Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-03-29
OUR DESERT ISLAND.


handle of the door-a rattle needlessly
long and suspicious 1t conveyed all al
together unworthy slur upon the pro
ceedings of the inhabitants of the room,
and Cynthia laughed with amused resig-
nation.
"It is Charlie" she said. "He al
ways comes in like that. -
eve must do the same for him., I
replied "when he arrives at years of
discretion and becomes engaged. "
Cynthia's youngest brother stole into
the room rapidly and softly. Keeping
his eyes religiously averted from the
sofa by the fireplace, he picked up a
book from the table and departed.
offered some casual observation, but he
took no notice. clearly thinking it
would be injudicious Of him to be mixed
up in the business at ALL My innocent
position, which was two good yards
from Cynthia, courted observation, and
we both felt little injured.
IT wonder what he expects to see?" I
said, resuming my seat upon the sofa.
Augustus i'll the presence of Cleopatra
was not more careful to see nothing. Is
it a sense of decorum or a feeling of
contempt that inspires his caution?"
Never mind" answered Cynthia.
"Let us talk about ourselves. Are you
sure? Are you sure you are quite sure?"
This conundrum had heard before,
and my answer was stereotyped I was
quite sure, and I pressed her hand to
convince her.
"And when" she Continued" when
did you first, you know? Was it at
the -
Any demonstration that I may have
been contemplating was rudely inter-
rupted by IL further agitation Of the
door. With II promptness bred of some
practice was again in an erect position
Oh the hearth rug, and Cynthia was read
ing book. 1t was a manseryant with
scuttle of quite unnecessary coal for the
fire. He poured on the fuel and brushed
the hearth with scrupulous care. The
operation seemed to take an enormously
long time.
Left once more to our tete-a-tete,
Cynthia s impotence of these interludes
found words
II wish we lived on a desert island"
she said. How delightful it would bel"
"Indeed it would" I agreed. ..'Long
yellow sands and blue sea and palm
trees and solitude, with nothing to dis
turb our conversation. We could talk
together from sunrise to sunset"
$50 we could-or we could read to-
gether. "
"Or you could sing to me" said.
81 should want an accompanist, " she
observed obviously, "because you can't
play the piano y
1T would be most Elysian, went
OH. "We should have our house, our
books and our music. Far away from
any fellow creature we could idle away
the sunny summer afternoons together
and be totally happy. We would be in
visible to even the telescope of the pass
ing vessel.
Cynthia took up the parable and am
plifed it, ''The world would contain
for you one woman and for me one
man, and each would be ample company
for each other"
campbell" cried I confidently. We
had only been engaged a fortnight
"Amplep' she maintained with sus-
picious emphasis, as if conscious that
the statement needed repetition to rem
der it convincing.
''For exercise" I continued, rashly
sketching in the details, 1--WE WOULD
have lawn tennis court. -
"You beat me so easily" she sighed.
I passed the compliment by and strok-
ed her delightful hair. A tap resounded
on the window pane behind us and
made us jump dreadfully. Tt was my
uncle, a man devoid Of proper feeling,
and knew he was about to make
shouted suggestion of stroll in the
garden. himself being the third, as
Thucydides used to put it. So I shook
my head firmly, and he waddled off
with despairing wave Of his hand
which he may have considered humor-
GUS, for saw him smile as he went.
"How long," asked Cynthia, becom-
ing pink in the face, "do you Think"
And she nodded guiltily toward the
window.
IT wish I Knew was my answer
"We ought to draw the curtain.
"That would only make matters
worse. Besides, there is really nothing
to be ashamed Of.
Nothing whatever" said "Still
the island would be less painful to the
nerves.
"You could play cricket on the
sands!' cried Cynthia, rendered desper-
ate by the stings of conscience. ANY
thing to be rid Of these constant dis
fractions.
II might at low tide, !" said dubious
~, "but you know I prefer to play with
81 other men,"
IF they were nice men, said Cynthia
blandly, tive might allow them to
come. delight in watching cricket -
"Nioe menu I repeated with suspi.
cious severity. Recollect was new to
the character Of passionate shepherd.
well, we could take our bicycles, at
any rate, said Cynthia automatically.
1.-THE roads would be exquisite; no hills
and no thorns in the road.
ut would be fatal il we were punctur-
ed" I said. "We should want the nice
little man from the shop"
$50 we should, and to clean them. =