The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-04-26
A SE(RET kEPT

home. He was our senior caption and
the best soldier in the regiment. He was
also our best bachelor, for did not count
for much, being only a doctor and small
and plain and getting on for 40.
Whatever you do don't get married,
we all adjured rs we babe him farewell
Then came the rumor, week later, that
he was still at Bombay, then the tele.
gram to me to go down and serve him as
best man.
I went down by the mail train and
found awaiting me on the platform
Charlie Seton, who looked so very quiet
and SO astonishingly happy that felt IL
sort of tugging sensation in the throat
Extreme happiness Is always alarming.
Miss George, to whom / was duly pre-
scented, was not in the first flush Of her
youth. She was girl of perhaps 81 and
good looking.
She was travelling in India with friends
who, 1t struck ME, were not on very in.
innate footing. They were all staying at
a hotel from which the wedding was to
be unobtrusiyely celebrated. The couple
had only been engaged week. 1t is the
only case of love at first sight-sincere,
permanent, convincing-which I have en-.
countered.
My simple duties were duly performed.
Charlie Seton and Eleanor George were
declared to be man and wife. saw the
ceremony. heard the declaration.
appended to the entry in the register my
name, which looks more at home OIL a
death certificate. I was deadly SOBER as
folks are at weddings,
''She is giving up lot of money to
marry me-" said Seton after the cere.
mony, when he and l happened to b.
alone for few minutes.
"And YOU are giving up a career" re-
fected, mindful of many young men mar.
ried.
But there are some marriages which
strike one at once as inevitable. The only
question is why the people concerned
have not met sooner. This union was Of
such description.
The bride and bridegroom went away
from tile church with that distressingy
happy look which makes one feel un-
comfortable. They were to sail for home
the next day.
journeyed slowly back to Delhi by n
stopping night train, after seeing the last
of their boat from the outer pier. As |
stepped out of the carriage in the early
morning and noted the mist rising from
the Jumna two quartermasters Of tho
Peninsular and Oriental steamer Rn.
mana tipped up plank and precipitated
the dead body Of Charlie Seton into the
silvery waters of the Arabian sea. He
died one day out from Bombay-of chol-
In Irft hal NO
which lasted all that hot weather.
In due time we forgot Charlie Seton.
The surest proof of the existence of
mcrciful God is surely the facility with
which we are permitted to forget.
Years afterward the whole story was
suddenly recalled to me at garden party
in a quiet country village near Beccles, in
Suffolk. was taken to this entertain.
ment-chiefy remarkable for the number
of clergy present-as the friend of one of
the guests. The house was long, low
building Of, l was informed, the Queen
Anne period. The host was a genial old
chatterboX of IN admiral who concerned
himself with his own affairs in his retire
ment and refrained from writing to the
newspapers, which pastime is special
weakness Of superannuated admirals. Flo
was immensely proud of his home and
seized on me, the only stranger present,
to observe its beauties. From the lawn
followed the direction indicated by his
shaky finger, but instead of noting the
carving of gable committed the indis.
erection of looking into an open window
on the first floor.
Then the tragedy Of Charlie Seton
came back to my mind, for l saw the We
man who had married him pinning on her
hat before glass. She did not see me.
was still with my host when we met
Mrs. Seton face to face.
"Ah," said the old gentleman with gen
uine delight, "herc is my niece!'
Going forward, held out my hand.
allow do you do, Mrs. Sefton?"
She looked at me quickly, without a
glimmer Of the eyclids.
"YOu are mistaken" she said. II am
Miss George"
And with perfect good breeding, she
looked toward her uncle, inviting an in
PRODUCTION. This the old gentleman ac.
conplished with all the ceremony of his
day, mentioning the lady's name ms Miss
George. 1t was not sister. I was not
mistaken. This was the woman whom
knew to have been wife for the space
of 4S hours. There was the evidence of |
an internal trouble beneath the eyes,
which I remembered and now saw de-
veloped as the intervening years would |
have developed it.
We spoke for few minutes on ind.f- |
ferent topics.
".rhe doctor is great traveller" The |
old gentleman said. "IIe knows India, |
my dear"
"Yes," added, ~ know India"
"Ah," answered the most intrepid wo
man have met, "indcedv'
Then my host hurried me off to exam
ne carved mantclpiece of which have
no recollection at this time. / do not
.hink even saw it.
"How funny" said the admiral conf
lentially when we were alone, that you
should have mistaken Eleanor for some
)ne else, especially married woman!
You know there is little romance about
ler"
"Indeed?"
"Yes: my brother left her 100000 on
condition that she married certain man
IF remained single. Should she marry
'OHle one elSe size lbFlellS tue Iltuty. |
She enjoys her life and her wealth i'm.
nensely. She travels a great deal and
las n house in town. think she will re-
main single. The man has married some
ne else, you know. Interesting, chi?
every" answered.
I always try to mind my own business.
-Ex change.