Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1913-07-18
The Moon and
the Ocean
Together They Exert a Pc
cuIiar Influence
BY RYLAND BELL

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Ernest southmayd. a young Ameri-
can. finding a business opening In
Hongkong. China. went out there to
live. He prospered. but somehow new
er reached a point where he felt salts
ned with his exile. 1t occurred to him
that If he were married be would cease
to be constantly pining for home and be
content to wait before returning to
America till he could make himself
financially independent
As to marrying a Chinese woman,
that was not to be thought OF. The
English women he met IN China he did
not fancy. and there were very few
Americans there II would he next to
impossible for him 10 return home. and
even II he could do so to make such a
trip for the purpose of marrying a wife
with no woman in view would be alb
surd. II occurred to him that he might
open correspondence with some one
Of the girls he had known before his
departure for China. which might rip
en- into. II not love. at least a matri-
monial arrangement that would bring
love after marriage
Almost every young man who has ex-
lied himself can think Of some girl he
has left behind him whom he would
prefer to others, Southmayd had look
ed with kindly eye upon Julia Court
pav tho afcfar % an frfftuof, frfond ~
bis He had never made love to her.
nor had she shown any special prefer
ence for him. Nevertheless II she
could be induced-for the sake Of a
home. If nothing more-to come out to
China and marry him be was perfectly
ready to fulfill his part Of such plan
himself
So he sat down and wrote her broth.
er Stephen a long letter. telling him
about his prospects. the life be led, etc.
and asking him to reply. giving him all
the home news. In his letter he adopt
ed method common with women-he
put the principal part of it in post
script:
II you haven't time to write me the home
news please ask your sister to take pity
on poor exile and do It for YOU
Whether or not Julia had an inkling
Of what this meant when her brother
showed her the postscript and said to
her that what Southmayd wanted she
could do better than he. she said she
would "see about 1t" and In time wrote
ten or twelve pages Of home news.
part of which was rather home gossip,
and sent it off over the waters to Err
nest Southmayd.
In due time the plan worked out as
the recipient had intended. After writ
Ing for n time on general topics South
mayd began to hint at what he wished
for. and Julia, being practical person,
helped him on by writing what might
mean nothing or might mean a great
deal.
The truth is Julia was twenty-four
years of age. No matrimonial rain
cloud had appeared in the sky, and she
began to fear a perpetual drought
After months of correspondence she
not only consented to marry South
mayd. but agreed to go to China for
that purpose.
By the time the young woman start
ed on her journey. which. If not brid-
al trip. was at least trip for the pur-
pose of becoming bride, eleven
months had elapsed since the CORE
spondence had been opened. From
practical planning Southmayd had
worked himself up to fever heat The
last letters be wrote to Julia to reach
her before she sailed were almost low
er-like. She would proceed all the way
by water. crossing the Atlantic, sailing
the length of the Mediterranean. thence
through the Suez canal to eastern wa
ters.
Southmayd counted every day till
she was due to arrive in Hongkong
When the ship came In he was on hand
to meet her: but. though he watched
for her among the passengers to come
ashore. he saw nothing Of her. When
the last person had passed him he felt
sure that he had seen every woman's
face but one That one woman was
yelled and wns attended by an Eng
lishman In army uniform.
The groom expectant was surprised.
appalled, What did it mean7 Board
ing the steamer, he asked the purser II
the name Of Julia Courtney appeared
on the passenger list He was inform
ed that a passenger by that name bad
been transferred from a ship sailing
from New York to Naples. but she had
been married soon after passing out
from the Suez canal to Captain Clap
ham OF the Seventy first regiment OF
British foot
Southmayd reeled. Something was
surely wrong
"Why." he said. Miss Julia Courtney
came from New York to marry meF'
The purser looked at the dlsappoint-
ed man pityingly. My dear sir" he
said. you're not the first man who
has expected bride and found one
the bride of another I've been on the
salt water many years, and there's
something about it that draws the
sexes together I've seen young wom-
en- start out to be missionaries and
turned into wives before reaching port
And can count up number Of wom-
en- during my sea life that have gone
out to marry certain men and got
switched Off with others during the
voyage"
Southmayd went home greatly dis
appointed. For year be had been
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