The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-04-06

All right, agreed the Judge. aItef
moments hesitation.
A few moments later in the midst
OF crowded room stood CHEEKY, good
looking Capt. Carthew. the prime
beside him no less an unexpected com
panion than Mr. Tennant--the unso-
ciable, misery judge.
Capt. Carthews announcement was
succeeded by loud murmurs of assent
amaZement and satisfaction.
A number of people assembled
round Mr.. Tenant Never in all his
term at Cheetapore had he felt him
self so popular or of such Importance
and he was astonished to find how
readily he accommodated himself to
the. situation.
Now, this is really too sweet of
you said Mrs. Potts, pretty little
dark eyed widow! Il simply adore
moonlight picnics. How clever of YOU
to think of it,"
The happy Saturday--the day of the
picnic-dawned BY eight o'clock
sharp, that evening. according to invi
tation. almost every one of the in
yited had assembled at Perda.
1t was a truly exquisite eastern
night. The moon hung above the del
icate white pavilions like an enormous
electric light, which illuminated the
beautiful, woLkept gardens. The pale
faded faces Of the Cheetapore ladies'
yes, and even OF the Cheetapore men
for it had been an unusually hot and
trying season Most of the faces were
wreathed in smiles-beaming with the
pleased anticipation of a right merry
evening.
Strange to say. there was no sign,
so far, Q. .Deir host; stranger still, AS
far as could be discovered, there was
no symptom whatever of any prepata
ton for support Where were the SER
wants? Where We're the glass aad
crockery?
And echo answered "Where?"
BY nine o'clock all hope had died a
lingering death; among the gathering
even the most CHEEKY tagged There
was not IA smoke or a drink TO be OBJ
tanned -jests re-. Getting the tank-Wa
ter were voted bad taste-the most of
the company were both thirsty and
ravenous. 1t was now ten o'clock, and
II sad miles lay between the fam
lshed ones and home.
Carriages were called. horses were
put TO. and the great, hungry cortege
Il,
ed in the still cecil night for Cheeta-
pore arriving at their separate baag-
allows about midnight.
Oh. what calling up OF servants.
What "A Glamour for iood What nn-
holy language at mholy hours!
Al eight ocl X the same evening
Mr. Tenant wandered into the club
reading-room To his evident amaze
ment lie found il empty with the ex
eeptioh Of Air3. Potts. who WAS seated
at the round table, reading month
old fashion paper, and looking eXceed
ingly cross and disconsolate
why" he hammered what are
you doing here all by Yourself? What
has become Of everyone? Where are
they" And he gazed around him with
a daZed air. as ii he had only just de-
scended from the clouds-which was
actually the case; for some days this
planet had been outside the sphere of
his observation.
Where are they?" she repeated In
a sharp voice They are where you
ought to beat your moonlight pic
mic at Perda
Picnic? Perda!"
Suddenly he laid his hat upon the
table, put his hands to his head, and
collapsed into a chair
Good heavensi" he calculated, was
this the day? had forgotten all about
1t. ! had a vague idea of some date
next week"
Just think of it," she interrupted.
Not one of those 20 people will be
home before II o'clock to.night--,lt
then For the most part they will be
obliged to go to bed hungry--theIr
cooks will have left; nothing will be-
ordered. | must say | don't envy You
your situation, and the only entertain
y
give! Ha. ha! don't believe the
judges picnil will be forgotten in
Cheetapore, for the next so years"
Mrs. Potts rose from her seat and
fiounced out Of the club, leaving Mr..
Tenant monarch of all he surveyed
and prey let us hope, to an agony
of remorse.
He remained for long time plunged
in thought. and an armchair After
all. he reflected what were the people
of Cheetapore to him? To go for once
dinnerless would be a wholesome dis
ciplne. aud undoubtedly benefit their
digestions.
All the same, he had not the cour-
age to confront then. He was sick
of India; he would apply for leave
(which was owing to HIM, and de
part, somewhat ignobly, at once. Mr..
Tenant was never again seen by any
of his outraged guests. for he left the
neighborhood early the following
morning He also left behind him a
name which, for notoriety and world
wide circulation, the greatest bene-
factors of their species have rarely
surpassed
Thus the great moonshine picnic
came to nothing after all. Unfor-
tunately, the papers got hold of the
story, and the fanished and deluded
company became the laughing-stock Of
the entire presidency.
Capt. Carthew lost his bet-Miss
Aylmer~ new photograph; however,