Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-02-25

SO strongly reminded me or an under
taker that i felt almost tempted to
ask him a question or two about the
state of the market In respect to cof-
fms and other funeral equipments. His
necktie was black and likewise his
hair, while his expression was one of
extreme solemnity. Mabel was seated
at my right, while on my other hand
was a buxom matron OF forty or SO,
who manipulated knife and fork with
an activity that suggested a most ex-
cellent digestion.
Among the guests these were the
first whom / noticed particularly. AS
| looked along the table. / was rather
surprised to find that not face was
known to me. There was cadaver-
ous-looking young man with a perma-
turely bald head whom | pointed out
to Mabel, asking who he was; for
had noticed that a sign of recognition
passed between them.
my brother" she replied quietly
and as / imagined, sadly.
Now this was surprise, for | did
not know that Mabel had brother.
Perhaps, thought, he was not an
especially estimable youth. and so was
ignored by her family. If that were
so, why should he be present on this
occasion? Here was another puzzle,
to be solved when a suitable oppor
tunity offered for questioning my
fiancee.
On the left of Mabel's brother was
remarkably pretty, though very pale
young lady, who wore in her hair, odd
ly enough, what looked to me like a
bridal wreath. But the handsomest
woman present was she whom ! sup
posed to be our hostess. She was of
regal presence, and, with her velvety
eyes and coronet of black braids, re-
sembled a Spanish senorita. Though
| had never seen her before, took 1t
for granted that she must know who /
was, and repeatedly / tried to catch a
glance from her; but 1t was in vain,
for her conversation and attention
were addressed almost exclusively to
an elderly man on her right, appar-
emily a foreign diplomat, as half a
dozen orders glittered upon his breast.
At the other end of the festive board
sat a gentleman with huge gray mus
tache, presumably our host. / heard
no remarks from him, save now and
then a request to pass the decanter,"
addressed to one or another OF the
guests near him. had no opportunity
for speech with him, inasmuch as
Mabel and were divided from him by
almost the length Of the table.
On the whole, the affair struck me
as entirely extraordinary. Here we
were, myself completely stranger, at
a banquet in house which | had
never visited before! Indeed. had it
not been for Mabels assurance of well
come and the two seats apparently re-
served for us, should have supposed
that we had made some mistake.
Mabel herself was singularly silent,
though ordinarily quite laxative and
even jolly, and offered no explanation
of the situation. But perhaps what
astonished me more than anything
else was my discovery, some time
after we were seated at the table, of
young man, some distance away,
who bore a striking resemblance to
my chum at college. Upon my word,
| was ON the point of shouting at him
across the board. In fact, the words,
"Why, Bill. old man, how did you get
here?" We're on my lips, when
checked myself in time, owing to a
remembrance of the fact that Bill had
been dead for eight years. having met
a most untimely fate in a railway
disaster
While engaged in wondering whether
the young man could be a near rela-
ton of my former chums, ] was
startled at seeing a telegram in the
familiar Western Union envelope laid
beside my plate. Some people, notably
stock brokers and newspaper men, are
accustomed to kilograms. and for that
reason are not alarmed by them. But
habit had not rendered me thus cal
lous, and with some haste | tore open
the envelope and glanced over the
contents. 1t read:
Mabel died this morning of acute
congestion of the lungs. Amelia Par
ker."
declare that trembled as If had
chill If Mabel had not been by my
side, | should have been overcome by
the shock. Holding the telegram be-
fore Mabe's eyes, ] exclaimed in a
voice that trembled with conflicting
emotions of horror and anger: This
is carrying practical joke too far
Here, some brainless wretch tele-
graphs me in your mothers name that
you are dead"
Careless of the almost frenzied
energy with which | spoke, looked
around upon the faces of my fellow
guests as one does who is confident OF
sympathy. To my amazement, in re-
Spouse to my speech, there arose a
cackle of laughter which was pres
emily transformed into a general rip
pie of mirth. And such mirth. The
like of 1t had never heard before
and, please heaven, / hope | never
may again. 1t was not like real
laughter, but rather the empty and
strident exclamation of beings lost to
the feelings of humanity.