The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-09-08
A SMOKING ROOM STORY.


liner they we're telling stories OF dis
appearances at sea. This is one of
them by an elderly American gentle
man:
II was crossing from southampton
to New York. We had among the
passengers a Jolly devil may care
young Englishman named Trevor,
who was the life of the ship. lie was
, especially a favorite with the ladies,
though he seemed to prefer the So
ciety of men, spending a lot of time
in the smoking room.
There was a middle aged passen-
ger aboard, with a wife twenty years
his junior. We hadn't been out three
days before the young wife was daft
| about Trevor and the husband green
with jealousy. Then there was an
old maid who would sit moping on
deck till Trevor appeared, when she
would languish till he Joined her and
look inexpressibly happy If he did
so for even a few minutes. And so
| | could go on mentioning various wo-
| men, all OF whom were more or less
affected Trevor singled me out for
his principal companion, but we used
! to sit in his stateroom by the hour
chatting and smoking. On one oc-
casion | rallied him on the prefer
ence shown him by the young mar
ried woman.
"One morning after the breakfast
hour~we missed Trevor in the smok-
ing room. At noon a steward came
TO me as Trevor's most intimate as
sociate and told me that my friends
room was locked and no amount of
knocking could elicit a reply. The
ships carpenter was called. | went
with him. and he forced the door.
The room was empty.
There could have been no means
of egress for the occupant except the
portfolios. 1t seemed TO me that he
would have had difficulty in getting
through one of them, but there is no
knowing what one may accomplish in
crawling through small space. es-
pecially If given abnormal strength
by insanity, though some thought
Trevor had crawled out in his sleep.
1--WE were a dull company for the
rest of the voyage. The young wife
didn't attempt to conceal her emotion
and her husband looked as il he
would have liked 20 help Trevor
make way with himself
I'VE reached New York without
the reappearance Of the fayorite or
a solution OF the problem. The purs-
er broke open Trevor's trunk in the
hope of learning more OF his identity
than his mere name. but the infor-
nation was not Forthcoming. So far
the case was set downgas one Of those
mysterious disappeaTanccs that are
never to be explainep
Now comes one di the strangest
happenings OF all my Slife, Talk OF
condolences, | never have heard or
read of anything to beat what I'm
going to tell you. Three years later
! went from my home in Connecti-
cut to the Pacific coast partly on
business and partly to attend the
wedding OF niece Of mine. | reach
ed her home several days before the
wedding and when Introduced to the
groom eXpcctant stood paralyzed
with astonishment.
"He was Trevor.
He turned red and white and was
evidently at first bent on denying his
identity. Then he laughed and said:
Yes; we've met before. There s
an explanation--not much to my
credit | confess, but IL might have
been more to my discredit If hadn't
done what did, though 10 tell the
truth chose method that was
rather acceptable to a Young scape-
goat than an older man. DO you re.
member tho young married woman
| who"
Set her husband wild by going
wild herself about yOu? Yes; go on.
"She was wild true enough--so
wild | couldn't control her She was
bent on running three persons, her
husband, herself and me. ! made a
confidant of the captain and propos.
ed to make a stowaway of myself fol-
| lht rest VI tue NbNdbc W Stl ONl vi
her way. He offered to stow me in
his cabin instead, and accepted the
offer. Mighty good man, the cap
| tain, and first class at keeping q
secret arranged the disappear
ance and, to prevent the news reach.
ing home before | could cable, re,
moved anything that would point t.
my address. But, heavens, how die
come 10 get engaged to your neice?'
why didn't you confide in me?
asked.
Captain said confde in no one
or he would have nothing to do will
the matter
'To all this the bride expectant
listened with eyes and ears wide
open. Well, declarel' she said al
the finish If had heard that story
without the name of the principal,
would have known It was YOU. Uncle
do you think I'm safe in marrying
| such man? Then to her fance
why haven't you confessed this tC
me with other things|