Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-16

heartless way after the engagement has |
been announced"
"Oh, know itl But it isn't my
fault / only found out last night how !
badly we are adapted to each other.
thought il people liked each other 10
was enough. but IL isn't II peoples !
tastes and dispositions are all-criss- |
cross you know-and all that. they are
vretched-"
"But you should have considered all
this before"
81 didn't know it then %. how
beautiful 1t is TO be igporantl''
but how came you to find - out
nowG''
Professor Swithin told me-"
Professor Swithinl'' echoed Mrs
Baxter in fresh amazemenk "Why,
what has he to do with it2''
He has looked us up " sobbed Lalla.
"He says we've both got Mars La Libra.
He says we would be misexable-we
would kill each otheri''
Mrs. Baxter stood In silent Thought q
moment and her face was = study.
Then she turned to the girl gently.
Never mind, dear. Don't worry, and
we will see what can be done with these
adverse planets. Well. Jimmy, what is
| itf''
small boy in buttons ''H you please,
nA'am, the housekeeper says can she
sec you few minutes-quiok?''
Certainly" Mrs. Baxter sought the
culinary department where she found
the housekeeper quite alone, looking
depressed. None of the servants was
visible, and the place resembled Pom
peiian kitchen just unearthed, all the
departments Of work having been sud-
denly deserted in a half finished condi-
ton.
''Mrs. Baxter" began the housekeep-
or, "the cook and the waitress have
took sudden leave. Shall 60 to town
to get others? And if do who'll cook
the dinner and wait ON the table mean
while?''
GLOW did it happen?'' said Mrs Bax-
ter in dismay. Really, it's quite
dreadful
1T was this way" said the house
keeper. Professor Swithin was down
here talking TO 'em this morning, and
they say he used bad language
"What nonsepseP'
"But it's true as the gospel, Mrs.
Baxter. heard him. First he asked
their ages. Now what decent, middle
aged girl wants to be telling how old
she is? But that wasn't the worst
When they wouldn't tell him, he said
he knew what they were, and he called
one of 'em q Gemini and the other q
| Scorpion, IL remember right So they
up and said they wouldn't draw anoth-
er breath under the Same roof with the
likes of such as him. and they're sit
ting outside now en- their boxes wait
ing for the stage to come along"
And all these people In the house,
besides extra guests invited to dinner
II is too much" And. taking advantage
Of woman's privilege, Mrs Baxter Sat
I down and burst into tears.
Meanwhile the perpetratox Of these
, dire evils sat comfortably ensconced In
little hollow OF the rock, expatiating
TO General Stanhope of the Importance
J Of founding college OF solar biology.
From their position on the narrow shelf
/ Of rock they watched the advancing tide
) which bounded sulleniy against the re-
sisting wall of stone The booming of
J the waves drowned another sound which
came warningly now and then--the
mutterings of thunder. So. facing Sc
| rene horizon sheltered in part from the
| wind and deafened by the sound of the
sea to the artillery Of the sky, the two
elderly men whiled away the afternoon
, chatting and smoking The first intima-
| tion that came to them of the storm was
the angry aspect of the ocean and the
rapidity with which the late afternoon
dropped into dusk.
"Shouldn't wonder If we were going
} TO have Storm" remarked the gener-
al, rising. "Do you see how wild the
sea is?''
Before the professor could reply q
, glare of lightning split the sky, follow
5 ed by a crash of thunder which seemed
TO bring heaven and earth together.
, The general, being taller and more agile,
was the first to ascend to a point where
he might spy out the land. He stopped
, short. and his calm, intellectual face
: assumed such an expression that the
! professor, who had paused below to take
, breath, was fain to inquire what the
matter was.
"a good deal is the matter, 1 should
say. We're on an island
f Professor Swithin clambered labori.
Il ONSAy UP ~ q 4CNCA Win lis
Z and his face blanched and then paled.
I Stretching out before them, landward,
for nearly a mile was an angry waste
of waters, which, Infatuated by the tis-
ing storm, was already tossing spray M
3 into their very faces. and the tide was
I rising. Above doomed an awful sky,
? torn up by flashes of vivid fire and
roaring with the sullen- rage of a beast
of Prey. Already it was dark, and big
splaShes of rain cut their faces now and
q then.
: Can you swimf" asked the professor
2 In hushed voice.
D "No Who could gain the short
Q through such sea as that anyway IT,
8 awkward. We may have to remain herr
r all night
1 "No," said the professor in hollow
@l.o1T Il