The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-07-07
Chambers Edinburgh journal.
WAS THERE EVER SUCH LUCK =?
CHATTER I.-REFoRM.

CHATTER I.-REFORM
William Fassll lived with his grand.
mother and his sister Ju. ut Hilltop, near
Reigate lie was clerk in the admiral
", and had 10 go up to london in the
morning, and back to dinner In the even
ing, which he did not mind. lie called
the railway carriage his smoking.room.
William Fassil was thirty, the grand
mother eighty, Ju. twenty.tlree; the in
termediatG generation being dead. On
Sunday afternoon II was William Fassil's
delight TO take . long walk if only lie
could find companions; and the friend
whOmost commonly came to his rescue
was Tom Chattcris
Tom was not such good company on
one Of these afternoons US usual; lie listen.
ed well enough, so does horse; but he
did not seem TO take in meaning with
words. Atleast he said; look here, old
fellow, | want to speak to you seriously"
About the weights in the Cambridg-
shire, | SUPPOSE" replied Fassil, Take
my advice, Tom, and never bet on anoth.
rr horse till his number Is up"
81 mean to improve upon it, and let
them run backward altogether Don't
look astonishGd u fellow must give up
betting some day, and prefer doing It
before am quito smashed"
You. | thought you were always on
winners"
No doubt | have had better luck than
the majority Of hackers, hut that does not
make pennywOrth OidiiIerenCe A man
always increases his expenditure when he
wins, but he never reduces 1t again in
proportion when he loses. Upon my
word, though II sounds contradictory, l
Am certain that 1t pays better to lose
steadily from the first than to start sue
ccssnulIy, even II you win on the aver.
Ngc,"
There Is q good deal of truth in what
you say, Tom, u replied Fassil "but how
On earth did you ever come to discover
~"
well, William, the fact isl want to
marry your Ju There, the murders out"
Fassil, who was forging ahead ut the
rate Of four miles and half 10 the hour,
stopped so abruptly that his hat shot over
his fOrellCad.-"Whatl" he exclaimed
Tom continued, bashIully 81 daresay
II sounds queer 10 you, who know more
about me than most other fellows do, and
II terrible deal more than Ju. does II Is
true am not worthy of her; but there
would be precious few marriages If men
were expected TO DO as good as girls are."
ut Is not that" said Fassil; "hut the
idea of your marrying And Ju" And
picking up his hat he walked on cogi.
tating.
II have sold my hunter aud my hack;
have paid all my debts; have given
up my chambers and taken lodgings at
Sydenllam, where some OF my people
live; and | have looked into my affairs
boldly before mentioning the matter"
said Tom.
"Ihen yon and Ju. arc not actually Gu
gagedY"
mot precisely; but II is all right If
can manage TO board. lodge and clothe
her. That Is the worst of II; find that
J have been living, like aiOol, on my cap.
ital and have only five thousand pounds
left ! must do something; md the ques.
ton is, What am I'll for? doubt
whether ! would make n good parsOn;
besides, ] left the university without tax.
inga degree. II Is late to start educating
ones self for lawyer or doctor at thirty.
DO you think could get a secretaryship?
AS for competitive examinations never
knew but little, and have forgotten that
little long
"My dear TOm," said Fassil gravely,
tive have always been friends, and do
not know any man would sooner have
Tor brother.in.law; but we must look
facts fairly In the face Ju. has nothing;
ale Is entirely dependent on me, and
live up to my small income; 50 that she
will be able TO bring nothing to help"
II know that, old fellow"
"Well, then, Il Is absolutely necessary
that you should, rs you say, have some
other source Of income than the interest
upon five thousand pounds. II Is true
that Ju. Is an excellent manager, and
makes my salary 60 marvellous way;
hut, then, think what your habits have
been"
CHAPTER lt.-A PRODIHIoUs ACORN.
II you suppose that by draining COun.
try you can get rid Of Will.O'.t he.wisps,
you had better answer those advertise.
ments in the Times which are addressed
togentlemen with a small capital at their
own disposal, and you will be speedily
llndeCeived One Of these misguided
imps proposed that Tom Chalteris should
devote his life To potichomanie; another,
that he should become n manufacturer
and retail vender of ginger.beer; while
Others, less harmless, sought TO transfer
his remaining capital into their own peck.
cts, on pretcSts 50 transparantly irludu.
lent, that Tom, with all his natural taste
Tor speculation and sanguine belief in
good things saw through them at once.
lie likewise tried for vacant secretary.
ships Of several public companies. but
found that the directors gave those posts
10 their own nominees, and only adyer.
tised Tor the sake OF appearances, lest The
shareholders should suspect them Of
robbery.
BY the end Of couple of months he
was heartily sick Of bootless correspond.
ence, and of bothering his friends Tor
testimonials tn no purpose, and started Off
one day alone to walk away n 1T OI The
blues, eschcwing the high roads and fol.
lowing rural iootpaths One OF these
brought him into wood on the crest of
some undulating ground; and as 1t was
now the last week In October, the foliage
was very finely tinted; for the year Is like
u doIphin-its brightest colors come ont
when IL IL diving