Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1914-12-23
The Steamship
Widow
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press

4uc plIOt udu uOC yet le1I tue MOI
arch. bound from London to sydney,
when l was fairly we'll posted on the
passenger list. There were twenty
ladies in the cabin and half the nnin-
Der had their husbands along. There
were thirty-6ve men. and all but ten
were free of bondage. OF the twenty
ladies three or four were single. three
or four were widows and others mad
left husbands in England or were go
ing to join husbands in Australia.
When this list had been he'"d down
there was just one to fall in iove with,
who was down as Mrs. Ethel Warner.
That means she was widow. twenty
five years old. and rich and good look
ing. Before we were off soundings
had made up my mind to fall in love
with Mrs. Warner.
On the third day out, which is the
proper time to begin Irritation. pro-
vided the weather is all right. found
that the other twenty-four men were
of my way of thinking.
1t is easy enough to bring about
an introduction on shipboard. If you
can't find mutual acquaintance. then
introduce yourself When / got ready
to fall in love with Mrs. Warner l
walked up to her, handed her my card
and few compliments. and the thing
was done. She was pleased to say
that she was glad to make my ac-
quaintance. and an hour later l was In
| love.
| Mrs Warner was as well bred as she
was handsome She asked no ques-
tons about FIVE or six children. She
didn't express surprise that | had lived
to the age of forty without having
fallen in love before. She might have
shown some little doubt in her look or
speech when | said that | was going
out to Australia to sell out my sheep
ranches and return to England with
100000 and marry and settle down,
but nothing occurred to alarm me. At
the end of a couple Of hours felt that
| had won her. and there could be no
sort of doubt in her mind that she had
me hooked fast ! walked abont know
ing that twenty-four men envied me
and hated the and called me names be
hind my back. but not for long. That
same evening young doctor who was
going out to the colony got some one
to introduce him. and | saw Mrs. War
ner hanging to his arm as lovingly as
she had hung to mine. Later on 1
found the doctor in his cabin. The i'm
pecuniOus shrimp had retired TO grin
and chnckle and feel puffed up l am
an aggressive man. ] allow nobody to
interfere with my vested rights. de-
termined to Squeich that doctor right
on the start. and when had been adj
, mitted to his cabin | didn't lose min
ute in saying:
Sir. | desire you to understand right
here and now that | am as good as
engaged to Mrs Warner. and | want
: no more of this lollipop businesS!'
IF you are engaged to her she does
not know it, be replied after recov-
ering from his surprise.
/ Then we had ii scrap, in which blood
was dra wn and riothing torn. and II
] was understood that as soon as We
landed in Australia there should he d
shooting match. On the next day the
widow was mine for couple OF hours
1
;. it my duty to warn her against the
: other twenty four men in the most so!
y emn manner The lady thanked mt
(, over and over again for my more thar
a brotherIy interest. and when | at las
= handed her to seat and Went off TO
smoke was ready to ask her t,
;. name the day.
hat 1
gone to my cabin to change coats. TIL
door was suddenly banged open. and
fellow named Richards entered. 1 ha,
learned that he was a needy lawyer
v going out to the colony in hopes t
s better his purse.
d "Sir. | want a few plain words wit
n you began the miSera BILE wretch as
e confronted him. Il am as good as Ell
Z gagged to Mrs. Warner, and if you wi
only bear that in mind hereafter
may save you trouble"
n We came together. We cIawed Knt
ed. bit and pulled hair. and we wer
both badly damaged when we 81
through
AS soon as | could properly appea
& on deck decided to settle matters ON
way or the other. | was waiting fG
i the widow TO appear when | was II
vited to the smoking room to debate
IF matter of business. | found the Utne
twenty -four men there When tn
m meeting had been called to order ca
t. low youth arose and inquired ii ii wa
understood that the Whole twenty bv
>. of us were in love with some woman
r 1t was SO understood He then state
N that he felt himself engaged IL tina
woman and wanted to know if the res
of us did. We felt 50. Then the ca
low youth asked If any one had a sus
u gestiOn TO offer Twenty four sugge,
D. tons were offered in chorus. out tn
D. callow youth turned them all dow
ID for one of his own.
If Then verybody drew In his breat
h and turned on his neighbOr. but DetOr