Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-07-09
How I thanked the tact of De Roos in

call short and find my way into the street
I went in his company, of course and
certainly could not misunderstood the
hearty cordiality with which we were both
invited to call again.
Once in the street, however, De Roos
laughed silvery, sarcastic laugh.
II see, my dear fellow, you understand
business. Rather think you have put
your foot in it, heyv' TEtst.-
"I should rather say had" said /,
though not exactly comprehending how.
"Confound my stupid blushesE' .HE
II should say so; but then there's no
harm done. Her paleness was as unlucky
as your color. You're man of homer
though, and you'll keep mum!"
"Mum as the grave. Do you do much
of that kind of business? l shouldn't have
thought it just there"
NV venture in this remark was good
one, for it implied infinitely more knowl-
edge of the world than possessed.
"We've a perfect run of uptown trade"
replied De Ross; land they're no worse
than lots of other women whose husbands
and fathers draw their purse strings trif1e
close. They're fixing for a party just
now, and if the diamonds won't 60 far
be mended."
"I don't take. Can't you do the car
riagesW said l.
ooh no; that's in the auctiopeer line.
reckon they've never spouted any furnl,
| ture, and maybe not the carriage. The old
lady owns her Jewels and furniture, etc,
in her own right; only it wouldn't do to
| let the old man know what she does, you
| know. Sometimes the auctioneers are
awkward about leaving securities on store
in the house, too, and that's pao wnere 1t
won't do to move it"
"I see. How do they take their inter
est?" ..--r .-
ooh, only the legal, you know; but
then there's commissions and whole olc-
tionarv of charges. Good ten to fifteen
| per month"
"Profitable, 1 should say. Inever knew
about that. Reckon I'm dished there now,
any way"
1Not bv no manner Of meansl Safe
| for a perpetual invite as am myself.
Couldn't afford to make an enemy OF
you-don't you sect"
"De you 20 there often? ?"
"Not very. This party, any how, for
the old mans away, and it's bound to be
tip.top affair. You'll be there, OF
eourse7"
eff get my cards in time"
"Oh. no fear of that. Let's 60 to Del
| monico's."
| went, and certainly did learn coed
deal that evening Such men as De Roos
are capital instructors, and he seemed
fairly to have "taken" to me.
NY card for the grand De Silver party
came quite as promptly as the diamond
broker had predicted; bat before the ar
rival of that auspicious occasion | received
a neat little note inclosing = five dollar bill,
and thanking me, in terms of most lady
like and sincere gratitude, for the oppor-
tune benevolence which had prompted my
Ouixotic load. The note was signed plain
ly. "Clara Payne" The circumstance
gave me no pain whatever, but brought
| vividly to my memory the conversation
which l had involuntarily overheard.
! The party was every way worthy OF the
| efforts and sacrifices of which / was the
| brilliant and successful fruition.
met De Roos there, and at certain
1 pause in the rush and whirl of the festivi-
| ties something prompted me to whisper
him: mot much falling off in the dia-
monds of the family. On my word, they
| look as well as the real. Is 81 /
And he replied =" We have to be up to
! that, nv dear fellow-trick of the trade,
you know, wouldn't do to be detected"
And then he whirled away; but on a
closer examination, as the stately Matilda
whirled away with me in the subsequent
| German" the idea became strangely
| fixed in my mind that the imitation was
altogether too good, and thst the diamonds
worn that night by the heiress of the De
| 5ilvers were real.a 1t puzzled me, but II
| only led me to the utterance OF remark
in praise of. their brilliancy, which was
rewarded by sweet smile and an increas-
| ing pallor on the checks of my lovely COM
panion. s8$Cts8 s$f}fss>}<t' =. .
i called most assiduously after that, with
a vague idea that any deficiencies in my
wardrobe were quite likely to be overf
looked, and found to my unspeakable de-
light, that was beginning to be received
on most confidential footing; in short,
quite in the character of friend, of the
| family. I even met the banker himself
once or twice, but could not plume myself
| on any very marked attention from him.
Meantime De Roos assured me that the
carriage had not required "mending," and
| that the diamonds of the fair Matilda and
| her duchess.like mother stood in no inn
mediate danger of forfeiture. ,.,s.. -
As for myself, my employers rather
| liked the idea of my circulating in the
"upper ten," and awaited the next in
stallment of my insignificant stipend with
| serene indifference to anything but the
fact that it would enable me to redeem my
watch if not my chain. Somehow want
ed to be square with De Roos at the ear
liest possible day. .a.s
1t was by accident trifle ever month,
saw q day or two, when presented myself
at my. friends office, money in pocket,
with intent to regain possession of my
ponderous and somewhat cherished heir
loom. Who so polite as De Roosi
"Chair, my boy. Have cigarf Been
up to the house lately? You seem to be
making good headway there, ha Serious
intentions, ehf All right-lots Of tin one
of these days" o ~
| Before long Iexplained the object of my
visit, and even the imperturbable De Roos
changed countenance somewhat as he re-
piled, rapidly, -a3c4
"That watch !, Why, I'd no idea you
wanted ever to redeem. Months up, you
know. Sent him to the melting pot yes
terdsy Sorry, pom honor. Must look
out for business, you know" A1F:orTl
&c Month"; Melting pot l"J / almost
shouted. al don't know anything about
a month. Here's my ticket-every pawn
broker in the city gives year." '~
Il AndI whipped out my envelope, and
tore from it the evidence of my property
and the loan thereon. In fact mysel
read it for the first time, while DE Roo'
responded, I $50 b2