North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-12-08
The King of Climbs.

The King Of Clubs.
When was boy, I had an extrem
fondness for conjuring. My favorite trca
was to be taken to see wizards, as profes
sors of magic were then called; and m,
great amusement at home was the endeay
or to initiate their various feats of leger-
demain. In this way became consid-
cradle adept at sleight-ofhand, and will
cards especially / could perform nearly al
the tricks current at the time. As grew
up, other occupations and amusements O
course took place of my boyhood's favor
ite, and l little thought that my knowl-
edge Of sleight Of hand would some day
stand me in good stead but so it was. ]
was > young man at the Bar, and my in
come was barely sufficient for my own
moderate wants, when fell in love with
Margery Lawson. 1t was not so foolish
an act as it might appear at first sight, fol-
Margery was an only daughter, her faith er
was merchant retired from business, and
was said to be very well of. / had met
them at a quiet seaside watering place
an accidental acquaintance had sprung up,
and had quickly ripened, as seaside ac.
quaintances do, into intimacy. Margery
was my beau ideal of woman. Not too
tall, lissom and graceful, quiet in her
movements, with wealth of light-brown
hair, and blue eyes. Suffice it to say that
l fell in love with her. When they were
leaving for London, asked permission to
call upon them, and not long after had the
happiness of learning from Margery's lips
that she was not Indifferent to me. 1t was
nervous time for me when requested a
private interview with her father, and
stammered out my tale of affection for his
daughter; nor was my nervousness de-
creased by the calmness with which he
listened to me. When had done, he said
quietly: GAS l am not the person in love,
Mr.. Travers, you must permit me to view
the matter in business light. How do
you propose to keep my daughter ?" l
explained hatmy income was not, l was
well aware, sufficient to marry upon at
present, but that my prospects were fair,
and that of course we were willing to
wait.
"Then, under those circumstances, Mr.
Travers," he said, 'does it not strike you
that it would have been fairer to my
daughter if you had waited until your cir
cumstances were altered before you en-
Ideayored to gain her affections? At any
rate, for the present, even according tt
your own showing, tits out of the ques-
i tion thinking of such thing, SO please lie
US put it aside altogether. I did not fore
see the matter at first, or / should, o
course, have prevented it; when / did no
tice it, / saw it was too late to try to in
terfere, and therefore determined to le
matters run their course. However, Mr.
Travers," and here he spoke more kindly
II really like you, and l do not wish t
act the part of stern father. You shall
therefore continue to visit at the house
under the distinct understanding tina
there is in future to be no love >makins
whatever between my daughter and your
selr." 4a..-
took my leave considerably cast down
but still, when l came to think the matte
over, acknowledging that;i. was quite a.
good as could have expected under the
circumstances. For some time after this
did not see much of Margery, not tha
that made me at all anxious, for had tn.
most perfect confidence in her faith.
had only had one private talk with her af.
ter my interview with her father, and the
dear girl was quite in good spirits, anc
looked upon the matter in the most hope
full light.
"As to our not being engaged" sht
laughed, "of course that's nonsense; W,
know We love each other, and mean to bt
married some day. don't see what en-
gagament we require beyond that
Harry"
4 As ! could not say that did either, W.
determined to be happy. As have said
| saw little Of her, for my profession pre-
vented my making formal calls; and he1
father went out almost every evening te
his club, and did not return until late, and
naturally l could not call upon Margery
Of an evening when she was alone. Some
times Mr.. Lawson had dinner. parties, and
to these he generally invited me, but
could get no quiet talk with her upor
these occasions. Mr.. Lawson, l knew
belonged to the Pallas Club, and dining
lone day with q friend, who was also .
member, asked him if he knew Mr.
Lawson.
elderly man gray whiskers?''
eyes, that is the man.
"No, don't know much of him excep
by sight. l am afraid he's going to tht
bad, by what hear"
''Going to the bad ~ exclaimed, "Hov
do you mean, Charley? Tell me all yor
know, for it is matter of great interes
to me-"
SIS t?" Charley asked. "What has
the old gentleman got daughter?'
nodded. "Then tell you what it is Har
ry: my advice to you is, if you are going
to marry that young lady, do it Us soon al
you can, and see that her money is placed
in the hands of trustees"
"Go on, old man." said urgently; "dt
tell me what is tho matter"
"Well," Charley said deliberately
Charley was a fellow who hated being
hurried-''there is never anything definite