Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-09-16
SELECTED STORY
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DEAD BROKE"

He is dead broke
How much does he owe?
'One week, @ morrow, over the month
I said the clerk, examining the icder.
FWhew = wListled the landlord has h
no friends to pay for him :?
Plenty of friends now, but let them fin
out that he is broke and they'll be off lik
a covey of birds"
L must see him. said the hotel proprie
tor, and walking out upon the piezze, ap
proached Il young man leaning against on
Of the front pillars.
'lur Watson, your bill, I see, is in ar
rears one week over the settlement day
Why is it?'
The young man flushed at first, as if i,
anger then smile overspread his hand
some face. I know I am a delinquent Ma
jor Snow, but I can't pay at present.
DO you expect money soon +?
WELL really. I don't know who shoule
send me anything from their surfeit of cash.
Then | am to understand that you art
not only unable to pay, but do not expect t(
be able =
Undoubtedly, Major
Sorry, Watson, for you have been a ia
vorite of the season, and I don't like to turf
you out before the breakup. Nor will I
I If you can give up your suit of rooms ane
take one suited to your circumstances, | will
let YOU remain the season out, trusting tt
pay in the future
You are very good, Major, and guess
| I'll have to consent
So the baggage Of Robert Watson wa
lifted and borne from the elegant suit on thu
second floor to "a little seven by fourteen
room on the fifth floor.
How quickly it became known that tn
change had been made Every servant il
the house betrayed the knowled &c in the alb
sence of the usual Difference paid to the pos
SCISSOR of 'parlors.' At dinner, the boy,
who had only been too eager to anticipat
Mr.. Watson's wants, suddenly became oh
livious to those wants, and only answers
them after repeated orders. The cashie
and register clerk, always SO obsequious
grew dignifed and Indifferent. Only til
urbane Major preserved a kindly greetin
for the guest too poor to pay his bill, an
remaining by suferance.
Queer thought the hotel proprietor. =
He certainly had money enough when h
came, for he deposited cool $4,000 in th
safe He hasn't been fast, I am certain
and his habits have been so good that th
Young bloods have rather played off frol
him. But he has been favorite. Not
belle in the room but would have droppe
her best friend for his attendance, Han
me if I can understand it.
Watson, Mailing from Baltimore, ha
been season guest at the Cascade. Fricne
he bad plenty. He was courteous, we
bred, good looking, intelligent, and, apps
rently, rich-what more could be asked Z
Among the ladies', he had moved quite
prince and many were the gossamer vel
woven as tolls to catch him, but to all |
proved very incorrigible reeusant-he wop
not be any ones prize. The exquisite char
of voice, manner and sentiment, the beau1
of person, the elegance of attirc-all we
agreeable to him deeply so; for he SCENE
to enjoy them all immense but not Il
brilliant poetress, Miss Mountjoy, not Il
GOV and a1tless Mss Dumain, not the rattl
,, headed Miss Lambert, nor the Taught,
, elegant and exclusive Miss Percy, nor IL
E very rich Oron-anes, apneared TO comma1
III. T. IS 20 al! alike, the agreeaD
companion, the candid friend, the shrew'
e resistant of all arts to lead him into love
e labyrinthine mazes.
How could all these beauties of the salt
+ receive the announcement sure to be mad
0 If his altered circumstances !! as the Maj
expressed it. .n
Evidently Mr.. Watson was not indiffe
). ept; He still frequented the piazzas al
parlors, giving every friend, male and
male, pile opportunity to cut bis acquall
ance,' or otherwise to express themselves
It was somewhat curious to note the pr
;, gress Of his decline, not his fall, for Watts
ST bad that in his characteristic construct
which, even in poverty and trial, Won
= preserve him from a sacrifice OF person
t dignity and self reliance. But that he u
l. on the decline became to him sorrow
fact.
Sorrowiul, did we say That is, judgi
by the usual standards Of human felicity
). misery TO lose ones friends, to behe
your position in society gradually sl'ppl
away, to realize that no longer you are he
in coveted consideration by chosen few,
. ordinarily. a source of sorrow. But,
Watson's case, it was difficult to determl
how keenly the knife cut to the quict: Of
sensibilitie, for, while every acaua'ntan
l. was given full facilities for doing the q
agreeable Office of giving the cold shoulder
> the Baltimorean appeared like dislnterest
spectator, and was as unmoved when pass
by o supposed friend with out the silghtF
:: notice, as if he were newspaper reports
d anxious to see the act and note the TACT,
J, Into the parlors, during the evening
It particularly pressed his way: II oevy
young fellows surrounded Miss Moun to :
worked his way to the circle, and at La a.
received from that lady of sappho-Ilik;,e Ii
!, his discharge. She did most gracefully al
: crushingly turn her back upon him. Z
three days after his removal from the seco'