The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1912-06-06
My Two
Love Affairs
By John VERNHAM


about to go to foreign country to
live permanently would not think OF
buying q house in the country from
which he departs, but | thought moth
ing Of engaging myself to a girl be
tween whom and me would be half the
globe-and water at that-neither OF
US having the wherewithall to reach
each other
1t was early spring. and wood blazed
on the hearth We drew a sofa up be-
fore the fire and sat locked in u con-
tinuous embrace told her that the
moment my salary reached a sufficient
figure | would come home and take
her back with me. ] thought it might
be year. Even that interval seemed
interminable to both of us.
Happy youth-happy in not know
ing what lies before it. Had some
unkind fairy shown me picture OF
the future | would have been miser-
able. AS 1t was, | lived in a delirium
of Joy. marred only by those twelve
long months that were to intervene be
fore could return to claim my bride
| was destined to pass from one con.
dition to another so gently that
would not realize the transition.
But for the moment was happy and
miserable-happy that | loved and was
beloved; miserable that must be part
ed from her to whom ] had given my
whole being. But there was kind OF
delight even in my misery. Young per
sons sometimes find pleasure in mis-
cry; old persons never do. or IL they
do it is because by exhibiting their mis-
cry they may make those about them
miserable.
The small hours were growing lar
ger when. after long kiss, tore my
self away and after two or three hours
sleep was driven to the ship on which
was to sail
| went on hoard with a heart like
lead My heart was not only heavy.
but there was u smell OF bilSe water.
The weather was bad too. Neverthe-
less remained in the clouds. not rose
ate clouds. but lowering clouds. The
face of my tancee was still floating
among them. and was floating with
her. My surroundings had not yet
destroyed this mingled happiness and
misery. For awhile longer / lived in
the clouds.
My first coming down to earth &C.
Cured on the third day out For two
days the sea was smooth. and ! wrote
love letters most of the time. to be
mailed when we should reach the first
port. Then the waves began to dance
about us and fell from lovesickness
to seasicknesS. And oh. what fall
was there! My dreams were dissipat-
ed. ] didn't care to live long enough
to return to claim my bride. wished
the ship would sink and swallow me
up in oblivion
When | recovered ! didn't resume
my love letters. concluded that had
enough written to make a sizeable
packet. / sat on deck in q steamer
chair, where / could keep my eyes on
the ocean surface. for in this way !
avoided seeing things turned topsy-
| turvy. I could think of the girl ] left
behind me If wanted to, but ] prefer
red to concentrate my mind on mathe-
NAUTICAL problems for the purpose OF
avoiding that COMPOUNDED seasickness.
Meanwhile we we're sailing on. In
| time the voyage was over and L was
In Shanghai. a clerk in an American
mercantile house | wasn't worth
/ much to the concern. Indeed, | would
require to learn enough of the bust
ness to be of any value In 1t. l kept
myself up during this year In an &C.
casional dream of some future happy
day when i would return to claim my
worlds about US. nothing In short to
keep us together. and we fell apart.
/ have forgotten who wrote the last
letter. but / think ! did.
A bachelor may keep, or at least
appear, quite young at forty. My hair
at that age was not at all gray, and
l kept 1t cut short | was also always
well shaved. | returned to- America
with a competence-not for the girl
had expected to make my wife, for she
had been married eighteen years.
reached America In summer time and
went to the mountains where l would
find q pure. dry air, which | hoped
would take some of the Chinese lethar-
gy out Of me.
1 met girl about the same age as
the one i had left twenty years ago
was fattered that she set her cap
for me. / wasn't very old. and l was
we'll able to support a wife. The love
making between US. at least on my
part, had not the freshness, the zest
Of my first affair. but 1t was very
pleasant.
My fiancee was chaperoned by q
sharp featured woman with a SHARP
voice. who was having her strength
Slapped by the care Of six children
or rather four. for the two Oldest
thought they knew how to think fol
themselves. Soon after we were engag
ed ! was introduced to this lady. who
in offering me congratulations, said:
81 congratulate you. especially or
making an engagement that is practi
cable this time"
This timer
Eyes. Your first was ridiculous
| considering that Won were going IL