The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-24
By w. A. FRASER.
Copyright by S. S. Mcclure Coz

=
ran his eye down the long list of
names.
when does The Presence want the
carriage?" asked a ponderous, much
| liveried native servant, making a deep
salaam.
The captain pulled out his watch--Sir
| Lemuel's watch. It's beauty he
unused, as his eyes fell on it's rich
| yellow sides.
| Right away, mate-I mean bos'n
that is tell him not to go away.
Wonder what that fellows proper
| title is on the muster?"
"Ah, you're to dine at the club to-
night, Sir Lemuel,' a CHEEKY English
voice said, as a young man came out
of a room on the right.
Il know that" angrily answered
| Larry. Il don't have to be told my
| business.
| Certainly, Sir Lemuel; but YOU
asked me to jog your memory, as YOU
| are SO apt to forget these things, You
know
Quite right, quite right" answered
| the captain. IF you catch me forget
| ting anything else, just hold out "A
| signal-that is, tip me the wink, will
| you?''
| We've had a telegram from Lady
Jones, Sir Lemuel-"
a bachelor himself, it had never. oc-
| Cured to him that Sir Lemuel was
The cold perspiration stood out on
| the captains forehead. This was
something he had forgotten all about.
| probably married and that he would
| have to face the wife.
where is she? When is she com
| ing back?' he gasped.
"Oh, Sir Lemuel, it was only to say
| that she had arrived safely i'll Prone.
| THANK God for that!' exclaimed
| the captain with a rare burst of rev.
| erence.
| The private secretary looked rather
astonished. Sir Lemuel had always
| been u very devoted husband, but not
| the sort of man to give way to an ex-
| preston of strong feeling simply be-
cause his wife had arrived at the end
of her journey.
do you happen to remember what
she said about coming back?" he ask
ed of the wondering secretary.
mo, Sir Lemuel; but she'll probably
remain till her sister is out of danger
"a couple of weeks, perhaps.
"Of course, of course said the
captain. Thank the Lord!-mean
I'm so glad that she's had safe. voy-
] age" he corrected himself, heaving
great sight of relief. That's one rock
out of the channel" he muttered.
A bearer was waiting patiently fon
| him to go and change his dress The
captain whistled softly to himself
| when he saw the dress suit all laid
out and everything in perfect order
| for a "qick change" as he called 1t.
AS he finished dressing, the "bosn
he of the gorgeous livery, appeared
| announcing, johnson Sahib, SIR"
"Who?" queried Captain Larry.
"Sectary Sahib, SIR
"Oh, that's my private secretary
| he thought.
1--WE brought the speech. Sir
| Lemuel," said the young man, as he
entered. you'll hardly have time to
go through it before we start
/ Look here Johnson he said, Il
| think fever or something's working on
me- / can't remember mems faces
and ret their names all mixed up. L
| wouldn't go to this dinner tonight IL
hadn't promised to. l ought to stay
aboard the ship mean L ought to
stay at home Now | want you t"
help me through, and if it goes off all
right I'll double your salary next
| month. Safe to promise that" he.
muttered to himself. Let Lem at
tend to it."
At the club, as the captain entered,
the band struck up GOD save the
| Queen"
"By lingo, we're late!" he said:
| the SHOW is over.
"He has got fever or sun, sure,
thought his companion. ooh, no, Sir
Lemuel: they're waiting for you, TO
sit down to dinner. There's Mr..
| Barnes. the Judicial Commissioner.
i talking to Colonel Short, sir, addeo
| the secretary, pointing to tall, clerI-
lcal-looking gentleman. lies LOOKING
very much cut up over the loss Oh MS
| wife"
..Wife dead: must remember that"
| thoughht Larry.
lust them the judicial Commission
or caught sight of the captain ana
FASTENED forward to greet him. HOW
do YOU do. dear Sir Lemuel? L called
| this afternoon. So sorry to flnd tnat
| Lady Jones was away. You must Iliid
it very lonely, Sir Lemuel; l under
stand this is the first time you nave
| been separated during the many years
| of your married life.
YES. shall miss the little woman
| That great barracks is not the same
without her sweet little face about"
I That's pretty tail order" ejacu-
| lated a young officer to a friend. Ano
| it was, considering that Lady Jones
| was an Amazonian type of woman
| five feet ten, much given to running
the whole state, and known as the
| "Ironclad." But Larry didn't knox
that, and had to say something.
Dear Lady jones' sighed the Ju-
| ,Iicial< Commissioner pathetically. ..
| suppose she returns almost immedi.
ately.'
1.-THE Lord forbid-at least for u
few days. / want her to enjoy her,
self while she's away. You will feel
the loss of your wife, Mr. Barnes
even more than /; for, of course, sra
will never come back to YOU"
To say that general CONSERVATION
followed this venture of the captains
is drawing it very mild indeed, for the
j. C.'s wife was not dead at ALL but
had wandered far away with seH
tenant in a Madras regiment.
IT'S the Ironclad put him up To
that. She was always down on the }
G. for marrying a girl half his age,
said an assistant Deputy Commissions
or to a man standing beside him.
The secretary was Juggling emerge
tically at the captains coat-tatls
What it it, Johnson 2" he asked. sud
denly realizing the tug.
Dinner is on, sir.
Owing TO the indisposition of the
Chief Commissioner, by special ar
arrangement the secretary sat at ms