Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1906-12-06
By CHARLES NEWTON Hoop.
Copyright

on marrying the young fellow, that set
tied it. She was a good deal like her
old man when she had her mind made
up, and the sooner they got spliced the
sooner the bother would be over. Mrs.
Gotrox had sighed as she considered
getting up trousseau in summer time,
and Mabel herself had said that it made
no difference whatever to her. Long en-
gagement or short engagement, it was
all the same She was not tickle.
And so the day was set.
And, although the date was still more
than three months off, Mabel and Ed
ward, as they sat cozily IN the arbor en-
| joying the sunset, were discussing their
wedding journey
| They suggested the northwest and the
northeast, and the due north, but none
of these directions seemed quite the cor
rect and satisfying.
"After ALL" said young Hermann,
Europe is the proper thing"
But l should be so afraid" she said,
drawing instinctively nearer to him, and
the twilight coming on apace, saw his
| strong right arm beginning thus early
its work of protection
mot afraid with me-" he queried
mo" she replied, perhaps not-with
you-but them she continued, 4 have
never been on the ocean"
Nor have l." he interrupted.
Suppose" she began, hesitatingly,
Suppose we should be-when the sea
is rough, you know, and the waves are
high and the steamer rolls and pitches.
1t would be so horrid One looks so
wretchedly, you know. They do say you
don't care, then, even for your dearest
friends or their opinions"
81 think" remarked Edward, ''that
possibly might prove a good sailor"
'How lovely the trip would be if we
both were" cried Mabel, enthusiastic
ally. ut would be divine"
ooh, we must certainly take the Euro
pean trip he said.
eyes," she continued, thoughtfully,
'but if 1 should be sick and you should
'Why, would take the greatest care
of you, darling, and"
ooh! But how l would look, and they
say one wants to die and don't care what
happens, or anything; and you would al
ways remember me as l looked then, and
you never could think of me quite the
same, and"
even yet, how much l love you-as il
such a little thing as seasickness could
make any difference to me. But, sup
pose l should be sick and you should
notch, horrorsp
'But, then, sweetheart" rejoined Miss
Mabel, Il would take such lovely care OF
you, and"
ooh, yes, you know; but just think of
a great, big, strong fellow like me be.
ing sicker than horse for days, and
my wife secretly exulting over me"
"Why, EdwardP
''Yes, and wondering how she could
ever have fallen in love with man who
could look like that, and flirting desper
ately with other fellows who have their
sea legs on, and -"
ooh, but you know I wouldn't-and
didn't even hint of such a thing about
you, if you Notwithstanding and
were not I'd care for you and watch
over you-"
81 hope So I hope we both know
what we would do" remarked Edward,
solemnly, ''but perhaps it would be the
safest to have our vows in the marriage
service altered to read, flor richer, for
poorer, in seasickness and in health, to
love and to cherish, etc.
"Nonsensep she returned gaily.
Striking out obey will be enough lib
erty to take with the service. Well
call it settled, then, though we won't tell
soul, and we'll pass our honeymoon
in England and France and Spain and
Italy"
And the remainder of the evening was
passed in mutual assurances and reassur-
ances.
But as Edward wandered homeward,
and Mabel sought her pillow, they each
thought deeply, solemnly and uneasily on
the subject of their conversation.
"By Jovei 1t would be CHASTITY" ejac-
ulated Edward, for the benefit of his re-
Fiction in the mirror. Il wish that l
knew how the wild sea waves would use
me- If 1 could only have little pre-
liminary rock on the bosom of the deep,
lust for a trial" and a sudden in
spiration came to him with the thought, |
and he pondered much. ''Why not?" he
thought The ocean greyhounds made
the trip across the pond in fortnight
or less. What a marvellous pair of sea-
legs might be developed in that time.
1t might not be quite fair to Mabel, but
of course she mustn't know; it was
silly thing to do, anyway, and she would
only laugh at him. The next day he
went into the Office of his senior partner
and talked long and conhdentially with |
him.
"The firm" he told Mabel, few even
ings later, the cruel firm, had insisted
on his taking an important trip, and he
might be gone two or three weeks"
'In which direction?" she asked, curl
ously.
'Eh-east," he replied, hesitatingly.
"Maine?" she queried.
EYES," he replied truthfully; main"
and he added, inaudibly, raging"
"And the fact is, beside" he continued, |
becoming holder as he discovered how
comparatively easy is the exact truth, 81 |
shall be knocking around so much that |