The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-01-28

81 REACHED FOR THE PAPER, BUT SHE
DECLINED TO LET ME HAVE 1T.
didn't wish to die; either that death
would cut him off from some happiness
or that it would bring grief to some
one else. | kept him cheered as well as
l could by assuring him that he would
recover and that before we should make
port
He did not give me his confidence
until he was well on the way to recov
cry. True, he told me that by my un-
ceasing attention, encouragement and
more than all my sympathy, had
saved his life. He was sure that with
out this he would have died. What
had preyed on his mind was this: He
was in love with young lady, Miss
Bradley, who, though in love with him.
was 10th to marry him for some rea-
son that he did not tell me- Whether
he knew her reason or not he did not
make it known. inferred that he knew
1t. but was so delicately sensitive as to
giving the lady's affairs TO stranger
that he refrained from doing so She
was with her aunt. who was great
traveller. having visited ALI the coun-
tries of the occident and was now see
ing those of the orient.
| got Ainsworth in pretty good eondi-
ton to go ashore and meet his lady
love. agreed to see him in a few days
in Hongkong. and he went down into
the tender that was to take him ashore
looking quite cheerful He waved
hand to me as he sailed away, calling
to me not to forget our appointment
When the time came round went to
our rendezvous and found him waiting
for me. He seemed delighted to see me,
and we had not been long together
when he told me that he had been mar
ried to Miss Bradley. but that the mar
riage had been kept secret from the
brides aunt Why this was done he
did not tell me. He did not say even
that the aunt was opposed to his mar
rying her niece though he did tell me
that his wife was an orphan and could
marry whom she pleased
The way the wedding had been eff
fected was this Ainsworth had invited
the ladies' to go with him to see
statue of heather god. The aunt, be-
ing indisposed, declined the invitation
The lovers instead OF going to see the
Idol called on a British clergyman and
we're married From the ceremony
they drove directly back to the hotel
and to the aunt, whom they gave a de
scription of the statue derived from
guide book.
When l met Ainsworth the aunt and
the bride had gone on westward. The
couple were to be united in America,
few months, though the groom told me
that he would go back on my ship on
the home voyage. The affair seemed
quite uninteIligible to me. Here were
two lacies travelling alone to whom the
services and companionship of a man
should have been acceptable. He had
married one of them clandestinely and
had separated from her to meet her in
America some months later.
Ten days later Ainsworth sailed with
me for San Francisco. He talked with
me freely about his wife, but on the
one subject connected with 1t calcu.
lated to excite curiosity-the necessity
for keeping the marriage from his
wife's aunt and consequently from the
wOrld-he said nothing.
In Ainsworth's Illness on the way
out l recognized a hereditary trouble
which | believed would eventually
cause his death. On the return voyage
it attacked him again. This time |
was not as fortunate as before In ar
resting it. and before we reached Homo
lulu | had made up my mind that he
had best Eemain there In hospital.
where he could get better attention
than aboard ship. But l was unable to
remain with him, and he would not
leave the ship without me.
Shortly before reaching San Fran
cisco | was obliged to tell my friend
| and patient that he would not be likely
| to live through the voyage. and If there
was anything that needed attention
before his death he had better attend
TO it He was not surprised. but said