Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-07-29

down With many Sutp4h6c ~ --o
Adams apple and not a few twirlings
Of his gray mus,aehe.
Now. il our colonel could have seen
pets face after the train started, ne
would have been amply disabused OF
even shadow Of uneasiness. The TACT
was thar Pet-dear little wOman-had
assumed that air of courage and cheer
fitness. while her inward heart was
nearly breaking, because she felt her
duty. as q soldiers wife. and 10 De
brave and bright for hubby's sake. Inc
wives of many famous warriors, as she
had heard and read, had made a point
of Disgusting their own agoniZing grief
when seeing of their lords TO wars, and
had buekled on those heroes SWORDS
for them with steady fingers and cheer
full words of gOOd-by. Nor would she
be behind them in courage at the part
ing with her warrior. That was why
her face wore that smile, despite her
aching heart: and her voice was steady
and her WORDS were cheerful. But II
was a Spartan effort. She could hard
~ refrain from breaking down. For
to what was she leaving hubby? To a
lonely home. 10 a fireside bereft OF Pet,
TO a three days existence on which
there would be no smiling Pet to beam?
How would he be able TO eat his din
ner tonight without pet? She HAD or
dered pancakes-a dish Of which the
colonel was extremely fOnd-but they
would have no taste 70 him unless
Pets hand helped him TO them. How
would he enjfiiOy his pOst-prandial CT
gar with no Pet to light it for him?
How would he relish his soda and
brandy. last thing, when Pets hands
had not mixed it? Thinking of all this
in her warm, fond little heart, Pet
wept silently from behind her veil the
whole way to Waterloo.
But three days-even as viewed by
Pet and hubby-are, after all, only
three days. And these at last went by
The colonel got up at about a. m. on
the morning of the fourth day, for IN
order 10 hasten their reunion he had
arranged 10 meet Pet at Euston the
same morning, in time TO proceed
north with her by the 1880 express.
In two or three hours he would have
again Joined Pet The ineffable sweet
ness Of the prospect. For the first time
since their separation he was able to
eat a decent breakfast. And what
Jolly morning it was. Ana why didn't
people always get up at 4 o'clock?
And how smiling the country looked,
with the dew all about, sparkling like
a sea of diamonds in the rising suns
light. And what a capital thing was a
four mile drive TO the station through
this bracing air!
But, by Jovei These early trains
were the very deuce. IL was absurd
to go at such q snails gallOp. And to
sIop at Wimbledon! What the devil
should any one want to stop at Vim
bledCm TOR? And then at Chaplain
Junction And then agaih at NauG-
hall Good heavens, some one ought
TO put a torpedo under those ticket
collectors. II was scandalOus that
they should dwadle so. he must write
To the company about 1t. All! Here
was Waterloo at last. HI there!
Hans0m-hansOm.'
Where for, general?"
"Euston; and drive like the devil"
Like the devil, general? Right
y'are' And off our colonel went at
a speed as nearly satanic as a screw
of a cab horse was able to achieve.
Ii was barely half-past nine when
ne was set down on the departure plat
form at EustOn. Thus it still wanted
a good hour before the express was
due to start. Nevertheless, he looked
anxiOusly around him, TO see if there
was any sign of Pet. There was none.
Well, il was early yet. He had heaps
of time 10 spare, and SO he busted
himself with getting his luggage la
beled and then with boOking-taking
four frst-class tickets to insure a re-
served compartment. After three
whole days separation from Pet he did
not mean TO have their sweet reunion
interrupted by the obtrusiye presence
of fellow passengers. BY this time IT
was 9:45 and Pet had not arrived. The
colonel went TO the book stall and
laid in stock of literature such as he
knew would gladden. Pets heart-three
books of fashion plates and four or
five ladies journals He had now be-
gun TO feel a little-just a little-dls-
appointed by Pets nOnarriyal, not so
much because it deferred by some min
utes the blissful moments OF meeting
as because il seemed to show that Pet
was less feverishly anxious to rejoin
him than he was to rejOin her. 1t was
already TO- Even if she came imme-
diately she would only be half an
hour i'm advance if time He had been
an hour. Now, an hour is double Of
half an hour. Thus, by the irrefutable
logic of the clock, it was plainly estab-
lished that Pet was only half as fond
Of him as he was Of her.
Nay, more; Pet merely HAD to come
up from BALKAN, where her friends,
with whom she was staying lived.
He had TO come from AldershOt. The
Journey from Aldershot was at least
three times as long as the journey
from BALKAN. Assuming them 10 have
started from equal distances, the ratio
las proved by the clock, was one or
two against Pet. But the extra dis
lance which he had travelled multi
piled. in fact, that ratio by three. Our
colonel had learned algebra at Sand
hurst and he had no difficulty IN work
ing il out Ii was the simplest OF SIM
pie equations.
And with every extra minute that
passed Pets proportion dwlndied. 4
quarter past 10. No Pet! The col
onel was getting into a terrible state
of mind. he had already selected his
compartment, and had a reserved label
pasted on the window. A porter had
strewed the seats with his rugs and
bags and papers. The colonel took
his stand by the door and watched
for Pet with sickening syncopating