The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1870-07-07
I From Harper's Weekly, June 4.
"DEAD BROKE"
He is dead broke

IIow much does-he owe p
cone week, tomorrow, over the
month, said the clerk, examining the
! ledger.
sWhew I, whistled the landlord.
HAS he no friends TO pay for him !!
PLENTY oftricnds now, but let them
find out he is broke, and they'll be
off like a covey Of birds
Il must SEE him, and the hotel pro
prietor, walking out on the piazza,
approaching a Young man leaning
against one OF the front pillars.
Mr.. Watson, Your bill, l see, is IN
| arrears one week over the settlement
day. Why is 1t =
The young man flushed at first as
if in anger then smile overspread
his handsome face. 4 know | arn a
delinquent, Major Snow, hut can /
pay at present.
Do You expect money soon
b'W ell, really | don't know who
should send me anything from their
surteit of cash.
sThen | am to understand that you
are not DULY unable to pay, but do
not expect TO be able ?
Undoubtedly, Major
Sorry, " atson, Tor you have been
a favorite of the season, and | don't
like to turn You out before the break
up. Nor will |. Ifyou can give up
your suit of rooms, and take up with
one suited to youf circumstances, |
will let YOU remain the season out,
trusting you to pay me in the future.
'Yon are very good, Major, and |
guess Iii have to consent.
So the baggage of Robert W atson
was lifted and borne from the ele-
giant suit on the second floor 10 lit
tie seven by fourteen room on the
fifth floor.
How quickly it became known that
the change had been made Every
servant in the house betrayed the
knowledge in the absence Of the usu
al Difference paid to the possessors OF
sparlors.' At dinner, the boy who
had been only too eager to anticipate
Mr.. Watson's wants, suddenly be
came obliyious to those wants, and
only answered them after repeated
orders. The cashier and register
clerk, always SO obsequious, grew
dignltied and indifferent. Only the
urbane Major preserved a kindly
greeting for the guest too poor 10 pay
his bill, and remaining by sufterance.
Queer, thought the hotel proprl,
etor. He certainly had money enough
when he came, for he deposited Il
cool five thousand in the safe. He
hasn't been fast | am certain, and
his habits have been so good that
the young bloods have rather played
off from him. But he has been Ia
vorite. Not a belle in the room bu
would have dropped her best FRIEND
for his attendance. Hang me If car
understand it,
Watson, hailing from Baltimore
had been season guest at the Cas-
cade. Friends he had in plenty. Ht
was courageous, we'll bred, good
looking, intelligent, and, apparently
rich-What more could be asked
Among the ladies he had moved
quite a prince and many were thu
gossamer webs woven as tolls tt
capture him, but to all he proved ;
very ineorrigible recusant-he wonlt
not be any ones prize. The eXquls
tie charm OF voice, manner and sen
tlment, the beauty of person, the ele
gance of attire-all were agreeable t.
him, deeply so, for be seemed to EN-
| 10y them all immensely; but not tn
brilliant poetess, Miss Mountjoy, no
the coy aud artless Miss Damain
nor the rattle. headed young Mis-
Lambert, nor the naughty, elegan
and exclusive Miss Percy, nor tn
very rich Miss Oromanes, appeare'
to command him. lie was to a.
alike, the agreeable companion, tn
candid friend, the shrewd resistan
of all arts to lead him into loves lat
yrinthine maZes.
How would all these beauties {
the salon receive the announcement
sure to be made of his ALTERED Oh
cumstances,' as the Major expresse
it? s-s.
/ Evidently Mr.. Watson was cot ii
: different. He still trcquented the p
azzas and parlors, giving every trlen
male or female, ample opportunity
'cut' his acquaintance, or otherwls
to express themselves. 1t was SOM
what curious to note the progress {
his decline, not his fall, tor w atso
had that in his character constructio
which, even IN poverty and tria
would preserve him from a sacrft
of personal dignity and self-relianc
But that he was on the decline b
!. came to him sorrowtai iact.
Sorrowful, did we say F? That i
Judging by the usual standard OF h
man felicity ormisery. To lose one
friends, to behold yoar position
society gradually slipping away,
realize that no longer you are he
I. in coveted consideration by chose
few, is ordinarily, a source OF sorro'
But in w atson's case it was ditiicu
t, tell how keenly the knife cut
= the quick of his sensibilities fo
while every acquaintance was give
full facilities for doing the disagree
BILE office ofgiving the cold shot
der the Baltimorian appeared hi
" an interested spectator, and was
/. unmoved when passed by suppo
ed friend without the slightest motto
as if he We're newspaper reporle
anxious to see the act aud note Il