The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-07-03
Cupid Across
the Seas.
~ EPES w. SARGENT.
,,vr;ehted, 1908, by Associated
Cop' literary Press.

Copyrighted, 1908. by Associated
! eop' Literary Press. +
$.+ssss'sss's'
crantley Graham leaned over the
mor,s rail and regarded the city
Sc '.h q frown. He hated the water, so
va distant pier promised relief from
~ aisouiet he always felt when he
~ on ship, yet every beat of the
'uorful engines, every revolution Of
~ huge propellers that pushed the
,o n the liner into the very drizzle
summer rain, brought him nearer
.ho dreaded dreariness Of his own
Nth an almost self commiseration
:. looked back upon the last few
,+bs and contrasted their brilliancy
I l1S tho life that lay before him, and
w. soul reyolted at the thought of re-
lining to take up the dull monotony
- tho home life he had always known.
presently they would dock at the
,,.r There would be the usual diff
i.,tv with the customs which seems to
no reserved for the American citizen.
rbo carriages would be waiting, and
~ q little while he would find himself
hofore the somber brownstone prison
that in earlier days had stood to him
mr. all that was elegant and refined.
loan his wife, would come out on
,be bigh stoop at the sound of the car
riape She would offer her cheek to be
t,ssed She would ask If he had had
neasant trip. And then she would fol-
NV him into the house and with the
clos,ng of the door would be shut out
all the social possibilities Of the past.
Nothing, however, could deprive him
n, the thought that he had lived for
once. For six weeks In London he had
dvelt in fairyland Of fancy. He had
mingled with men and women of the
world. and almost he had learned to
say "My lord" and your grace" with
out feeling his knees weak at the real
ization that lie was speaking to a men,
Der Of the nobility.
During the year just passed he had
accomplished triumph of engineering
and had beaten the British masters at
their own craft They had given up the
problem which to Graham had seemed
simple enough, and when he had &C
complished the result he had become a
national hero for a day. The Ameri-
can colony had dined him, and he had
been presented to the king, and he had
received many invitations to country
house parties. all part Of the fairy
dream
Graham had married early, and as
soon as he left college he had plunged
into his work with never thought of
play. This had been his first real va
cation, and lie had mingled in English
society with delight that was wholly
unworthy of his country and his gen.
ius
He had had no time for society in
bis own land because the work that
made him what he was had prevented
relaxation. Then, too, Mrs. Graham.
proud of biz achievements. had been
content to share his isolation and find
reward for her remuneration of society
In the pleasure of removing from his
path the hundred petty cares of daily
life.
Jean had grown somewhat stout
with the passing of the years, and the
complexion which had been her great
est charm in her girlhood had faded
At first while abroad Graham had
missed her for a time, but in the end
be was glad she had not come.
He contrasted her placid content
with the feverish brilliancy of the wO-
men he had met, and he knew that
they and she never could have mixed.
For the first time he felt an actual
dissatisfaction with his wife and wish
ed that she might be more like those
butterfly creatures.
As he thought of them while the car
rage rolled uptown he felt more and
more distaste for the wife awaiting
MN, and when she came to the door
70 greet him he contrasted the portly
ngure in its sober dress with the slen-
uerness OF the smartly gowned women
VI utle who had amused themselves by
turning the head of the clever Ameri-
can for few weeks.
let Graham was astonished to find
.lat ne was glad to see Jean. Her
AiSs OF greeting was less perfunctory
Juan ne had anticipated There had
oeen one moment abroad that now he
wouid like 70 forget 1t was at a ball.
1ne hghts. the music and q stronger
punch than he was used to had all
gone to his head.
ror one delirious moment he had
. slender. yielding figure in his
W.. Inc next instant Lady Eleanor
aau accepted the impetuous embrace
=, graceful excuse for ending a boy
sn irritation that promised to grow
.nuOa,ffassingly serious instead of
s,sy amusing. The memory of that
s s.ss nad not been pleasant to Graham,
Nv nc was clean minded man, and
~ w laa shuddered at the brink upon
' NJ ne had found himself.
s,a ne followed Jean up the narrow
s s.a, contrasting It with the great
sTau n'ases he had seen abroad. and
tol A WIN the contrast it did not seem
ui IT, as mean as he had imagined.
Il tbs room was as though he had left
nm s uay before. There were matches
ha ue mantel and some of the cigars
u ue liked best. A book and n reading
h;s ~, were by the head of the bed and
cr anppers laid out beside the lounge
Tbo "nalh was of methodical mind
IN pitt. ptin orderliness of the room was
Ia h"""st To the hotel rooms in which