The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-09-29

books. Miss Coffin said was to see 'em
returned. Here they be, no, there was
six, and here's only FIVE"
| remembered that had left Handy
Andy at my room, and as that would
give me a little more delay, I asked
| him to call at the hotel for the other
volume, and strobe away. / was temp
! ted to turn toward the wharf and to
pier, but for the sight of couple slow
~ walking up the street. One was my
solitary au-spectator, and the other q
demon in velvet coat and wideawake.
When / reached my room again, the
volume was gone, and must be paid for
if not recovered; it was one of a set,
but that was trif1e compared with the
fact that my bill, my counterfeit, was q
deposit.
Ny friend the crier was good-natur.
ed, however, and agreed to call in the
morning. Moreover, it served me as
an excuse for not settling that night,
that l must return the book or know
what it would cost me. Besides, he
was sure that could no more leave
this island than Robinson Crusoe could
leave his.
I sat down on the hotel balcony, in
utter despair. From the parlor came q
murmur of low-voiced conversation,
and fancied that the tones were those
of woman and serpent, that is a
painter, but cared not. What was /
TO do? Ny bill at the hotel my after
Moons bad luck, tWenty-thrce dollars ;
my evenings failure, say twenty more /;
my fare to Boston, where must be by
the next evening. 1t may seem light
matter, but to an inexperienced lad of
nineteen it was no joke.
While / sat there, absorbed in my
trouble, a hand was laid upon my
shoulder which made me look up. 1t
Eve been looking for you all evening.
Here's Minnie says she must 60 home
tomorrow, and-I don't like to troub-
lie you, but she wants enough for her
fare to Boston, and I've lost my wallet
to-day, 1 believe; can't find it any
where. Let me have that twenty paid
for the boat last week. did not mean
to ask you for it, as ! supposed it might
not be convenient till you got home,
but can't help myself" Here was q
new complication. We had gone on q
fishing party together, and Fred had
paid the bill; but had undertaken to
get the other fellows shares, and had
done SO. had handed it all to Fred's
roommate and college chum' who had
since left the island. 1t was evident
that Cunningham had forgotten to pay
Fred. They were of course intimate
friends, and / was comparatively
stranger, who had been kindly taken up
by them. l felt awfully, for hardly
knew how to make the truth appear.
Suppose Cunningham, a rich and care
less young fellow, had forgotten all
about it. Fred was out of sorts too
over something for he was usually very
even-tempered. When / said, 81 must
have paid it," could not for the mo-
ment remember that had done SO. He
said roughly go bother, no; could
not have had the money; besides, Gun
ningham would. have told me, and he
never said word, only that I'd better
get it before you spent all your mon
eY."
"Mr. P" said I, 81 will go up to
your room and arrange with you; we
will not dispute here on the steps,"
Fred led the way, muttering some
thing about ''suobs picked up at water
ing Places" which made me furious.
When we got to his chamber was SO
angry that forgot all aboutmy bill de-
posted at the library, and pulled out
my porte naonndie; and by the time he
got the gas lit 1 was opening it and feel
ing in the secret pocket. There was
the bill, twenty dollars, and slapped
it down on the table, saying. GAS l am
to pay this twice over, I'll trouble you
to leave receipt at the Office for me to-
morrow morning. / don't wish to pay
the third timei And then l went off
to my room raging. When cooled off
a little, it came to me that had passed
off bad bill on Fred P, but to that
[ answered my conscience that it was
for an unjust claim. At any rate was
quite ready to go to Jail or anywhere
else, and went to bed thinking of an
odd story I had heard, in consequence
of which dreamed that was sent to
the Nantucket prison for passing coun-
terfeit money, and that every night l
was in the habit of slipping out of my
cell and prOwling round the streets.
Then / was giving reading to crowd
ed house, but the books were all wrong.
Whatever took up turned to q die
ionary or spelling book. Then woke |
up and thought over two plans, one of |
which was to go off to sea in a Whaler |
from New Bedford, the other was to |
get Fred to have me arrested for pass |
ing the counterfeit bill on him and sent |
10 Boston for trial. Once there, could |
get some one to help me. In the midst |
Of working out these plans to grand |
and triumphant tableau got to sleep |
again, and this time dreamed that was |
being marched up State street in chains,
and that was stopped ut each corner |
and rearrested on a new charge, when |
[ was really awakened by a strange |
man in my room, who was shaking me
by the shoulder. My first Thought was,
It was the matchmaker. -I'Ve come |
round to see thee" he began, "to look |
1t thy watch once more. I've thought |
thee might be wanting money good |
Zeal, and don't mind letting thee have |
twenty dollars, if thee thinks thee can |
pay me in week or so. l guess thee's |
pretty honest as folks CO."
was just putting the watch into his |
hands when the door opened again, and |
IN came Apollyon, mean the artist.
'rMy dear young friend" he began, |
Ewhat is all this about broken buggy |
I've Just seen the stable fellow hanging |
round here. and of course You are not |
to pay sixpence for the team or for |
careless in letting your horse get away |
lin fact, I-well-I wanted-it was of
the utmost importance for me to have
an uninterrupted talk with Miss-with
Miss P. Two years ago we were |
engaged. 1t was broken off by most
chance, and have never had
it IN my power to explain matters till
So the stable bill, which
shall cut down considerably, is my bu-
siness. For the other matter, / owe
you an apology, which 1 tender now"
1 was too bewildered to answer at
once, but the artist, noticing my Qua
ker friend for the first time, drew him
self up with mock solemnity, and add
ed, SIf you demand further satisfaction
there will be coffee for two down stairs
in abont ten minutes, and friend of
mine will be glad to see YOU" And out
be went.
had just exchanged my watch for
The good Quaker's bill, and he had de-
parted, when Fred bounced in, blushing
up to his eyes,
81 say, old fellow was his greeting,
II behaved abominably last night.
This morning / found my money, you
know; left it in my pantaloons packet
when changed to go sharking. There
was more than cared to lose; and
then was awfully mad about Minnie,
seeing that artist fellow with her; but
be came up to my room last night and |
it is all right-tell you some day. And |
found a letter on my table from Gun |
which I ought to have had |
three days ago, telling me about that
boat money; you did pay twice, and |
here it is back, the bill you gave me. |
And beg your pardon, heaps"
! don't know what l said as we shook |