The Norfolk weekly news., 1900-06-14
A VAIN RETREAT.
a Story Of the
lpdiaD Plague.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Mr.. and Mrs. Walter II. Lawson had
come UP to the Peak hotel for month
mt least. They had delightful white
square villa with n deep vcrnnda and n
garden full of tropical shrubs and
twavy bnmboos down in Hongkong at
thc foot OF the hill, much nicer in every
way than the bare rooms at the Peak
hotel and the bare rocks surrounding
II.
Mrs Lawson shuddered as she con-
trnstcd the ugly wall paper and rcgula-
ttlon clock with a stifr Image on each
side that adorned her sitting room at
the hotel with her own pretty drawing
room, and she shivcred I'm the long mat
tied corridors. so straight and guiltless
of anything like comfort. Her husband
was n partner in n firm of American
solicitors in liongkong and getting on
very well. 1t was not yet hot enough
ITO migrate to the Peak, only the begin
ming OF April, and the morning mists
my thick and heavy on the towering
cliffs till late in the day. 1t was very
cold there too. STILL they had all bus
tiled up-Mr. and Mrs, the boy of 10
and the baby OF 1S months.
The plague was again claiming its
weekly victims In steady numbers.
The year before had been n very bad
one for It. Then during the winter 1t
died out, only to rccommcncc in March.
Mrs. Lawson had been getting very
Il N l. nd rrin col
uher OF new cases In the bazaar, in the
fish market, in all quarters of the city,
but the climax had been reached the
day before, when the bank managers
cook had died of 1t in his kitchen The
bank managers garden Joined the
ILawsons' bamboos.
y "Let us go to the Peak directly, Wal
lrectly her husband came In from the
office.
'If you really wish 1t, of course, my
dear" said her husband GROSSLY, "but
ITS no earthly good flying away from
the thing Ann Lung got the infection
from some of his own relatives no
doubt or down by the harbor He is
u
in JcffcrSonS house"
How do you know that?" said Mrs.
lawson, nearly crying from fright.
''You people here In Hongkong don't
Seem to care how near the plague Is to
you, and yet think what fuss they
make about it If 1t even comes to the
next country in Europe"
nj
rthem," said Mr.. Lawson contemptuous-
ly. "Fright wont keep it Off" His
real reason for objecting to the Peak
hotel lay In leaving his cook, Chi
ncse artist In stews and soups. The
cooking at the Peak was very doubt
ful. However, he concluded he must
put up with it and resignedly packed
his portmantcau.
Last summer he had been out in
IHongkong alone and for many years
before that had managed branch of
tthe firm ut San Francisco. Mrs. Law
son thought Hongkong a poor eX-
change for the Golden Gate. Still, up
TO now 1t had been healthy, and the
crisp, cold weather was even colder
than she was accustomed to. Every
day during the winter they had had a
huge coal fire lighted at o'clock in
the drawing room and dining room,
then again In the early morning. She
had her own tidy arrangements about
milk and butter and fresh rolls. What
a pity to upset all this and go away 10
a hotel!
Still, It could not be helped. She
must get away from this dreadful
around her. So, having wrung very
reluctant consent from her husband
the very next morning saw all their
household goods packed up, the serv'
ANTS dismissed with the exception of
the ayah and Mr.. Lawson's boy" and
the whole family setting forth TO the
station of the electric railway up the
Peak. People in the streets looked
calm and unconcerned rs ever.
"How can they look so interested in
all about them" said Mrs. Lawson i'm
patiently, when so far as they know
they may be dead Of the plague by TO
morrow or, If not they themselves
their nearest relatives may?"
'In some cases, my dear" said Mr.
Lawson philosophically, "a Chinamar
would not count that loss, especially
If he got some money by the departure
OF his relatives. one go, another come
on-he thinks the survival is TO the fit
test should the survivor be himself"
Mr.. lawson really felt deeply injured
as he got himself and his family out OF
the train at the top of the hill at III,
slanting station. The heavy mist was
wet and penetrating, and there was no
CLEAN of sun to be seen at 0 O'Clock.
Lets go into the hotel at least" h'
said grumpily and stalked on in al
vance Of his family up the stairs cut il
the rocks and under the glass awning
to the hotel. A few wretched gera