The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-06-21
Twenty Pounds Sterling.

Twenty Pounds Sterling.
There never was such man to bet as
Staining. He was always so sure he
was right. Our mutual friend Maxwell
ought to have sailed for Brazil, but felt
confident l had seen him in the street.
Staining said it was nonsense, and he'd
bet me twenty pounds to shilling was
wrong. He had hardly finished speak
ing when Maxwell, who had not sailed,
came up. Staining pulled out from his
pocket-book twenty pound note and
handed it to me.
sThere you are, old fellow. "A fool
and his money! etc. Another illustra-
ton of that wise adage."
mot exactly; for you don't suppose l
shall take your money!"
Eyes, l do; and shall be extremely
unmoved if you make any difficulty"
l protested; but presently he said in
irritation, "Then be my almoner, and give
the money in charity" And he pressed
the note back upon me, and left abruptly.
There are objections to standing in the
public highway with bank note in your
hand and puzzled expression in your
face, so the note was transferred to my
pocket, and l went my way bordering,
when was met full tilt by clergyman
whom very well knew.
.'Hulloa" he cried. "Mr Smith, both
you and l seem to have our minds so
much occupied to-day that We cannot
take care of our bodies"
I apologized. mo grave matter of
mine," said; ''but you look sad. Moth
ing wrong with you or yoursa"
"No, thanks; but have just left de-
pressing scene.
"a young couple, married in hot haste,
have gradually come to grief. The wife
and child are ill. Relatives and friends
have receded into the remote background.
And worse than all, the husband"-
HAS become incorporate or has gone
mad"
.sNither enc nor the other"
something worse?"
.'Yes for to be dishonest is worse than
going mad. And it is such mere trifle
that is needed, apparently, to put all
straight, that groan at my inability at
the moment to find it,
ssWhat is wanted2"
swell, it's only twenty pounds"
''There's the money which you require.
Haste away, and do all the good you can
with it."
MY friend looked astonished. He even
hesitated,
at is very, very good of YOU" he said !;
sbut really
81 have the power to give it away
Good-by." And I hurried off. Then l
FASTENED back to him.
'.Kindly, on no account mention my
name"
mo, as you wish it; but you should
know that of the objects of your bounty"
And he told me. Then we parted.
had only gone dozen yards when there
passed me young man, with flushed
face, and a frightened, anxious look in
his eyes. He caught up to my friend and
spoke to him.
s'That is the man." said to myself,
''whose proceedings have been dubious,
and who will, trust, be rescued by
Staining's twenty pounds. Well, if the
wheel should turn, and this poor man
should ever be in position to deliver q
fellow-creature from such trouble as he
himself is now in, by the surrender of
twenty pounds, wonder whether he'll
do it3 Smith, you surely know human
nature we'll enough to answer your own
question. Not he-not q bit Of it."
This little incident, with plenty of other
things besides, was soon swept from my
memory by a sudden call to 90 abroad,
even to the place where Maxwell did NOS
Ro-Brszil. Nothing hampered me then
I was young bachelor, and could start
for the antipodes at two days notice.
When l take my wife and children
forget the exact number--for our autumn
nal trip, in these latter days of my life, I
require weeks preparation. Alas the
change!
Away then to Brazil; away to . new
life, new scenes, new companions, new
hopes and fears; away to fortune-and
the yellow feverl Here occurs in my tale
. grand interval Of twenty years (ny
story deals in twentiesD l doubt whether
1 shOuld have come back had not young