The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-24

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Tor the signature was not much like
the careful. clerkly hand that he was
accustomed to see.
Sir LemueIS wine had been stand
| ing reproach TO Government House.
dinner there either turned a man into
Ia teetotaler or a dyspeptic; and at
| tiffin, when the captain preached a
bottle of it, he set his glass down
with n roar. Hes brought me the
vinegar he exclaimed cor the coal
oil. Is there no better wine in the
house than thiS?" he asked the but
| Ter and when told there wasn't he
| insisted upon the secretary writing ont
| an order at once for fifty dozen Pom
merry. Have it back in time for am
| ner. sure! I'll leave some for Lem,
| too; this stuff isn't good for his
blood he said to himself Grimly.
I'm glad this race meet is on While
| I'm king" he thought, as he drove
down after tif1in, taking his secretary
With him. They say the Prince OF
Wales always gets the straight tip
ana III be sure to be put on to some
thing good
And he was Captain Lushton told
him that his mare Nettie was sure
to win the Rangoon Plate, forgetting
| to mention that he himself had back
ed TOmboy for the same race.
Must have Wrenched a leg" Lush
| ton assured Larry when Nettie came
| in absolutely last, but as the secre-
| tary 81. o. Us for all the bets he
made and as Sir Lemuel would be
| into his again before settling day, and
| would have to pay up. it did not
really matter to the captain.
| The regiment was so pleased with
81 Lemueis contributions that the
| best they had in their marquee was
none too good for him. The ladies
I found him an equally ready mark.
Mrs. Leyhurn was pretty and had fish
to fry Il must do a little missionary
work While the Ironclad's away" she
| thought Her mission was to install
her husband in the position of port
| officer That came out later-came
out at the ball that night. The cap
| tain assured her that he would at
| tend.
| There is always a sort of Donny
brook Derby at the end of a race day
| in Rangoon. Ponies are gently Sc
questered from their more or less
willing owners, and handed over mi
nus their saddles, to sailors who pilot
| them erratically around the course
| for a contributed prize. When the
captain saw the hat going around
| for the prize money he ordered the
| secretary to write out a "chit" for
| 200 rupees. "GiVe them something
worth while, poor chaps" he said.
| And to think that the Ironclad
| has kept this bottled up so long"
| muttered Lushton.
| 81 always said you had good
| heart" Mrs. Leyburn whispered to
thescaptain. If people would only
| let you show it, she added malicious
| ly; meaning. Of course, Lady Jones.
| The Chief Commissioner was easily
the most popular man in Burmah that
might 1t was with difficulty the blue
| Jackets could be kept from carrying
| him home on their shoulders. Il
hope Lem is looking after the cargo
| all right" murmured the captain, as
| he drove home to dinner. Il seem
| TO be getting along nicely. Lucky
| the old eats away"
| The captain danced the opening
quadrille at the ball with the wife of
| the Financial Commissioner and, bar
la little enthusiastic rolling engender-
| ed by his sea life, and a couple Of
| torn trails as they swept a little too
| close he managed it pretty well. The
secretary had piloted him that far.
| Then Mrs. Leyburn swooped down
upon him.
| There is an adornmcnt indigenous
| to every ballroom in the East, known
as the kala jagah; it may be a con-
servatory or bay window. A quiet
seat among the crotons, with the
| drowsy drone of the waltz fitting in
and out among the leaves, is just the
place to work a man.
| I'm telling you this now; but Mrs.
Leyburn knew il long ago; moons
before Captain Larry opened, the ball
| the Financial Commissioners wife.
| Not that Mrs Leyburn was the only
woman with q mission. Official life
| in India is full of them only she had
the Start-that was all.
Its scandalous," another mission
Try said to Captain LuShton. They've
been in there an hour-theyve sat
| out three dances. I'm sorry for poor
dear Lady Jones'"
Among the crotons the missionary
n-the-field was saying: I'm sure
| Jack ordered the launch to meet you
at the steamer that time, Sir LemucI
lie knows you were frightfully an
CRY about it, and has felt it terribly
He's simply afraid to ask you for the
billet of port officer: and that horri-
bic man who is acting officer now
will get it, and poor Jack won't be
next hot weather. And you'll be go
| ing for a month again next season,
Sir Lemuel, won't you?''
Now, as it happened, the captain
had had row with the acting port
officer coming up the river; SO it was
Just In MS 1nlJt, as ne expressed It,
IN arrange it for Jack tomorrow.
ne said; never fear, little woman"
C'He spoke of you as Jack" she told
Leyburn later Oh, "and it's all right
love. Lucky the Ironclad was
away."O
A lady approaching from the ball
room heard a little rustic among the
plants pushed eagerly forward ana
stood before them Another mission
airy had entered the field. 81 beg par
don, Sir Lemuel," and she disap-
peared.
Perfectly scandalous!" she said, as
she met Lushton. "Some one ought
TO advise dear Lady Jones Of that de-
signing creatures behavior
For Cupid's sake, don't" eiaculat-
cd Lushton, fervently. Let /he old
boy have his fling. He doesn't get out
often."
1--WE no intention of doing so my
self" said his companion with as.
perity.
But all the same a telegram went
that night to Lady Jones at Prone
which bore good fruit next day, and
much of it,
When they emerged from the GRO
tons Mrs IeVburn was triumphant