The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-07-27

demonstrate to him the wisdom Of the
course he had decided on, and the utter
absurdity of having dared for single mo-
ment to look with love on one of these
darlings Of fortune, il was the fact that
her handkerchicfs alone were items of
five hundred dollars. What a shame!
what wickedness! what a preposterous
folly! How could a. young man marry !?
He burned with Indignation then.
But to replace it: one-third of the sum
he was saving to redeem his little proper
ty from mortgage-all the money he really
had in the world beyond that for daily ex-
penses! 1t was the ruin of his hopes, his
ambitions, his pride, that scorncd so to be
anybody's debtor; it threw him back in
the race, how long! But it must be done.
He had trifle over five hundred dollars
in the National Solvency Bank. He drew
his check for the necessary suin and fold
ed 1t away in his pocket book, and then
went about his business till nightfall, when
he came back to his dreary rooms, and
made himself ready for call at Mrs.
Barnetta's.
The night had never seemed SO beauti-
full, the stars so large and keen and far
above the earth, so remote and cold-they
typified all the dear and happy things of
life forever removed from him. His heart
was chilled and his face was white when
he stood at last iii Mrs: Barnetta's draw
ing=room, and SHE foated forward to meet
him. He had not asked for Miss MERCER.
ut is delicate errand, Mrs. Barnetta,"
said he, with dreary attempt at smiling.
I" But the truth is that my maid, in her Of
ficious kindness, has done such damage to
bit of Miss Mercier's property that l
must replace it. And I have come to beg
you, out of your friendship for me, to
transact the affair, if such an article can
be replaced here. believe these little
trifles are rather costly, and if you will
procure one"-and he laid the check he
had drawn that morning and the little limp
rag in Mrs. Barnetta's hand" as like the
original as possible, ~
my dear Mr. Malvin, what in the
world are you talking OFF," cried Mrs.
Barnetta. Have you money to throw
about in this way? Five hundred dollars
what is it for?''
"To replace Miss Mercier's handker-
chief, if you will be SO good as to make
the purchase
Like this9' said Mrs. Barnetta, hold
ing up the little limp rag by one corner.
Like that" said Lucian.
"Oh, that is too goodv' cried Mrs. Bar
META, with peal Of laughter. 1t is too
good, it is too absurd! What creatures
men are! Did you imagine that this bit
of tinery was worth all that this little
scrid of grass cloth and German lace? No
wonder the young men don't marry, then!
My dear Mr. Malvin, this miserable hand
kerchief cost exactly two dollars and a
half, and was nearly worn out at that.
Did you imagine, too, that my poor little
Rosa could wear five hundred dollar hand
kerchiefs without cent to her name2'
Without Il cent to her name?' cried
Lucian, springing to his feet.
Exactly. Aha! Is that the trouble:
Now why didn't you come and talk it
over with me in the way you used to do,
and save yourself all this vexation, and
save my little Rosa, too? What an alb
surd boy you are! Another would have
waited to hear that she was an heiress;
you wait to hear that she is pennilcss.
Well, she is, if that satisfies you, except
for what l shall leave my little god
daughter when die-which will not be
at present, D. V. And there she is in the
next room now. But, bless me-
Lucian had not waited for the rest of
the invocation. He was already in the
next room with the penniless Rosa, who
joyfully welcomed him as his own Rosa
should-Hn1per's Baznr.