The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-25

1uSU U0lS-DY Ufdu6 YOU kuOW IuG IVA =
matchmaker and for a Plymouth Brother
by conviction. All the week I'm bending
over O counter and every Sabbath day I
speak in prayer meeting what l hold
| that life's a dull pilgrimage to a better
world. If you ask me, sir, tonight, l
ought to say the same. But a mar may
break out for once, and when SO we'll as
on his honeymoon? For a week I've been
a free heather, for a week I've been hid
ing here, living with the woman I love,
in the open air, and night after night for
a week Annie here has clothed herself like
"a woman of fashion. Oh, my God, it has
been a beautiful time-a happy, beautiful
time that ends tonight"
He set down the fiddle, crooked up q
knee and clasped his hands round it, look
! ing at Annie.
"Annie, girl, what is it that we believe
till tomorrow morning? You believe, eh,
that tits a rare world, full of delights and
with no ugliness in it?"
Annie nodded.
"And you love every soul-the painted
woman in the streets 40 less than your
| own mother?'
Annie nodded again. s'I'd nurse 'em
both if they were sick,' she said.
Zone like the other?"
"No difference"
"And there's nothing shames your
Here he rose and took her hand. "You
wouldn't blush to kiss me before master
herei"
why should II" She gave him a sober
kiss and let her hand rest in his.
looked at her. She was just as quiet
as in the old days when she used to lay
my table. 1t was like gazing at a play.
/ should be ashamed to repeat the nom
| sense that Tubal Cain thereupon began to
talk, for it was mere midsummer mad
ness. But I smoked four pipes contented-
" while the sound of his voice continued,
and am convinced that he never performed
| SO well at prayer meeting. Down at the
| town I heard the church clock striking
midnight and then / O'Clock, and was only
aroused when the youth started up and
gasped his fiddle.
"And now, sir, if you would consent to
| one thing 'twould make us very happy.
You can't play the violin, worse luck, but
/ you might take a step or two round the
! deck with Annie if I strike up a waltz
tune for you to move to-"
1t was ridiculous, but as he began to
play / moved up to Annie. put my arm
around her and we began to glide round
ana IOuIQ Oh tuO QSCh. Liz "a was
turned away from mine and looked over
my shoulder. If our eyes had met, l am
convinced / must nave laughed or wept.
It was half farce, half deadly earnest, and
for me as near to Mysteries as a sane man
can go. Tubal Cain, that inspired young
| Plymouth Brother, was solemn as a judge.
AS for Annie, 1 would give a considerable
amount at this moment to know what she
thought of it. But she stepped very light
ly and easily, and I am not sure | ever en-
loved a waltz SO much. The blue light
that bewitching, Intoxicating blue light
-paled on us as we danced. Th gray
conquered it, and / felt hat when we
| looked at each other the whole a~bsurdity
would strike us, and I should never BIO
able to face these lovers again without q
furious blush. AS the day crept on | stole
a glance at Tubal Cain He was scraping
away desperately with his eyes shut. For
us the dance had become WEAKNESS, but
we went on and on. We were afraid to
halt.
Suddenly q string of the violin snapped.
| We stopped and l saw Tubal Gains hand
pointing eastward. A golden ripple came
dancing down the creek, and at the head
of the comber beyond the SUMS edge was
mounting.
"Morningn!' said the bridegroom.
"It's all DONE" said Annie, holding out
q hand to me without looking up. And
thank you, sir"
"We danced through the gray" l an
swered, and that was all I could find to
say as / stepped toward the ladder.
Half an hour later, as I looked out OF
the window before getting into bed, ! saw
in the sunlight a boat moving down the
creek toward the town. Tubal Cain was
rowing and Annie sat in the stern. She
had changed her gown.
They have been just an ordinary couple
ever since and attend their chapel regular
ly. Sometimes Annie comes over to make
me an omelet,, and, as q matter OF fact, she
is now in the kitchen. But not a word
has ever been spoken between us about
the honeymoon.-A. 7. Quiller-Couch in
Short Stories.
,roTrcu To CREDITORS ESTATE OF