Softened by Time.

Otago Witness, Issue 2571, 24 June 1903, Page 71

Softened by Time.

After the ship, which had come from New Zealand, was tied up at the wharf, Larry O'Brien wae told off by his shipmates to call upon Mrs M'Cartliy and break the news of tho death of her husband, which had occurred en shipboard =ome months pre\iou*ly. The Biook'yn Eagle tells how he cl.cl it: —

"Good morning, Mis M'Cartliy," said he. "Is lk-iviy in?"' "Denny?" .-aid the .«iir[in=ecl woman. "My Denny? No, he'<> not 111 Is the ship here ':"

" Sure it is. And Denny's not got home yet? That's rjuare — unices — unless fcomethi lit? ''as happened ''im." "What wou'd happen him?" Mrs M'Cartliy a'ked anxiou-lv. "There's plenty of things cam happen a man," said L-irry delicately. "He> might l.a\c got hurtr-d, or lie might have took sick with fc\er. But there's one comfoit, as Father M'tJinnii «aul once, and that it> that time R>als lv'iy gnef "

"What do you mane. Mf O'Brien?" "I mane that if anything happened to Denny you wouldn't feel as had about it a fftw montl-s after it happored as you would light at the time, would you 1 '"

"I suppose not,"' said Mis M'Cartliy. "I m-Vid when I lost, m* fir^t hu-band I thought I'd never get over it. But. as you say, in a few months it was ai-ier to hear "

"Then, Mrs il'Carthy, you'll be glad to know that it's now four months — nearly fh© — since. Denny died >Suic. it 01 n't grieve you now as mufh as it wou'd if j ou'd known it at the time "

vi<rlilvv i<rlilv Wean Trict.

A man p'avL-l i rrcan hick on <i I'licial rouplc thf oihir c\ cuiiijr. 'lliey went tn a hot-!, had stiprx'i. nml then •-♦■artorl out for a ni-jl't \i*w of thn rnor They had not pon? far when a. man called to them and said : "Have you j"-t brpu married" "Wo h ha\e," aii'-^TT-ie-.l the gioom. "Uo.ntf to i-tay hen- a clay or two?"

'•Htiyinp; rf i;i-t< 1 "<1 at, my hotel, you prob.'blv intend to len.am tlieie?' 1 --

"Well. T want to s=av a word to you. T don't want i»ny ducky deary non=or=e around my 1-oui-e. I want no Dop=.y-wop.?y businrcs on tho verandahF. I want mo squeezing hands on tlio balconies, or feeding each otlif^r at the table." The groom let his arm fall from hib bride's

waist in a slow and painful manner, and the etranger continued :

"The first time you call her sweety-weety or she calls you darling, out you go !"

"Y-yes, sir." "She's no sweeter than ten thousand other girls, and you are no more of a darling than I am, and I won't stand love-sick nonsense." He walked away with that, and people afj the hotel who knew the bridal couple wera amazed to hear them address each other as Mr and Mrs, and to see what precautions they took to prevent touching hands or betraying any symptoms of love. They pui_in two wretched days, and only when leaving did they discover that, a base villain had duped them.