The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-09-10

UNCUT dA lAS
when they all said 'good-by'' to the
fair partners of their lives and started
for Southampton. They had purposesy
arranged to leave London on the eve
ming before the steamer sailed, in order
that during the silence and solitude Of
night each wife might have ample op-
portunity for mournful meditation ana
the shedding Of such repentant tears
as are supposed to befit these occaslons.
But up to the last moment the fair
ones maintained their aggravattne
c~heerfulness; they were evidently mora
inclined to laugh than to cry, and they
bid farewell to their husbands with
mods and becks and wreathed smiles
suitable to festal jollity. There was no
sentiment in their last words, either.
Mrs. Dennison tripped out of her house
to see her husband into his hanson,
and pitching her "sweet soprano" in Its
highest key. cried: Remember, your
things for the voyage are in the yellow
p~ortmanteau. The yellow p~ortmsnteau,
mindi Goodby."
"Goodby!" growled John. Then,
gathering himself into a heap in n
corner of the cab. he said: Damn the
yellow portmanteaui"
"Goodby. Frank, dear," Laura Adair
had chirruped like some pretty tame
bird, as she raised herself on tiptoe to
kiss her tall and handsome spouse.
"A1l / ask is. do try not to get your
nose sunburned! 1t is so unbecomlng.
Such a lot Of African travellers have a
peeled nose!"
"Tll do my best. Laura returned
Frank, with melancholy resignation.
IF l live. / will take care of-niy-
nose. IL L die
ooh, but you won't die!' declared
Laura, vivaciously. You will come
home and bring me heaps Of nuggets
Then the cab had driven off with
him, and Laura. had run into the
house like n wild creature. 10 crs
over the chair where he had lately
sat, and TO kiss the stump OF cigar
he had left in the ash-tray, and
roll it up in paper like a precious relic.
Laughing and crying together. she be-
llaved like a lunatic for about five min
utes: then, becoming rapidly sensible,
she murmured: Darling, 1t will 500
be all right" and went quietly up
stairs to finish something she had to do
liz the way of packing.
George Fairfax had TO kiss the dog
Bib as well as his wife when he left,
| and his parting words were ruff and
husky. He loved the bright little woman
with the blue eyes, who stood watching
him off with her little toy-terTier I'm
her arms--loved her with all the ten
derness OF q strong mans l1sart--and
once or twice he was tempted to break
his promise to Dennison and throw nap
the whole business. But he fought OBJ
~stinately against his rising sentiment,
and said, "Ta-ta, Belief rs if he were
going to the club for an hour. and she
laughed, waved her hand, Int said,
"Ta-ta" also. When he had actually
gone, however, she, like her friend
Laura, cried and kissed things of his
which she found lying about; then she,
too, became composed and practical,
and drying her eyes, e in her turn
to finish something she had 10 do in
the way OF packing.
Next morning the Three Wise Men
stood together on the deck of yhe great
ship outward bound, and n~loalrnfully
watched the shores of England reced-
ing rapidly from their view. They had
been almost the last to come on board,
for having carefully told their wives
at what hotel in Southampton a tele.
gram would find them, they had, each
one secretly, hoped against hope that
ON urgent message from home might
have forced them tmiich against their
wills. OF course) TO return in haste TO
London. But no such 'reprleve' had
been granted: no news OF any lilud had
arrived, and so there they were-per-
fectly free TO carry out their plans, and
steaming awa as fast as possible from
the land they held dearest and fairest
In all the world. They were very silent,
but they thought a good deal. The
captain Of the ship. a jolly man, with
a pleasant twinkle in his eye, spoke
to them now and then In passing. and
told them casually that there were sew
eral very pleasant ladies among the sa-
loon passengers. They heard this with
stoicsl indifference verging on bilious
melancholy. AS the English coast van
ished at last into a thin blue line on the
edge OF the horizon, George Fairfax
broke the dumb SPELL by n profahe
swear"
Damn IL. I think Belle might have
wired to say sood-by!"
II confess I am surprised" mnrmured
Adair. slowly, that Laura never
tilOu6lt VI IL
Women are all alike" snapped Dem
nison. "Court them, and they're all ro-
nance; marry them, and they're dead
to feeling" And grumbiing inaudibly.
he went below. The other two followed
him in gloomy resignation, angry with
themselves and with all their surround
ings. When, later on, they took their
places at the dinner-table, they We're
so unsociable. morose. and irritable. that
none of the passengers cared 20 talk to
them or attempted to draw them out"
AS for the women-'I see no pretty
ones.' said Adair.
".All old frumps!" grunted Fairfax.
.'Women's rights n mems ~lefts!'|
snarled Dennison.
Three seats at table were empty.
'Those three ladies. who came on
board early this morning, are dining
below" inquired the captain cheer
fully OF the steward.
Yes, SIR"
Toward evening the wind freshened,
and presently blew a heavy gale.
The waves ran high, and many a bold
heart began to siclSen at the
giddy whirI of waters. the ner-
vous plunging of the ship, the shud-
dering of her huge hulk as she slipped
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