The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-06-30
HOYT & CO., Proprietors.
ssDEAD BROKE" +"

the clerk, examining the ledger.
"Whew" whistled the landlord. elias he
no friends to pay for him ?''
"Plenty of friends now, but let them find
out that he is broke and they'll be off like
covey of birds"
~ must see him." and the hotel proprietor,
walking out upon the piazza, approached
young man leaning against one OF the front
"Mr. Watson, your bill see, is in arrears
one week after the settlement day. Why is it?"
The Young man flushed at first sas if in an
ger; then q smile overspread his handsome
face.
81 know 1 am delinquent, Major Snow, but
/ can't pay at present"
"Do you expect money soon Z"
"Well, really, don't know who should send
me anything from their surfeit of cash."
"Then am to understand that you are not
only unable to pay, but do not expect to be
able?
''Undoubtedly Major"
"Sorry, Watson, for you have been q favor
itc of the season, and don't like to turn you
out before the breakup. Nor will I. If you
can give up your suite of rooms and take up
with one suited to your circumstances, l will
let you remain the season, trusting you to pay
me in the future"
"You are very good, Major and guess I'll
have to consent.
So the baggage of Robert Watson was lifted
and borne from the elegant suit on the second
floor to little 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 usual Difference paid to the possessors of
"parlors" At dinner, the "boy," who had
been only too eager to anticipate Mr.. Watson's
wants, suddenly became oblivious to those
wants, and only answered them after repeated
orders. The cashier and register clerk, always
so obsequious, grew digniied and Indifferent.
Only the urbanc Major preserved kindly
greeting for the guest too poor to pay ms bill,
and remaining by suferance.
"Qucer," thought the hotel proprietor. "He
certainly had money enough when he came,
for he deposited cool FIVE thousand in the
safe. He hasn't been fast, l am certain, and
his habits have been so good that the young
bloods have rather played off from him. But
he has been o favorite. Not belle in the
room but would have dropped her best friend
for his attendance. Hang me if can under
stand it,
Watson, haiiing from Baltimore, had been
season guest at the cascade Friends lie had
in plenty. He was courteous, well-brcd, good
looking, intelligent, and, apparently, rich
what more could be asked? Among the ladies
he had moved quite prince; and many were
the gosSaner webs woven az tolls to capture
linn, but to all he proved a very incorr;gible
recusant-he would not be any ones prize.
The exquisite charm of voice, manner and SEN
timcnt, the beauty of person, the elegance OF
:ttire-all were agreeable to him, deeply so,
for he seemed to enjoy them all immensely
but not the BRILLIANT poe.ess Miss Mountjov
nor the COY and artless Miss Duuiain, nor the
rattle-headed young Miss Lambert, nor the
naughty, elegant and exclusive Miss Percy,
nor the very rich Miss Oronancs, appeared to
command him. lie was to all alike the agree
able companion, the candid friend, the shrewd
resistant of all arts to lead him into loves
labyrinthine mazcs.
How would all these beauties of the sa'on
receive the announcement sure to be made of
his ALTERED circumstances" as the Major eX-
pressed it?
Evidently Mr.. Watson was not different.
He still fre9uentcd the piazzas and parlors,
giving every friend, male or female, ample OPP
portunity to 'cut" his acquaintance, or other
wise to express themselves. 1t was somewhat
curious to note the progress of his decline, not
his fall, for Watson had that in his character
construction which, even in poverty and trial,
would preserve him from q sacrifice OF person.
nj dignity and self-rcliance. But that he 'ras
on the decline became to him sorrowtul fact.
Sorrowful, did we say That is, judging by
the usual standards of human felicity or mise
~. To lose ones friends, to behold your posi-
tion in society gradually slipping away; to
realize that no longer you are held in coveted
consideration by chosen few, is, ordinarily,
source of sorrow. But, in Watson's case. it
was difficult to determine how kcenly the
knife cut to the quick of his sensibilities; for,
while every acquaintance was given full faclll-
ties for doing the dsagreeable Office of giving
the ''cold shoulder" the Baltimorean appeared
like an interested spectator and was as un-
moved, when passed by supposed friend with
out the slightest notice, as if he were news
paper reporter, anxious TO see the act and to
note the fact.
Into the parlors during the evening he par
ticularly pressed his way. If bcvy of gay
fellows surrounded Miss Nfountioy, he worked
his way to the circle, and, at last, received
from that lady of Sappho-like lips his dis
charge. She did most gracefully and crushing
lv turn her back upon him not three days after
his removal from the second floor.
Miss Dumain he sought, confident that one
so artless certainly would be above the hollow
hearted crowd, and still give him her kindly
greeting. Vain conception! The artless girl
way coy indeed and when at length he cor COZ
nered her, it was to his discontinue. She
suddenly turned and forced her way past him,
without even one of her downcast glances. On
the contrary, her eyes were fixed fully on his
face, and plainly said, "Sir, we arc strangers"
Next he tried rattle-headed Miss Lambert,
and she ratified on quite as usual; but Watson
soon discovered that the rattle was not for him.
Strangely enough the proud and exclusive
Miss Percy unbent somewhat from her lofty
carriage, and gave him a welcome; but over
it all was shadow fear apparently, which
made Miss Percy shy rather than naughty
and Watson began to catch glimpses of char
acter beneath all that conventional veil which
he had not expected to find
scorn his further friendly relations Her rooms
L: canonl Acar