The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-24

upon which Addison may have looked from
the terrace of Holland House. Within, all was
in accordance with a refined taste, which dis
carded all that was gaudy or meretricious; and
Emily proved a most admirable metropolitan |
housekeeper, for which she had been in part |
pr epared by her Stanford Hall experiences.
But London dinners and London soaiety re-
quire considerable tact to manage properly, and |
though the young Mainwarings had not an |
overwhelming acquaintance, they were called |
upon not unfrequertly to entertain. And then
their dinners were charming -abundant but
not protuse and all of the very best kind. The
conservatory had to yield up some of its trea-
sures, and parterre of flowers down the
centre of the table pleased the eye by the beauty
of it's colors, whilst the fragrance of the flowers
grat6ed the sense of smell. Their evenings
and lawn parties were equally delightful, and
were more acceptable from the absence of any
appearance of extravaganza Indeed, to quote
the much-quoted Thomas Moore, Emily and
Emily and Walter might have said or sung
And oh, If there be an elysium on earth,
II is this IL is thisl 1t is thisl
Mr.. Mainwaring, of Charges Street, made
Cedar Lodge his Sunday lounge after church
(Which he never attended) in the summer time
and once or twice in the winter he would take
his dinner there. Not SO Mr.. Ralph Main
waripg, Emily's father. He had sold Stanford
Hall in order to be nearer his children besides
what would the old house have been without
Emily : There were no associations about it to
bind him 10 mere walls and trees, as it had
come to him by purchase, and so he sold it to
good advantage, to an opulent advertiser in
want of a AL, and invested the money received
for 1t, as amatter of course, in the house of
bore, he frequent visitor al the CedaTs dfsT
and thus continued to have some share of the
society of his beloved Emily.
ore blessing, however, was thought to be
wanting to make the happiness of Walter and
Emily. They were childess, and they some
times murmured that this blessing was with
held.
This happy condition of affairs had continual
TO envy the occupants of the pretty green
brougham which passed so regularly through
the Park News came frequently from Reginald
to his uncle; and though had had to battle
with sickness aud fever, he he was in no way
dissatisfied with the course he had adopted
be felt IN rTlaR tempest near at hand, that to
and over seas, and in ot6eirt OF the Kingdom,
Walter returned one day with a serioGsr hvo-
so serious that Emily questioned him as to the
cause.
Why, darling, there is bad news in the city
| A house that exercises great influence on other
houses is rumored to be shaky.'
i am very sorry to hear it. Will it affect
| you, dear?'
| pherson, our chief clerk, and think that no
one can tell where the mischief would end
should the big house fail. But we will talk of
something else, as my head is confused with
thinking and debating this subject
But Walter could not think of anything else,
although he talked of many matters. He tried
TO read, but the writer's thoughts were not his
thoug ghts-they were ia the city.
The carly Times, on the day after the next,
must have brought dismay aud despair to many
a household. The great house in the city had
closed its doors, and smaller houses had col
lapsed in consequence. Walter had heard that
left the city, and had passed teverish, rest
less night. He ordered the brougLam half an
hour earlier than usual, and would have pre-
vented Emily accompanying him as was her
won't but she would not ce denied. They
scarcely spoke, and when Emily did so, it was
to beg of him to have courage, and not give
trouble welcome by meeting 1t halfway; She
kissed him and said softly, Remember, [ love
you There was momentary comfort in those
few words, but their influence destroyed
when Walter entered the counting-house.
'Thpres a panic in the City, sir, perfect
panic! said Macpherson, without making or
waiting for the usual morning salutations.
"A panic in the City" cry almost us dreadful
as that of fire. in a crowded ship.
What does that word panic convey to us:
Merchant-princes, proud of their commercial
honor-proud of their worldly places--humbled
and toppled down as it were by whirlwnd
Speculations that promised fortunes crumbled
into atoms and those that trusted to them well
nigh stark with ruin. Broken homes, and al
that those two short words Imply. Geutle wo
men, matrons and maidens, tenderly nurtured
whose lives had been lives of and refined
enjoyment, suddenly deprived of all that minis.
tered to their wants, and the world at its worst
before them; for none but those who have had
task, how hard the sacrifice of retrenchment
even when there has been neither waste nor eX
tTavagance.
Many high-spirited youth, who had looked
forward TO a future of liberal employment
compelled to turn aside and accept the drudgery
of servitude. Worthy men, who had worn GU
their lives in honorable service, and had thought
in the winter of their age to be considered by
those they had benefited by their labors-hope
less now All buried in the ruins of the house
More broken homes more household gods cas-
into the mire Thousands whose slender
means made existence tolerable, deprived of al
by the wreck of those in whom they had con
fded. How many droop and die none can tel
none.
But why pursue these painful details
Christmas should be merry season. and W.
would not willingly detract from its cheerful
ness.
A fortnight had passed, and Walter returned
earlier than usual.
4 have come home Emily, he said, that
may myself tell you the worst before II hap
pens Despite every effort we have made, oul
house must succumb to this terrible storm anC
tomorrow our ruin will be known.
My dear Walter
Itis a terrible blow; but am more at east
: now that know our fate is inevitable. Wha
grieves me most is that your dear confdinG
, father will share our ruin. My poor father
always saDgune and generally successful, ha
speculated largely; and two or three schemes il
} which we had invested largely are broken up
and, so far as | can see, we cannot nearly NEE
our engagements.
And your father
is perfectly overwhelmed. He seems de
| priveo of all power of reflection or OF action
; / should not have left him, but your dear fathe
has promised to remain with him. Dear gene
rous man Not one word of reproach; not
moments hesitation at applying all he wa
worth to stay our downfall. But too late To-
} late!'