The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-17
WAS THERE EVER SUCH LUCKg
CHAPTER I.-REFoRM.

uP w honuon IN the morning and back to
dinner in the evening, which he did not mind.
room.
William Fassil was thirty, the grandmother
eighty, Ju. twenty-three; the intermediate
generation being dead. On Sunday after
noon 1t was William Fassils delight to take a
long walk, if only he could find companion;
and the friend who most commonly came to
his rescue was Tom Chatteris.
Tom was not such good company on one of
these afternoons as usual; he listened well
enough, so does horse but he did not seem
to take in meaning with words. At last he
said:-"Look here, old fellow, l want to
speak to you seriously"
"About the weights in the Cambridge
shire, I suppose, replied Fassil. "Take my
advice, Tom, and never bet on another horse
till his number is up.
81 mean to improve upon it, and let them
run unbacked altogether. Don't look aston
ished; fellow must give up betting some
day, and | prefer doing it before I am quite
smashed"
"You. l thought you were always on win
ners"
''No doubt have had better luck than the
majority of hackers, but that does not make
q pennyworth of difference. A man always
increases his expenditure when he wins, but
he never reduces it again in proportion when
be loses. Upon my word, though it sounds
contradictory, am certain that it pays better
to lose steadily from the first than to start
successfully, even if you win on the average"
''Fhere is good deal of truth in what you
say, Tom, replied Fassil; ''but how on earth
did you ever come to discover it ?"
"Well, William, the fact isl want to
marry your sister Ju There the murders
out !"
Fassil, who was forging ahead at the rate
of four miles and half to the hour, stopped
so abruptly that his hat shot over his fore
head. ''What !" he exclaimed.
Tom continued bashfully, 81 dare say it
sounds queer to you, who know more about
me than most other fellows do, and terrible
deal more than Ju. does. 1t is true am not
worthy Of her; but there would be precious
few marriages if men were expected to be as
good as girls are"
''It is not that, said Fassil ''but the idea
of your marrying And Jul" And picking
up his hat, he walked on, cogitating.
81 have sold my hunter and my hack; I
have paid all my debts, L have given UP my
chambers, and taken quiet lodgings at Syden-
ham, where some Of my people live, and /
have looked into my affairs boldly before
mentioning the matter, said Tom.
''Then you and Ju. are not actually en-
gaged?"
manage to board, lodge, and clothe her. That
is the worst of it; find that have been
living, like fool, on my capital, and have
only five thousand pounds left. 1 must do
something; and the question is, what am
fit for? l doubt whether l should make a
good parson; besides, 1 left the university
without taking degree. 1t is late to start
educating ones self for a lawyer or doctor at
thirty. Do you think could get secretary
-. 30 ho ,v,,i,o NATL T
never knew but little, and have forgotten
that little long ago."
''My dear Tom, said Fassil, gravely, "we
have always been friends, and do not kno W
any man I would sooner have for brother
in.law; but we must looks facts fairly in the
face. Ju has nothing, she is entirely depen-
dent upon me- and live up to my small in
come, so that she will be able to bring nothing
to help"
81 knew that, old fellow"
''Well, then, it is absolutely necessary that
you should, as you say, have some other
source of income than the interest upon five
thousand pounds. 1t is true that Ju. is an ex-
cellent manager and makes my salary go a
marvellous way; but then think what your
habits have been!"
CHAPTER IA PRoDIGIoUs ACORN.
If you suppose that by draining country
you can get rid of Will o -the-wisps, you haG
better answer those advertisements in the
Times which are addressed to gentlemen with
small capital at their own disposal, and yoJ
will be speedily undeceived. One of these
misguiding imps proposed that Tom Chatteri
should devote his life to potichomanie
another, that be should become a manufac
turer and retail vender of giDger-bee Will,
others, less harmless, sought to transfer hi
remaining capital into their own pockets, ol
pretexts so transparently fraudulent, tha
Tom, with all his natural taste for specula
tion and sanguine belief in ''good things,
saw through them at once.
He likewise tried for vacant secretaryship
of several public companies, but found tina
the directors gave those posts to their owl
nominees, and only advertised for the sake O
appearances, lest the shareholders should sus
pect them of jobbery.
By the end of couple of months he wa
heartily sick of bootless correspondence, an
of bothering his friends for testimonials to n
purpose; and started off one day alone,
walk away fit of the blues, eschewiDg th
high-roads, and following rural footpathi
One of these brought him into wood on th
crest of some undulating ground; and as
was now the last week in October, the foliae
was very finely tinted; for the year is like
dolphin-its brightest colors come out when
is dying.
Tom Chatteris was always affected plel
sanity by beauty in any form, and the seer
cheered him up, and inclined him to take
more sanguine view of life than he hs
started with,
''After all, how jolly we might live in 6
Australian or American clearing! wonder
Ju would consent. She might not like IL
idea; but / am certain she would enjoy he
self when she got used to it. She would
giving up nothing, except her grandmothe
NUssIso,,, mill look aftar bar IVbaF 10 II