Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1913-03-27
WEEKLY SHORT SIoRY
CUPID ACROSS THE SEA


II.
orantlev Graham leaned over the
steamers rail ami regarded the city
vim a frown. He hated the water,
40 the distant pier promised rolei
from the disuiet he always leit wnen
he was on a snip, yet every oeaI OF the
powerstll engines. every revolution OF
h,,re nropelcrs that pushed the nose OF
the liner into the very drizzie OF
summer rain brought him nearer 10
the dreaded drearines OF his home
With an almost self-conmisera-
ton he looked bask upon the last re"
months and scntrasted their orlh@hSy
win the life that lay before him, and
Ms son1 reyolted at the thought Of re-
turning 10 take up the dull monolohs /
of the home life be had always known.
Presently they would dock at the
Nor There would be TIE usual rim
sulty with the customs when seems
to he reserved for the American cit
zen. The carriages would be van
inc and in a little while he would
find himself before the somDre brown
stane prison that il earlier days had
stood to him for al that was elesaAI
and refined.
lear. his wife would come out on the
high stoop az the sound OF the cariase-
She would offer her cheek 70 be Kissed
She would ask II he had hau pisas-
ant trip. And then she would toliON
him into the house and vita the CLOS
ing OF the door would sHut out lhe
social possibilities Of the past.
Nothing. however, could deprive him
Of the thought that he had lived for
once. For six weeks in London e mao
dvelt in a fairyland OF fancy
He had mingled With men and won-
en- OF the world. and almost ne naa
learned 20 say My Lord and Ss
Grace" without feeling his knees
weak at the realization that he was
speaking 10 a member Of the NOBILITY.
During the year pjust passed he nal
ACCOMPLISHED q triumph Of engineering
and had beaten the British masters a
their own craft They had given u!
the problem which 10 Graham nae
seemed eImple enough. and when hs
had accomplished the result he nao DC
come a national hero for day.
The American colony had dined am
he had been presented TO the king an'
he had received many invitations q
country house parties, ali part OF CO
fairy dream
Graham had married early. and a
500, as ne let COLLEGE ht had plunge'
into his work with never thought O
plav. This had been his first real va
cation.
He had had no time for society in hi
own land because the work that mao
Aim what he was had prevented re
taxation. Then, too, Mrs. Graham
proud Of his achievements, had pee
content 10 share his isolation and nm
reward for her reunciatiOn OF socie'
sn the pleasure OF removing from o.
path the hundred petty cares OF dali
lift.
For the first time he felt an actui
dissatisfaction with his wife and Wis
ed that she might be more ike thoi
butterfly creatures.
AS ne thought OF them whtle the ca
rage rolled uptown ne felt more al
more a dislaste for the vile awaltn
him. and when she came 10 the door
greet him he cOntrasted the por'
figure ia its sober dress With the sic
derness OF the smartly gowned wom
OF title who mad amused themselv
bv turning the head Of the cle'
American for a few weeks
Yet Graham was astonished 70 q
that ne was glad 20 see Jean. h
kiss OF greeting was less periunctc
fa-n ae bad anticipated
There had been one moment aoro
rhat now he would like 20 forget.
was at a ball. The lights, the mus
and a stronger punch that he was Us
70 had all gone 10 his head.
For one deliriOus moment ne 7
held q slender. yielding figure in
arms. The next instant Lady Eleal
had accepted the impetuous embr
as a graceful excuse for ending b
ish filtration that promised 20 81
embarrassingly serious instead
merely amusing.
The memory OF that kiss had b
pleasant 10 Graham. for he was
clean-ninded man, and he had sh
dered at the brink upon which he
found himself.
he followed Jean Up the mar
stairway. contrasting II with the 81
staircases he had seen abroad,
even with the contrast, Il did not 8
TO be rs mean as he had imagined
His room was as though he had
Il the day before. There were ma
IS on the mantel and some OF
cigars he liked best A book an