Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-03-06

then" i answered, "or Miss Murph,
for short"
In moment there were tears in
her eyes. / excused myself to go and
get drink of water. ! improved the
opportunity 1t gave me to study fur
ther the ungraceful chirograpby OF
the late Mr.. Swackhamm,r. When
returned she was diligently practicing
on the signature OF Miss Murphy. The
conductor came in. lie looked at US
sharply for a trying moment, took
the tickets and examined them care
fully.
"Miss Murpby-Mr. swackhammer,"
said he, reading the names; please
sign them"
We did so and he gave us checks |
for them and passed on. The Pull |
man agent was at his elbow He
looked up. inquisitiyely, az | handed
over the stateroom ticket. Then he
smiled knowing sort OF smile.
"Shall you want another state
room?" he inquired.
As he spoke my mind went up TO its
knees In the mire. or course II would
not do for Mr.. Swackhammer to oc-
cupy stateroom with Miss Murphy
/ felt as II somebody had opened
furnace door a foot away from my
face.
"Ye-yes," 7 stammered, "of course
IL shall want another stateroOm."
"Why, no you won't" said Miss MUIR
1 fsfN e.H o
brushed the lint Oft my coat collar, 81
want you with me-"
I stared helplessly at the agent for
| little My wife saw the serious char
aeter of the situation, and turned her
face, looking thoughtfully out Of the
window
Yes" said I, feeling for my money.
"Give me a section for myself"
To my chagrin il cost me more
than | had saved by those internal
tickets. And they were also to rob
our honeymoon of its luster-that
was the worst OF II. We were to be
put asunder in the very heyday Of
our married life. ! began to laugh,
from the tickle OF despair as soon as
the man had left US. My young wife
wiped her eyes and looked very Sc
rious.
"Murph," said /, you must learn
to treat me coldly for awhile. Re
member, on this journey we are
nothing more 10 each other than ac-
quaintances, or, at best, friends"
She sat In silence little time.
"Couldn't / be your sister?" she
whispered, presently, II solemn look
on her face.
"Impossiblel" / exclaimed. "lIow
could Miss Murphy be the sister Of
Mr.. swackhammer?
81 didn't know but there was some
way to manage it," said she, with
, sigh.
ITS too difficult" said ]. "You
might as well try to be my grand
. mother"
4 Well, II was long journey, and
, tbefore IL was over everybody ON the
, car got to know everybody else. Miss
: Murphy, being young, and, as | have
! ever thought, very beautiful, became
= exceedingly popular, There were
three young men going east TO col
y lege who were more attentive TO her
. than they had any right to be. Not
a that she gave them undue encourage
/. ment-it was not necessary. She was
I only decently polite. They brought
n her fruit and water, books and mag
i azines and newspapers, and tolt
r stories and sang songs to her, ant
i what. with It all, | had feeling
Z worse than loneliness-it was one o
e absolute bereavement. Day by day
x was dropping like a flower tina
: had been cut and thrown in the dust
l. One day, when they had oil gone GU
i for dinner and we were sitting alone
o determined TO speak my mind.
e "My darlingl" | whispered, 81 don
like those young men. They are to,
e familiar. You mustn't let them COM
y near you. They are a confounde'
II nuisance. am your lawful husband
r. but l can hardly get word will
6 you"
ID "You foolish thingl" said she
.e Didn't you tell me | was to be col
'e and distant to you?"
'e "Yes, but didn't think you woul
. bear down ns hard AS you have,
70 said /, and got up, n little out o
D. patience, and made for the smoking
room. The college boys had jus
d come In for dinner As | stopped
y moment outside the door | eoul
~ hear them talking while they wer
!, lighting their cigars
=. Poor old swNckeyl" said on
y, laughing As he spoke.
" "He is head over heels In love wit
her" said another, But he hasn
a ghost OF show"
~ Looks as II he had been nit wit
y an az" SAID another.
w. "Or whacked with a hammer" sal
the first,
=. had heard enough, and can
away. II l was not as happy AS
~ might have been, went unwoundc
the rest Of the journey When
:, last we were crossing the ferry 1
New York we were no longer SwacI
-. hammer and Murphy, but the hapI
a lovers we had been.
y. ~ never want to change my nan
~ again" said my wife, with a sigh
ur relief.
a "And you never shall until l n
a dead" WAS my answer.