow of gravity on his face.
Strange! His father, Admiral Jack,
had just such a voice" he soliloquized.
do you like that song!?" demanded
Capt. Blake, soto voce, Of Miss
Synthe, as he traced lines on the
ground with the pointed end of the
young lady's p~arasol. believing is
no name for it"
Then he added the soldiers defiance
of the discipline of the troop-shlp, in
a mockirg falsetto-
Gard all about the ship,
Pm sure 'twould vex a saint!
Everywhere O walk or sit,
They sing out, Mind the paint"
Miss Symthe declined to laugh at
this sally, and proffered claret-cup to
Arthur Curzon instead.
Mrs. Griffith had said to her friend
when the man-of-war wa coming into
port, II hope you two will like each
other, Ethel Arthur belongs to really
very good people"
Miss Symthe was prepared to like
Lieut.. Curzon. She had decked her
self in a nautical toilet before her mir
ror that morning, a an international
tribute of fattery to the young man.
She vas a daughter of her century in
all respects, and four-and-twenty years
OF age. She was. on the whole, heart
free, but she had passed through
several London seasons, and ex-
perienced some cruel Establishments
The troop of rosy sisters emerging
from the schoolroom beneath the
paternal roof. in budding maidenhood,
the pressure of public opinion, and the
warnings of maternal ambition, rang
the perpetual refrain in her ear.
Marry. Make a good match if
possible, but establish yourself in life
at all hazards"
What more eligible field of conquest
could be accorded an enterprising girl
than Malta during the winter season.