The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-02-17

and profit in my advice? Let me tell
my story in my own way to tae end.
We were at the castle. My wife and
children had been staying there for
months, and had been in the habit of
running down in the intervals of my ar.
duous professional duties. Lewis had
stood godfather to our eldest boy, and
had settled a sum of money on the en-.
gaging young fellow, that insured him u
good position in life so that we felt
bound to humor the godfather's desire
to have the boy as much with him as
possible. Lewis was very fond of chill
dren and they, ! am bound to add, were
very fond of him.
Well, on certain autumn morning
the first on which fire had been deem
ed necessary in the breakfast room
Lewis asked me to give him half an hour
in the library. | had business of my own in
hand but was always a good natured
fellow, believe, and followed my old
schoolfellow. He began quietly, as when
he put the band around his umbrella
when we had gained his cause
"The vicissitudes of my life are not
ended yet. Ny dear old schoolfellow,
/
in the world"
AT this point | begged him to excuse
me for moment; and ran to my wifes
boudoir and told her to have everything
ready for the midday train. Above all,
she was not to forget her diamonds. She
was the most obedient of consorts, and
| will do her the justice to say that she
did not forget a thing-even to the
babys socks. | returned to the library,
and taking Lewis by the hand, expressed
my regret. He continued
mot penny in the world! / am
beggared, my dear friend, by the men
whom | have helped to affluence. NV
own people have turned upon me. My
own stewards have DESTROYED me. The
people and places | found poor and bare,
tres of the infamy that has stripped me.
You heard one of my bailiffs this morn
ing give me notice. This rascal is rat
number twenty, and carries off hand
some competence with him. But some
are not at the trouble of masking their
ingratitude There is no creature on two
legs nor upon four, half so ungrateful
as a bad servant whom you have petted,
and can pet no longer. See that fellow
crossing the park with a loaded cart. He
came to me shirtless: rat number twenty.
one"
But how has this come to pass, my
dear Lewis?" | asked; sis it altogether
irremediable?'
1t has come to pass as | have told
you. Every man on whose honor | have
al, cd hos hntr M al ~
tagers, am told, laugh at me for fool
! have trebled the trade in my county
town, and the townsfolk haven't good
word for me, although they had plenty
yesterday. The local paper has turned
about its readers. Last week | was NUM-
ticent but in to-day's copy | am fool:
in the next edition | shall be a rogue.
| should advise you to clear the sinking
ship while there's boat-that is a coach
at hand"
Leave you, Lewis, at such mo-
ment = | exclaimed for | was hurt at
his suggestion, which was not very
delicate one under the circumstances.
"Leave you now | would not think of
such thing nor should anything less
than the case-the tremendous case-of
Thunder VS.. Butter. drag me from your
side tomorrow"
A smile passed over the placid face Of
Lewis while | spoke. 1t was a smile |
had seen before, and at which less
amiable man than, | can say without
vanity, am, might have taken offense.
"You leave tomorrow, then?" Lewis
asked.
:" must
Well. we shall tide over the week.
l dare say; but there will be elbow
room in the castle before then, | can
see."
did not like Lewis style. Of course
| made every allowance for him under
the circumstances and when had seen
my wife to the station with the children,
the maids, the jewel and dressing cases,
were safely under lock and key, made |
second attempt to be kind and SYM
pathetic. | asked whether there was
anything could do for him in London.
Yes he said, raising his cold blue
eyes, and cutting his words with his
glittering teeth. "Yes--remain in it y
This was too much and | left him.
Now all my impressions as to his char
acter were confirmed and | could un
derstand thoroughly why | never liked
him.
At the railway station-for | left that
very EVENING" found more than half
the castle servants. The station master
was compelled to put on three or four
extra luggage vans and l kept the
train quite five minutes, getting my
boys pony Lewis last presently into
horse box.
When reached town | heard more !
than | care to relate about the immense
ruin in which Lewis had involved him.
self. He had trusted vast sums of
money to friends and relatives, right
and left he had listened to any kind
of got-up tale of distress he had been
imposed upon in fifty directions. A
splendid man of business a powerful,
clear-headed administrator-he had
doubled the value of the enormous prop
erty which came to him, after so many |
years of battling and of poverty, from
his uncle. But, YOU see, he ruined all |