The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-10-18
sMa'am?''
BY GoUvERNEUR MORRIS


patient man. On three occasions "an ardent tenn
permanent and the heart of dove" he himself had
expressed it, had corralled wife within his house.
The first had been the love of his chldhood the
Ing of the second had lasted but six weeks; that of
the third but three He reoiced in the fact that he
had been good husband to three good women. He
lamented that all were dead. Now and then he
squirmed his bull head around on his bull BODY and
glanced across the aisle at the snowy woman who
was daintily picking chicken wing. Each time he
looked he muttered:
"Flighty. Too slight Stuck on herself Pin
head ETC.
= With his food Saterlee was not patient He dis
pensed with masticaton. Neither was he patient of
other peoples matrimonial ventures. And, in par
hcular, that contemplated and threatened by his
son and heir was moving three hundred miles
OF inundated country fast as train could carry
him. His son had written:
dearest Dad-Ive found Dorothy again. She's
at Carcasonne. They thought her lungs were bad,
but they aren't. We're going to be married week
from today-next Friday-at nine a. m. This
rage is going to take place, Daddy dear. You can't
prevent it. write this SOS to be the square. IN
inviting you to the wedding. I'll be hurt if you
don't turn up. What if Dorothy's mother is
actress and has been divorced twice? You've been
marrying man yourself, Dad. Dorothy is all darl-
ing from head to foot But I love you, too Daddy,
and if you can't see it my way, why, God bless and
keep you just the same JIM"
I can't deny that Marcus Antonius Saterlee was
touched by his sons epistle. But he was not moved
n out of reason.
'tThe girls mother" he said to himself. ''is
painted divorced jade" And he thought with pleas
of the faith patience, and recttude of the three
gentle companions whom he had successfully mar
red and buried. "There was never any divorce In
the Saterlee blood,'' he had prided himself "Man
woman, stick by choice till he or she turns
up his her toes Not till then do think of any
body ese But then do, because it is not good to
live alone especially in a small community in South
em California
He glanced once more at the snowy lady the
aisle She had finished her chicken wing, and was
hnxrI fh11CI JcY
ing to sparkling advantage number of handsome
rings.
''My boys girls mother painted actress" he
muttered as he looked ''Not if I know it, And
then he muttered: "YOU'D look like an actress II
you painted"
Though the words canont have been distin-
gushed, the sounds were audible
"Sir?" said the lady, stiffly but courteously.
'Nothing Ma am" muttered Mark Anthony,
much abashed. "I'm surprised to much water
in this arid corner of the world, where have often
suffered for want of it. must have been talking to
myself to that effect
The lady looked out of the window-not hers, but
Saterlee's.
cit does ook she said, Gas if the waters had di-
yorced themselves from the bed OF the ocean, L sup
pose," she continued, tive may attribute those con-
slant and tedious delays to which We have been sub
jected all day to the premature melting OF snow In
the fastness of the Serras?'
This phrase did not shock Saterlee. lie was
amazed by the power of memory which it proved.
For three hours earlier he had read close para
phrase of it in copy Of the Tomb City Plcayune
which he had bought at that city.
The train slower and slower.
"Do you think we ahall get anywhere?"
queried the lady
sNot when we aspect to- Ma'anAs said Saterlee.
The train gave jolt. And thea, very quietly, the
dining car rolled over on it's side down the embank
ment There subdued smashing of china and
glass clergyman at one of the tables quietly
remarked, .Washout," and Saterlee, who had not
forgotten the days when he had learned to fall from
bucking broncho, relaxed his great muscles and
swore roundly and at great length The car came to
rest at the bottom of the embankment, less on its
side than on it's top. For momentor so it seemed
snowy lady across the aisle descending upon him
through the air.
"Thank you,' she murmured, as her impact drove
most of the breath out Of Saterlee's bull body
ssHow strong you are!
ssWhen you are rested, Ma ann said he, with
IRENE punctiliousness, IT think we may leave the
BY climbing over the sides OF the seats ON this
side"
He preceded her over the sides OF the seats OPEN