Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1912-05-02

the unmistakabIe sounds or oscularlon
In various parts Of the room. Doubt
less, it was repeated In other parts OF
the train. There were numerous COO
ing sounds, too, but nobody spoke ex-
cept Mrs. Temple, who was heard to
murmur:
"Oh, Walter, dear, what makes your
breath SO funny"
Next came little yowl of pain in
Mrs. Fosdick's voice, and then day.
light flooded the car with rush, as
If time had made an instant leap from
midnight to noon. There were inter-
esting disclosures
Mrs. Temple was caught with her
arms round the doctors neck, and
she blushed like spoony girl. Mrs.
Fosdick was trying to disengage her
hair from Mr.. Fosdick's scarfpin Mrs.
Whitcomb alone was deserted. Mr..
Ashton was gazing devotion at Mrs.
Wellington and trying to tell her
with his eyes how velvet he had
found her cheek.
But she was looking reproachfully
at him from chair, and saying, not
without regret:
Il heard everybody kissing every
body, but | was cruelty neglected"
Ashton's eyes widened with unbe-
lief, he heard smoker at his elbow,
and whirled to find the porter rub
bing his black velvet cheek and
writhing with pent.up laughter.
Mrs. Wellington glanced the same
way, and shrek Of understanding
burst from her. 1t sent the porter
into spasm Of yah-yahs till he
caught Ashton's eyes and saw murder
in them. The porter fled to the plat
form and held the door fast, expect
ing to be lynched.
But Ashton dashed away in search
of concealment and soap.
The porter remained on the plat
form for some time, planning to leap
overheard and take his chances rather
than fall into Ashtons hands, but at
length, finding himself unpursued, he
peered into the car and, seeing that
Ashton had gone, he returned to his
duties. He kept a close watch on
Ashton, but on soberer thoughts Ash
ton had decided that the incident
would best be consigned to silence
and oblivion. But for all the rest OF
that day he kept rubbing his lips
with his handkerchief.
The porter, noting that the train
had swept into a granite gorge like
an enormously magnitied aisle In a
madeup sleeping car, recognized the
presence of Echo Canyon, and with
it the entrance into Utah. He hastened
to impart the tidings to Mr. Fosdick
and held out his hand as he extended
the information.
Fosdick could hardly believe that
his twelve hundredmile exile Waa
over.
Were In Utah?" he exclaimed.
"Yassah." and the porter showed
his palm into view Fosdick filled 1t
with all his loose change, then
whirled to his wife and cried:
Edith. We are in Utah now! EN-,
brace mel"
She flung herself into his arms with
q gurgle of bliss. The other passen,
gers gasped with amazement. This
sort of thing was permissible enough
day!
Fosdick, noting the sensation he
had created, waved his hand reas-
suringly and called across his wife's
shoulder:
Don't be alarmed, ladies and gem
tlemen. She's my wife!" He added
in whisper meant for her ear alone:
AT least till We get to Nevada!"
Then she whispered something In
his ear and they hurried from the car.
They left behind them a bewilder-
ment that eclipsed the wonder Of the
Mallories. That couple spoke to each
other at least during the day time.
Here was married pair that did not
speak at all for two days and two
nights and then made O sudden and
public rush to each others arms!
DR.. Temple summed up the general
feeling when he said:
II don't believe inswitches, but II
did, I'd believe that this train is be-
witched."
Later he decided that Fosdick was q
Mormon elder and that Mrs. Fosdick
was probably twelfth or thirteenth
spouse he was smuggling In from the
east. The theory was not entirely
false, for Fosdick was one Of the
many victims of the crazy-quilt OF
American divorce codes, though he
was the most unwilling of polygamists.
And DR.. Temple gave up his theory In
despair the next morning when he
found the Fosdicks still on the train.
and once more keeping aloof from
each other.