The evening times., 1898-04-16
THE END OF CHEEDLE.


Where is Cheedle?"
/ He is married." said Bass
Il mean Joe Cheedle.' l explained.
Joseph Saunders Cheedle.
/ Yes, he is married"
I How did it happen?' I asked
/ "Oh. il was quite a premeditated af-
/ fair said Bass. Il knew all about il
two days before it came on"
Tell me the worst" said /. sitting
down.
She is rather nice girl" said Bass.
Her name is-that is. was-NelIy
| Marsh"
Il know her." 1 groaned rs he mar
ried much?"
"Oh. frightfulIy." Bass replied. He
never comes here now
Has he been like that lOng?"
He came back from the honeymoon
just a month ago"
Have you seen him lately?"
Saw him the night before last"
"How did he seem?"
Wonderfully cheerful. I thought. con-
sidering."
''Duplicftyl" said 1.
He says he pities single JOhnnies."
"Bravado," / murmured
And that IL he had his time TO go
over again he would do just the same"
He never was one To profit by ex-
perience," L remarked. And l added.
Poor old JOei'
Sometimes almost envy him." said
Bass.
My dear Bass
After all. he is at rest
rs at rest2" / wondered
What will you haye?" asked Bass.
II will have an explanation from
him." 1 replied
Il mean.'' said he. what will you
have to drink
Gall would be appropriate" said +.
Two brandies with a small soda
split" said Bass TO Louis, the waiter
Il am sorry now that 1 went TO Paris.'
/ observed.
.'One often is" sighed Bass.
If 1 had stood by him this might
never have ocurred'
THAT is what We all said. Why did
you go?"
Il went To seek forgetfulness."
L heard all about that affair" said
/ Bass. sympathetically. We all thought
she behaved"
Like woman" 1 interjected Bit
terry
-Yes-shamefully.' said he.
'Is she"
Not yet" he replied. But 1 hear it
is to be soon"
Il hope she will be happy-as happy
as she deserves to be-" said l.
You should be more charitable"
said Bass. You should remember
that she is a woman"
Il have not forgotten it, l cried. Is
yOuT-is Miss
Not yet. said he. But it is immin-
ent."
What sort Of man is he?''
Quite an inferior brand"
Beautiful women are invariably IN
fortunate in their husbands" said L.
Thank YOU, old chap. said Bass.
Or are you being ironical?"
Two brandies and a small soda
split, sir" murmured Louis.
We slipped glOomily.
The ranks thin woefuIy fast. said
Bass. There's Jewson gone
He fell at Dieppe."
There's overs
And Wigram,"
And Hansel. and now Cheedle."
'Owers." said I. deserved a better
fate. OF Hansel it would be kinder not
10 speak"
The old guard" sighed Bass. DO
you remember Wigram's last wOrds?''
Brave wOrdsi"
And the OCCASION
We were supping at Yerrey's."
How did he put it?''
There are two forms of buriaf-in-
terment and marriage" he said And
six weeks later the wedding bells rang
out his reqUiemi"
A footstep sounded behind US. and a
voice exclaimed:
~Huno. you fellows, What are you
looking So blue abOut?' I turned and
confronted Cheedle. Il heard you had
returned. How are your
Il am free" l answered.
II see you know all about it," was
his unblushing rejoinder. We'll. il is
what We must all come TO sooner or
later You will find your affinity some
day
which of US do you mean?" asked
Bass scOrnfully.
Both OF you." said Cheedle.
IF both of US find any affinity, there
viii be trouble" said /.
You understand me-" he said. But
surely you are not drinking brandy and
soda
1T would seem so, 1 replied with
hauteur.
AT this time of day?"
"Or any time" said L.
You shouldn't, you know" he said.
It's awfulIy bad for your inside"
After all. il is my inside, ret0rted.
The stomach" began Cheedle.
The stomach said /. is no doubt
a very necessary part Of the human
body. But as a topic Of conversation
it fails to interest me-
Then you are married. said
Cheedle
When I am married said I, Il shall
try 10 conceal the ravages of inevit~
able deterioration.
You will be very interesting"
Il shall be unique" said l.
There's an argument in favor Of
marriage" said he.
"A fox being caught in a steel trap
by his TAIL said | sOlemnly. was glad
to compound for his escape with the
loss of it; but. upon coming abroad
into the world, he began to be SO SEN
sible of the disgrace
Sometimes" said Cheedle critically.
you approximate slightly to the ass"
You don't approximate" 1 retOrted-
You are the.ass. pure and exceedingly
simple"
Il am too busy to quarrel with you.
Phil" he said. laughing. even il I had
rine 1 just dropped in to leave my
address. and to ask you to come and be
to my wife. She is dying to
know you. You see, she has heard so
much about you"
What has she heard?" / asked.
somewhat startled.
"Oh. only what I have told her. I
nave edited you, you know"
Il will come tomorrow said i, If
| may bring my pipe"
"She smokes cigarettes herself" said
ne II am teaching her. The mater says
she doesn't know what modern wO-
men are coming TO. tell her L hope
they are coming to stay. Nell puts