tipton's Oniet Holiday.

Otago Witness, Issue 2626, 13 July 1904, Page 85

tipton's Oniet Holiday.

Tipton shut down tho roll-top desk hi hi' private office with a bang, throw a lab* deiehct envelope into the waste-babket, and, turning with smiling f;ice to the who had gathered in a little group lo Kd hun go'-d-byc, sad: "Well, boys. I'm off. Keep your end up while I'm gone, and remember this —l clou t ivunt to h~:>ar a word from j-ou. Don't etnd me airy mail. Don't try to reach mo h? wire, or telephone, cvon if tho buiklm c •burns down. I'm going away for a \e-\l vacation, where I won't be di*ttubed." Then lie shook hands all lound and liuiriLcl off to join his wife at tbs railway station.

The u*ual excitement incident to the -lepartbre of a train was successfully lur<l through. As they sped out into the .;p;n country, Tipton looked at ills Tipton vA'-b a fend, exultant look. "There, my dear," he said, "we're off at last! I'or the first time in years I am going to do the sensible thing-. I'm if nng to lose myself. No mail. No message-. Complete rest. I wonder why I nc\ er thought of it, before?" "I'm 60 glad," said Mrs Tipton, ":!>al you've, come to your sense,; at la^t. Tins ■will do you a world of good, I know."

In the course of a few hours they alighted at their station Then they were driven an-ilrs and miles — it seemed almost iniurnii'able — until they came in pig-lit of a q-a et little hotel — or rather inn — on the mo-nr.un Bide, where they were received with all th? splendour cf courtesy that only a rural ibotelkoeper knows how to bos'tow.

Tipton could scarcely wait to get into ii's outing clothes. An hour later they w"'j strolling- down through the quiet woods to thiQ bank of the strcnm tha>t chipiperod away to the- music of the breeze.

"OouM anything," murinuied Tiptcu, "be finer i"

He piessed his wife's hand. "This, is rest This is tnio solitude. When I think of that maddening city, I won<iehow I could ever 'have, lived there. I never want to go back again."

The next morning, after a fine breakfast — for our friend had made sure of his place-— Tipton strolled out and said, goo'l morning Co the proprietor.

'•Well, sir," said the proprietor, "ho w do you like our little view?"

"Great !" exolaimed Tipton. "It certainly is a charming spot. By the way, you don't happen to have any of the papers Ecre, do you."

"Not regularly," said the propiietor. "You see, this is a place where folk com- 0 . to i-LSt, and we don't have much call for "em."

"Certainly not," ?aid Tipton. "Precisely. Thought I would just like to glance over 4he head-line?, that's .all."'

He re-joined his wife, who was walking in the near view.

"This is a groat placse to reft," he observed, somewhat tritely, as they walked ■off towards the stream. "Never was in a place quite like this. Couldn't even get a morning paper." Airs Tiptci\ looked at him suspiciously. '-■Now, dear," shs said, ''that isn't fair. "So-ill must forget the world."

At noon Tipton sought the proprietor once more.

Hls lace wore a .<-haclo cf anxiety. En clutched his cigar nervously.

"You don'c happen to have a telegraph or a long-distance telephone near here, do you?" ho aske-ci. "Fact is, I came away ye*.t<?rd«y and forgot an important matter. "No, sir." said the proprietor. "Wo haven't such things around. This, as \oa know, is a place for complete rest, as advertised."

"Very well, sir," said Tipton, can make out my bi'l."

He glared' fiercely around him, and waiko 1 ■upstairs to his room.

' "'My dear," he said, "would you mind if we got out of this j> r eliistorie place on the first train?"

Mrs Tipton gazed at him blankly Tor a moment, r.nd then threw her arms around his neck.

"Mind!" she exclaimed; "why, I was only staying here for your sake. I didn't dare say how lonesome I was ! I am afraid, my dear, we have never lived in the country long enough to appreciate it."

Two hours later they were in the dining ea.r of the Long Branch express, with thu remains of a fea.it and a cold bottle between them.

" I've wired t»he boys to send rjie the mail," said Tipton. "I will talk with the eas-hier over the wire as socji as we get in. I see the market opened up strong this morning. And now, if you will excuse me, I'll step into tlio smoking room with this bundle of papers and catch up on 24 hours' lost, time."