The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-05-17
DISTANT RELATIONS.
BY BARRY PAIN.

George Goad and Arthur Sonnet oc
es in the procession. They had worr
quite the right expression as they
stepped down from the house to the
coach. Not one of the little crowd that
had gathered to see the procession start
could have found any fault with it.
Arthur wore his handkerchief so that
the black border on it peeped out Of his
pocket and indicated how his bereaye-
ment had gone all through him and left
it's mark on the smallest detail. But
when they were once inside the coach
and leaning back on the cushions that
expression dropped off. 1t was a very
comfortable coach, and George Goad
looked perilously near to being content
ed. Even Arthurs querulous face wore
an appearance of partial and rancid
satisfaction. For minute they pursed
their solemn thoughts in sile1Se, but
they were the kind of men that had got
to talk. Arthur looked out of the corner
of his eye at George. 1t was for the
elder man to start and to justify it.
And George began with justifica-
ton that he had used before on similar
occasions. after ALL" he said, 1--WE
may have our feelings, but we couldn't
have wished it otherwise. 1t was
merciful delverance."
II can't help but agree with you,"
said Arthur as though he rather re-
GREETED this want of an Independent
Judgment in himself "She was great
sufferer When the news was brought
to me, l had feeling that was almost
like relief, if may use the word"
"And after all we're nothing more
than distant relations. 1t can't be the
same to us that it should be (and hope
Isl to them that were nearer and are
now in the coaches in front"
''That is So" said Arthur. GAS to the
relationship, I've tried to work it out,
and it fogs nae. l was thinking about
1t only last night. It's kind of cousin,
and should say it was third cousin.
But wouldn't speak for certain"
"Ah," said George indulgently, 1--WE
country chaps are no good at problems!
Now your Professionalism to a So
licitor-I'll wager that sharpens the
wits"
"Do you know what's the principal
use of a solicitors clerkY' asked Az
thur bitterly.
"Well, and what might that be?"
'To stop the solicitor from making
fool of himself"
ooh, that's a good one! That's as
good a one as ever / heard. I'll re-
member that. ZIP He pulled him
self up with a short, sharp jerk. In
another minute he would have been in
to a guffaw. He went on rapidly,
clearing the smile from his face as he
spoke: "She was good woman. Yes,
and thoughtful woman too. / don't
suppose the expense would have kept
you away today or me either. Still,
that IS pound note apiece for the pur-
pose was thoughtful"
'That is how took it," said Arthur.
"Of course your railway fares more
than mine. Still f5"-
"Of course. There's margin, and
/ haven't the least doubt she meant
there to be margin. I'll give you an
other point. Did you notice that sher-
ry before we started"
Arthur confessed that he had not no
ticed it particularly.
swell, l did. And it happens / can
tell you something about that sherry.
If she ever took glass of wine, it
was sherry. And, what's more, she
kept two sorts of it. There was one at
10 and one at SO. know that for
fact, because l know the man she
dealt with. Now, the IS I've had at
the house before; nice enough, you
know, but with a sort of sting in it.
The one we had just now was not the
IS, but the SO and quite different
thing.
II rarely touch anything" said Ar
thur, with melancholy. "Can't-it's
liver with me-"
"What you want is a country life and
good plain food. Pm never in town
but / notice the difference there. You
can't get good stew in town. That's
a country dish for country cooks.
don't say could fancy it on hot day
like this, but in the winter Well, you
must come down one day and see for
yourself what we can do. Give me
three helpings of good stew, little
bit Of cheese and pint or so of old ale,
and don't mind
But it never transpired what George
Goad, under those delicious circum-
stances, did not mind, because at this
moment the coach stopped. They were
already at the cemetery. Without de-
lay George and Arthur assumed the
necessary expression. The coach moved
on a little farther and stopped again
close to the cemetery chapel. There
was a moments delay, and then q man
in black opened the door, and the dis
tant relations got out and took their
places in the partially formed process
sion. At the door of the chapel they
could see the curate waiting. There
came burst Of laughter from children
in the distance. Then as they entered
the chapel the curate's voice rose clear
and vibrating in words of singular
beauty and solemnity. George and Ar
thur looked all right. - Black and
White.
Sorry Outlook.
First Office Boy-Goin ter de ball games
dis seezun?
Second Office Boy-Naw, de boss knows