The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-11-03
The Lady In
the Case
By Virginia Leila WentZ

Il tkink you'll have to retain your
| knife and fork for several other
| courses" said the Hon. Joseph Brew
Bter in u matter OF fact way. 1t was
| during table d'hote dinner on a
Rhine boat, and he addressed the stran-
| ger who at first glance shortly after
they had steamed out of Cologne he
had decided was Il likable follow.
Yes, really" answered the young
man. Its bit difficult to be sure of
| ones etiquette on foreign shores
| "Oh, l felt sure you We're IN Amer
ican!" cried the elder man delightfully."-.
And | spoke to you because l was
rather homcsick for the voice of one
of my countrymen today
Just here there twanged from across
the table the voice OF Chicago butch
er:
| Like EN- to see l mean business"
He winkpd to nobody in particular and
to everybody in general as he poured
| into the hand Of the surprised waiter,
interrupted i'll his duties, IL quantity
Of small change.
The likable stranger looked at Judge
Brewster and MGrmured humorously
| as he caught the elder mans smile:
well, there; another one of our
countrymen. one gets bit ashamed
| Of the species thOugh-ch:'
They went on deck together shortly
after they left CoblcnM The younger
| fellow, whose pamc was Gale, told
stories Ct the Philippines. where he had
| been FOR 1--WE years. lie had important
business III Germany and had come
| home that way-for the United States
was home to him. lie had interesting
| tales of the Philippine Islands, of the
| great things that had been done during
| the American occupation and Of the
many things that were yet to do. lie
had something to say of the wealth of
| virgin material In the country; also he
| had something to say of the trials and
dcsolatiOn.
Obviously, the judge concluded, this
| likablc chap had experienced the trag-
cdy as we'll as the comedy of life. 1t
was true he had Il good honest laugh
and Il certain merry way of saying
things, but, also, in rcpOse there was
stern sadness about the mouth rs of
one who has suffered 9vGrmuch. The
kindly Judge found himself wishing he
knew more about him. Perhaps he
WAS hunting for leader when, as the
! twilight was coming on, he remarked:
Strange man who's as fond Of the
| States as you arp should have left
them foF fiyo years-eSpecially as you
| don't belong to the army"
Perhaps twas for the comprehen-
sivc reason that ninety nine men out
Of Il hundred DO Rnything-a woman.
"Ah, there was Il lady in the case:'
The young fellows eyes We're turned
rather gravcly toward the grim, Gaunt,
massive skeleton Of departed proves,
heaped high above st. Gaur.
That's Rhcinfcls,' volunteered the
judge. But his companion seemed not
to hear.
You So ne brcathcd,. half TO him
| SELF, Il loved her too much TO stay, so
l determined 10 bury myself some
where The Philippines were as good
as any other place"
so she was married, then-thats
why you couldn't stay?'
"She was married to Il drunken
wretch who ought to have been horse
whipped all over the states. He gam
| bled; he raced; he made her life I'M
| bearable."
How hard that must have been for
you. And she loved you?'
The judge spoke with genuine sym
pathy. 1t was the sort of night which
| induces contidencc-th peaceful river,
the little sleepy village, the quiet Gid
ing of the boat.
Yes, she loved me. 1t was my
| knowledge of that which in the end
gave me the pluck to tear myself away.
| Out there in the Philippines l don't
| suppose there's been an hour in all,
these five years that I've forgotten it.
| Why"-his firm, manly voice broke
| lttle-''if l hadn't remembered that
she was still loving me, praying for
me, believing in me, life would not
have been possible. that's all!' .....
! Where is she now" asked the judge
at last, breaking a long silence. 81.
"She's at Wicsbadcn just ut present.
| She's spending the season there with
her younger sister, who's been perfect
! ing herself in muSic-in Munich. l
could tell you tales that would make
| even heart of stone love her-tales of
! her devotion TO Rose chats her little
sister,, of the sacrifices she has en-
durcd, the dcprivations she has under
| gone, in order that Rose might have
/ =. 1, M
l swear she's Il woman in million!
The judge noticed-he could not help
but notice-that his. young friends deep
chest was swelling deeply with unaf-
fected pride, that his eyes were fash
ing and that q rudhy color had Grant