The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-06-12

with little round and square tables; the
sun came out from the fog-altogether
It looked very cheerful and bright. Mr..
Lawson recovered his temper, aided
thereto by some excellent prawn curry.
Perhaps, after all, my dear, you were
right to come up here" he said. you
see more of your fellow creatures at any
rate and can't sit moping by yourself all
all day long and imagining you have
every disease under the sum-"
II do nothing of the sort, Walter!
cried his wife, Indignantly. IF it were
only a question Of myself l would stay
down below"
Mr.. Lawson grinned unbelievingly,
but said ne more about it.
II must hurry up to catch the 10
o'clock train" he said, looking at his
watch. by Jove, / had noidea it was
so late" Many other men hurried off
| at the same time to their work in the
| town and the dining room was left prin-
cipally to the women and some few
globe trotters who had no fear Of an
office below and hurry them over their
breakfast. Captain Lowrey of II. NJ. S.
Dispatch came up and sat at Mrs. Law
sons table to have a little conversation.
| Have you heard of my wretched
luck?" he said, laughingly. Seriously,
though, it is no laughing matter to me-"
| mo, what is it?" said Mrs. Lawson.
/ well, when / was dining on shore
last Friday" said Captain Lowrey, my
ship somehow cut junk in half just
outside the harbor, and the Chinese au-
thorities are making no end of row
about it. The owner of the junk says
his favorite wife was aboard and was
drowned, and he values her at $1,000"
| Dear me-" said Mrs. Lawson, what
a bore for you! Was she really drown
ed, do you Think"
| Il don't believe she was on board at
all, said Captain Lowry, contemptu-
ously; these men are such liars. Ny
sailors saw no signs Of woman when
the junk was run down. Still, it was
getting dark, ara the truth Of what he
states was just possible. In any case
true or not 1 am afraid the naval au-
thorities will make me pay up"
But you were not on board" cried
Mrs. Lawson. What shame! 1 dare
say the Chinaman wanted to get rid of
his wife, too, or he would not have sent
her out in the junk so late"
"Oh, she was going over to some rel
atves at Kowloon, he says" replied
are you going to stay up here, by the
way, Mrs. Lawson? Isn't it rather ear
ly to come up?"
at is because of the plague" sad Mrs.
Lawson, coloring rather guiltily. There
, seems so much of it about, and am so
afraid of it."
II belive there is a good deal in the
town." said Captain Lowry, but Eu-
| 4 q r,1la lxa N
Of It,"
mo, know" said Mrs. Lawson" SO
my husband says"
Captain Lowry laughed. II expect he
doesn't like leaving his comfortable
house. I am sure 1 shouldn't in his
place. Well, good by, Mrs. Lawson, ]
must be off,"
Mrs. Lawson felt on the whole reliev-
ed at her fears being laughed at
There can't really be so much dan
GER she said to herself, "or they would
think more about it," So she went up
to the public drawing room on the floor
above which was then tenanted only by
lady in a red blouse. She and Mrs
, Lawson spent quite two hours in ami
mated conversation, though they had
never seen each other before.
L
, to see his mother.
"Tve been looking for you every
where" he said. II want you to come
and see the ayah. She looks awfully
. hot and odd"
, Mrs. Lawson hurled off with him at
, once. The baby was comfortably
. asleep, but the ayah looked half mad and
had dull crimson flush on her dark
, face.
ME velly ILL.," she said wildly, as soon
as she saw her mistress; "got drefful
. palms."
whats the matter with her, mother?
Do you know?"
"Only just an ordinary attack Of fever
, expect" said Mrs. Lawson, nervous
|, ly, "but we will have doctor at once.
> mo, no." cried the ayah, still more
: wildly. doctor put me in plague hos.
pital; die directly. quick!"
Nonsense" said Mrs. Lawson. why
! should they put you there? You have
{ not got the plague"
> The ayah returned no answer, but on
) ly sank groaning to the floor. Mrs
I Lawson was more than miserable. II
she told the manager the ayah was i'll
2 he would probably insist on the whole
:
, of their having brought infection tc
? the hotel. Yet how was she to get 9
doctor? Hastily picking up the bah,
? and telling Pat to follow her she hur'
) ried away to her own room and dowr
;. stairs.
I "Do you think she really has th'
e plague, mother?" said Pat. IF sh'
r has, baby's pretty certain to get It,"
n "Oh, Pat, how can you say sucl
e things?" said his mother in an agonizet
8 voice. "No, of course it isn't. /
a can't be the plague"
az II don't KNOW" said Pat wisely
: She looks very odd, and know 1T be
gins with fever. She said she ha'
+ pains too"
d "Oh, do be quiet" cried his mother
h unless you want to drive me out o
|, my mind. / must send a note to you
a father at once, telling him to come up!
l a ta1 rQv