The Washington herald., 1914-04-27
THE STEAMSHIP WIDOW.
nv M. aUAp.

~ - SS-A<s
The pilot had not yet left the Mon.
arch, bound from London to Sydney.
when was fairly well posted on the
passenger list. There were twenty ladies
in the cabin, and half the number had
their husbands along. There were thirty
1--WE men. and AL but ten were free of
bondage. OF the twenty ladies. three or
four were single. three or four were
widows and others had left husbands
in England or were going out to join
husbands in Australia. When this list
had been boiled down there was just
one to fall IN 1--we with. She was down
as Mrs. Ethel Warner. That means she
was a. widow, Nv enty-five years old, and
rich and good-looking. Before we were
OF soundings, I had made up my mind
to fall in love with Mrs. Warner. 1t
was the proper caper. Failing in love
relieves the monotony of a long voyage.
1t keeps down what would otherwise be
q ravenous appetite. 1t gives you pleas
ant thoughts when the steamer is rolling
and pitching until you have to hang on
for dear life.
On the third day out, which Is the
proper time to begin a Irritation. provided
the weather rs all right, found that the
other twenty-four men were OF my way
Of thinking. They had selected Mrs.
Warner as the belle of the cabin. and
were ready and anxious to enter upon
their "labors."
1t was easy enough to bring about an
Introduction on shipboard. II you can't
ind a mutual acquaintance, then intro
duce yourself When l got ready to fall
In love with Mrs. Warner / walked up
TO her, handed in my card and few
compliments. and the thing was done.
She was pleased to say that she was glad
to make my acquaintance, and an hour
later l was in love.
Mrs. Warner was as well bred as she
was handsome. She asked no questions
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 l said that l was going out to
Australia to sell out my sheep ranches
and return to England with 100000
and marry and settle down, but moth
ing occurred to alarm me. At the end
OF a couple of hours l felt that / had
won her. and there could be no sort
of doubt in her mind that she had me
hooked fast. l walked about knowing
that twenty-four men envied me and
hated me and called me names be-
hind my back, but not for long. That
same evening a young doctor who was
going out to the Colony got some one
10 introduce him. and l saw Mrs. War
ner banging to his arm as lovingly as
she had hung to mine. Later on l
found the doctor in his cabin. The i'm
pecUnious shrimp had retired to grin
and chuckIe and feel puffed up. 1 am
an aggressive man. l allow nobody to
viii Oh III Ae-
termined to squelch that doctor right
on lie start. and when l had been ad-
mite to his cabin didn't lose a min
ute in saying:
Sir. desire you to understand right
here and now that l am as good as
engag ed to Mrs. Warner, and l want
no more of this Iolly-pOp business"
IF you are engaged to her she does
not know it," he replied after recov-
erinE from his surprise.
Don't give me no hack talk The
idea OF a piIl-garlic like you making
up To a lady like her is downright i'm
pudence. and / tell you so TO your
face"
Tell and be hanged, II the truth were
known, you've got a wife and five or six
children at home, and you ought to be
ashamed Of Yourself And don't you take
me for no shad! I'm going out to Aus
tralia to sell my sheep ranches and re-
turn to England with
Then We had a scrap in which blood
was drawn and clothing torn. and il was
understood that as soon as we landed in
Australia there should be a shooting
match On the next day the widow was
mine for couple Of hours. While I
talked love more or less. felt il my
duty to warn her against the other
twenty-four men in the most solemn
manner. The lady thanked me over
and over again for my more than broth
erly interest, and when at last handed
her to seat and went of for a smoke.
was ready to ask her TO name the
day. An hour later I thought ! would
do so. but found her seated close beside
a man named Rawlins-a pompous fe!-
low. with a big nose and large watch
chain. l had marked that man down as