The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-05-24

for short
In moment there were tears in
her eyes. l excused myself to go and
get drink of water. l improved the
opportunity it gave me to study fur
ther the ungraceful chirography of
the late Mr.. Swackhammer. When I
returned she was diligently practicing
on the signature of Miss Murphy. The
conductor came in. He looked at us
sharply for a trying moment, took
the tickets and examined them care
fully.
miss Murphy-Mr. Swackhammer,"
said he, reading the names; "please
sign Them
We did so and he gave us checks
for them and passed on. The Pull
man agent was at his elbow. He
looked up. inquisitively, as l handed
over the stateroom ticket. Then he
smiled a knowing sort of smile.
"Shall you want another state
room?" he inquired.
AS he spoke my mind went up to its
knees in the mire OF course it would
not do for Mr.. Swackhammer to oc-
cupy a stateroom with Miss Murphy.
I felt as if some body had opened a
furnace door a foot away from my
face.
"Ye-yes," I stammered, "of course
II shall want another stateroom."
"Why, no you won't" said Miss Muir
ply. sweetly. but decisively, as she
brushed the lint off my coat collar, Il
want you with me-"
I stared helplessly at the agent for
little. My wife saw the serious char
acter of the situation, and turned her
face, looking thoughtfully out of the
window
YES" said I, feeling for my money.
"Give me section for myself"
To my chagrin it cost me more
than l had saved by those internal
tickets. And they were also to rob
our honeymoon of it's luster-that
was the worst of it. We were to be
put asunder in the very heyday of
our married life. j began to laugh,
from the tickle of despair as soon as
the man had left us. My young wife
wiped her eyes and looked very Sc
rious.
|
to treat me coldly for awhile. Re
member, on this journey we are
nothing more to each other than ac-
quaintances, or, at best, friends"
She sat in silence a little time.
Couldn't l be your sister," she
| whispered, presently, a solemn look
on her face.
"Impossible!" I exclaimed. Glow
could Miss Murphy be the sister of
Mr.. Swackhammer?"
Il didn't know but there was some
way to manage it," said she, with a
sigh.
Its too difficult" said I. "You
might as well try to be my grand
mother"
Well, it was long journey, and
before it was over everybody on the
car got to know everybody else. Miss
Murphy being young, and, as | have
ever thought, very beautiful, became
exceedingly popular. There were
three young men going east to col
lege who were more attentive to hel
than they had any right to be. Not
that She gave them undue encourage
ment-it was not necessary. She was
only decently polite. They brought
her fruit and water, books and mag
azines and newspapers, and tolt
stories and sang songs to her, ant
what, with it all, l had a feeling
worse than loneliness-it was one O
absolute bereavement. Day by day
l was dropping like flower tina
had been cut and thrown in the dust
One day, when they had all gone on
for dinner and we were sitting alone
/ determined to speak my mind.
my darling!" l whispered, Il don
like those young men. They are to-
familiar. You mustn't let them com'
near you. They are a confounde'
nuisance. l am your lawful husband
but 1 can hardly get word will
you"
"You foolish thing!" said she
"Didn't you tell me l was to be col,
and distant to you?"
"Yes, but l didn't think you woul,
bear down as hard as you have,
patience, and made for the smoking
room. The college boys had jus
come in. for dinner. AS l stopped
moment outside the door l coul
hear them talking while they wer
lighting their cigars.
Poor old Swackey!" said one
laughing as he spoke.
HE is head over heels in love wit
her." said another. But he hasn'
, a ghost of a show
, Looks as if he had been nit wit
an AK" said another.
"Or whacked with hammer" sal
the first.
l had beard enough, and cam
away. If l was not as happy as
might have been, l went unwounde
the rest of the journey. When a
I last we were crossing the ferry a
New York we were no longer Swack
. hammer and Murphy, but the happ
: lovers we had been.
. II never want to change my nam
| again." said my wife, with sigh o
relief.
nd cko1