Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-09-25
HOW HE FAILED.
Not so Bad After All.

town, and David Popham was rich. He
had come to the city poor boy, and
had worked his way up by his own in
dustry, perseverance, and vim. He had
been fortunate, too; not perversely for
tunate. as some men are, but legiti-
mately and honestly fortunate. Of his
own accord, and in answer to his own
tastes. he would never have bought the
big house up town; but his wife was
bent upon it, and he was forced to
please his wife. When we say he was
forced, we mean that his own love forced
him-his love for domestic peace.
David Popham had three daughters,
who were very pretty, and very good,
and they loved their dear old papa ex-
tremely.
Of course, Mrs. Pophem trained her
daughters. Mrs. P. had become a wo-
man of society, and she wished that her
daughters should become women of So
ciety. Wha.t it cost Mr.. P. to sustain
his share of this work we will not say.
He groar.ed sometimes, but held his
peace.
Another thing troubled David Pop
ham, AS his daughters grew up, bright
hued young gentlemen gathered about
them, and it was apparent that Mrs.
Popham was on the path of brilliant
matches.
/ "I think Alexander de Costa Vega is
| smitten with our Lydia" she said to her
husband one day.
alexander de Costa Vega is spend
thrift and numbskull !" answered Da-
vid, with disgust.
"Youre brute |" was Mrs. P. 8 mild
rejoinder. "The Vegas are of our
wealthiest and best; and Alexander is
heir of q grand estate"
/, "In chancery," said David, soto
voce.
"What did you say, Mr.. P?
"I merely remarked, my dear, that
he had his chances"
"And let me tell you that his chances
arc brilliant. haye no doubt tnHt you
would like to see Our sweet girls mar
ried to clodhoppers!" !"
eff We could find such clodhopper
as you we're content to marry fve-and-
twenty years ago"
"Onl Mr.. p, you are perfectly
frigntful p
And under this shot David crawled
away, and went down to his Office on
Wall street.
But change was at hand-a change
sad and dark. Mrs. Popham could not
stand the wear and tear of the life she
had adopted. The continuous round Of
high-living, late suppers, and dissipa-
tion, was too much for her, and she
gave in, as hundreds of others are CIV
ing in every year.
And thus it came that at the age Of
fifty David Popham was left widower
with three grown-up daughters. OF
these daughters Lydia was twenty-five t..
Mehitabel (usually called Hittie) was
twenty, and Susan was eighteen. And
they were, at heart, good girls; and
furthermore, they were good-looking.
Lydia might have been married had not
ar unexpected obstacle arisen in her
pathway. When Alexander de Costa
Vega had been accepted by the mother,
and blushingly referred to papa by the
daughter, the hard-hearted father had
simply referred to the gay and festive
applicant;
"Alexander de Costa Vega, you may
have my daughter +; but, as sure as
there is heaven above us, if she mar
ries you neither you nor she shall ever
touch one dollar of my money I"
The gallant adventurer had believed
David, and had not further pressed his
suit.
When the season of bitter grief was
passed, and friends could with propri-
ETY. leave flowers upon the sideboard of
the mansion, sunshine once more enter
ed the household. Lydia and Mehita-
bel assumed the management of affairs,
and hired two new servants. Very
shortly gay cavaliers chased away the
gloom, and gayly chanting troubadours
made the hours endurable. Lydia and
Mehitabel and Susan had not been edu-
Gated by their mother in vain. Their
drawing rooms were the theatre of gay
scenes, and the very cream of society
David Popham called it the "scum, "
the brute y affected the cempanionship
of the three graces-joint heiresses of
David P.
And what did David Popham all this
time? There was but one thing left
for him to do. He pitched into bust
ness with deeper rush than ever, and
he turned up new half-million in
less than six months.
But q new turn of the wheel was COM
ing.
John Bossle appeared upon the street
with the stock of the Humtown Mining
and Manufacturing Company for sale,
and David Popham bit hugely.
And Philander Scroggls came upon
the street with the stock Of the Deep
Bottom Copper Mining Company, and
David Popham snapped at this.
"My dear SIR" Philetus Petunia, a
very pink of the cream, who was par
ticularly intimate with Mehitabel, and
who kept a pair of horses, and belong
ed to the Club,-"My dear Mr.. Pop
ham, may venture ?"
"Go ahead"
81 have made Inquiries, sir, concern
ing this Scroggle, and it is the general
impression on the street that his copper
mine is all moonshine."
"Moonshine, or goldshine, let those
shine who win," said David, and went
his way.
But the very capstone of all the gold
en- prospects held out that season was
afforded by the Pawnee and Flatfoot
Silver Lodeof Neyerdie Peak, Colorado.