American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-02-21

l was afraid Chopper would say some
thing l should have hit him ii he had
/ | was SO savage, and there'd have been
pretty row.
/ l went up to Chaplain that night, and +
most heartrending scene l witnessed. I'm
not good at pathos, so will leave that t.
1 the Imagination, only adding that | was
so overcome that | lent them the "'skiv,
I and promised to see all Williams cred
itors on the morrow and arrange matters
with them. And then as if by magic
! the scene changed. My sovereign had
! set the house a-going again. There was
a nice little surper-lamb's-fr and new
| potatoes, ana plenty of capital stout and
"A bottle of Irish whisky; and after Anna
| bel dashed off some jolly pieces on the
old rattle trap piano: and then | got ex
I cited and wanted to dance; and then
mother sal down to the piano and played
/ to us, and Annabel and l waltzed round
the garden by the light of the moon. Oh
it was delicious! / never spent such an
evening in my life. When the bells
struck midnight / was walking up and
down that little garden at Chaplain with
Annabel on my arm, and positively was
making love to her. That was the begin
ming of it.
I'd always had the impression that I
should marry we'll. All my friends had
told me so. "Henry," they'd say, with
your position and advantages you ought
to marry we'll" But here | WAS, thirty
seven, nearly, and no nearer it than when
started. l was beginning to lose the
hair on the top of my head; I'd two false
teeth; instead of making my way in So
ciety, was fast losing the few friends |
formerly had. And then Annabel was
delicious. Once having made up my
mind that l liked the girl, was soon
convinced that it was my duty as her god
parent to see that she was nicely dressed,
and bought her lots of pretty things,
for which she was very grateful, and
would give me most sweet kisses. And
as she came often to me on her fathers
business, the fellows at the office began
to talk about her, and chaff me. And
Saunders, too, fell most desperately
spoony over her; and that decided me.
When found Saunders was looking after
her, went in.
Her father called when I was in this
state of mind, and wanted to borrow
twenty pounds for a particular purpose
a purpose that would return the money to
him fifty -fold hereafter. l thought this a
good opportunity to speak my mind. /
told him that l would lend him this sum
for this one occasion, as | had certain
views with respect to his family, which
| would explain to him hereafter. But
l bound him by most solemn
promise and written undertaking under
a penalty of fifty pounds never again to
apply to me for anv advance. This was
a stroke of policy, you see, because If he'd
become my father-in-law l should have
otherwise been continually exposed to
these annoying applications. William is
IA very sensible fellow at the bottom, and
took all l said in good part, and pocketed
the twenty pounds with many acknowl-
edgments and protestations.
A few days afterward | had a note:
"Mrs. William Brown requests the pleas
ure of Mr.. Malam's company to "a dejeul1er
at 10 a. N. ON Saturday, the Cd of June"
1t was the Queens birthday as it happened,
and a holiday at the office, and | was very
well pleased to go down to Clapham, fully
making up my mind to speak TO Annabel
and offer her my hand and heart. l made
myself very smart chartered handsome
cab, determined to do the thing in good
style, bought bunch of flowers for my
coat and another bunch for Annabel on
the way, and arrived at Chaplain Il little
iate-indeed, it was halfpast ten. There
was a small crowd outside the house of
boys and loafers, and the window of the
front room was wide open, and heard the
manly voice of William; he was making
a speech.
Ladies' and gentlemen, having drank
the health of my dear daughter and SON
in-law Wilks, the next toast | have to give
you is the health of very old and valued
friend, to whose kind and fostering care |
owe much of the comforts of my life. l
am not going too far in saying that prob
ably but for his kindness the feast we are
now assembled at would have had no ex-
istence. He is not here, alas. My friend
holds position high in the councils of
mis- sovereign. You know the critical
state of public affairs; fear my friend is
unable to leave his post"
''Stop, stop!" cried from the door
steps, where l had remained transfixed
it'll emotion.
my benefactor," cried William, sud-
denly ceasing his address and running to
the door to meet me. Henry" he sobbed,
his voice choked with champagne and
emotion, Il owe this to you. Benefactor,
friend
"Oh, stop thatn' l cried. as she mar
ried, Annabel, my Annabel?"
"Dear Henry, yes, to Wilks. All through
your kindness to her, she attracted the at
tention of that good, wealthy man. Come
and give them your blessing.'
"COnfusion,'' cried, or perhaps the
word was stronger, and hurried back TO
my cab.
And that was the last l saw of Annabel
dear Annabel acknowledgement