Page:Life's little ironies (1894).pdf/124

“Oh, I didn’t know it was tea-time,” he said, “Aye, I'll have a cup with much pleasure.”

He remained to tea and long afterwards, telling more tales of his seafaring life. Several neighbors called to listen, and were asked to come in. Somehow, Emily Hanning lost her heart to the sailor that Sunday night, and in the course of a week or two there ‘was a tender understanding between them.

One moonlight evening in the next month Shadrach was ascending out of the town by the long straight road eastward, to an elevated suburb where the more fashionable houses stood—if anything near this ancient port could be cailed fashionable—when he saw a figure before him whom, from her manner of glancing back, he took to be Emily; but, on coming up, be found she was Joanna Phippard. He gave a gallant greeting, and walked beside her.

“ Go along,” she said, “or Emily will be jealous!”’

He seemed not to like the suggestion, and remained.

What was said and what was done on that walk never could be olearly recollected by Shadrach; but in some way or other Joanna contrived to wean him away from her gentler and younger rival. From that week onward, Jolliffe was seen more and more in the wake of Joanna Phippard and less in the company of Emily; and it was soon rumored about the quay that old Jolliffe’s son, who had come home from sea, was going to be married to the former young woman, to the great disappointment of the latter.

Just after this report had gone about, Joanna dressed herself for a walk one morning, and started for Emily’s house in the little cross-street. Intelligence of the deep sorrow of her friend on account of the loss of Shadrach had reached her ears also, and her conscience reproached her for winning him away.

Joanna was not altogether satisfied with the sailor.