The Marshall republican., 1906-02-09

ty-thin, freckied, weak-eyed, and with
straight, sandy hair. But I soon found
out that he was ~sharp-sharp as a fer.
ret. On his arrival. Just before dinner.
I had some talk with him about his
ailments. Az I had expected, he had
nothing serious the matter with him.
and was only suffering from indulgence
in a mode Of life. TO which his feeble
constitution was not adapted.
"There In no need for you TO come
10 stay here. you know" I said. "Ali
you want IL to lead a quiet life. and
avoid wine aud late hours. II you do
that. you will soon get WE'LL
and II I don't. Gosden. what them"
he answered, in his thin. high. pitched
voice. Hang It all! You talk as
though II we're nothing: but II In no
Joke to a fellow to have to give up
! pleasures at my age"
III you don't you will die sooner or
later-thnt's ALL"
His face fell considerably at this
statement.
"Die!, he said. "Dlel How brutality
you talk And yet you Just said that
I t0eTt was HDtnlnE HUM u "hAt'f
with me: though I tell you. I do feel
III. dieadfully M Sometimes ! am so
bad, especially in the mornings. that I
could almost cry. What shall I do to
cure myseif7"
81 will tell you. Get married. drink
nothing but clare,. and get TO bed every
night at ten
Get married. he gasped. "0hi But
it's an awful thing to do. II ties a fell
low up so. Besides. ! don't know who
TO marry"
At this moment our conversation wa
broken on by Fanny's entrance. She
was dressed in an evening gown. with
A red flower in her dark. shining hair.
and looked what she was. a o strik-
Ing aud imposing woman. Her beauty
In OF the imperial order, and lies more
In her presence. and " ! may use the
word about n woman. her atmosphere.
than her features. and I saw with a
smile that II quite ovorcame my little
patient. who stammered and suffered.
and held out his wrong hand when ]
introduced him. II turned out after
ward that he had been under the i'm
precision that Miss Denelly was an ell
DERBY housekeeper. Al dinner. howey-
en-. he recovered his equilibrium and
began to chatter away about all sorts
OF things. With a sort OF low cle%ycrness
which was rather amusing. though
confess that being old-fashioned,.
could not keep pace with Il. Fanny.
however. entered into his talk In a
manner which astonlshed me. I had
M Idea that her mind was NO versatile.
or that she knew anything about bill
lizards and horsc-r1clng. or even French
novels
Atsten o'clock ! told Mr.. Joseph he
had better begin his cure by going TO
bed. and this he did reluctantly enough.
when he had gone. ! asked Fanny what
she thought OF him!
Think OF him" she answered. look
Ing up. for she was plunged In one OF
her reveries oh I think that he 10
q mixture between a fox and a fool.
and the ugliest little man I ever saw!"
I laughed at this complimentary
summary. and we set to work.
After the first evening | neither saw
nor heard much OF Mr.. Joseph. except
at meals. Fanny looked after him. and
when b was at work he amused him.
self by sitting In an armchair and
reading French novels In n translation.
for preference. Once he asked permits
sion 10 come In and see US week, and
after about half M hour OF IL hs went,
saying II was awfully clever. but ''all
rot uAn LnaU - and that ha h.A .,.ah
better devote our talents TO making
books on the Derby,
"Idlot!' remarked Fanny. In a tone
Of whitening contempt. when the door
had closed on him; and that wal the
only opinion | heard her express with
reference to him till the catastrophe
came.
One morning. when Joseph had been
with us about a fortnight. having been
and feeling tired and not too well. I
did not come down to breakfast TIL ten
O'Clock. Usually. We breakfasted at
half-past eight. To my surprise. |
found that the tea was not made, and
that Fanny had apparently not yet had
her breakfast. This was n most unu-
sual occurrence. and while l was still
wondering what It could mean. she
came into the room with her bonnet
and cloak on.
why, my dear Fanny" I said.
where on earth have you been7"
ITO church." she answered. coolly.
with a dark little smile.
What have you been doing there?"
I asked again.
Getting married." was the reply.
] gasped for breath. and the room
seemed to swim round me.
To be continued.