The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1877-01-06
Miles Harvey duly arrived at his destnation
had hearing, gave the required ball. and in due
tina into hnnl,rnntnv


Five years later and Miles Harvey was in bust
ness again, but he wasn't making a fortune
bare living all he expected of the world, ant
the world seemed determined not to disappoin
him. Miles went into the oil business, hoping tha
he might slide along the highway Of life as quick
ly as possible and really matters looked as if th
turning point had come with him, and things wer,
putting on brighter hue. But the lease of hi
store expired, and though he was notified of tn,
fact he delayed from day to day calling upon thu
agent, until he unexpectedly found that the prop
erty had been rented to Grimes, who kept riva
store lower down the street.
The day this catastrophe happened him he re-
ceived a neat little note written on rose-colored
paper and highly perfumed. 1t came from Mollit
Wales. She asked him to call and escort her to O
; friends, where there would be an entertainment
Poor Harveys head was so full of other matters
that he never gave Mollie Wales or her note an
other thought. One could scarcely blame Miles
for he scarcely knew what to do in the way OF
business. He would not have offended Mollie foI
the world. She had money in her own right and
there was still more to come from her father. Be-
sides, she fine girl, and handsome Miles
had been paying her attention for year past, and
although Mollie had often thought that it was
about time he had declared his intentions, she
quiet girl, and waited and waited, until her con-
stancy was put to a severe test.
The following day Miles called on Mollie to
make explanations, etc. lie found her occupied
with Sandy Briggs, who dad often aspired to be
his rival and had it not been that Mole made fun
of Sandy, and declared that she was perfectly in
different to him Miles would, perhaps, have been
uneasy, at all events he would have been jealous.
| This day he found Sandy sitting with Mollic and
she in the best possible humor. Sandy had
escorted Mollie the previous evening to the enter
| tainment, and was apparently in high favor. The
| two men regarded each other with angry looks
but were studiousy polite in her presence. 1t was
not until Sandy had departed that Miles began his
apology to Mollie for not complying with her re-
quest. She really felt sorry for his troubles, and
before he left she had forgiven him the mortifca-
tion he had occasioned her and once more he was
restored to her favor. That evening when Mollie
sat alone in her chamber she was revolving in her
mind the best way to bring Harvey to terms, when
it occurred to her to write him an anonymous let
| ter Selling pen she dashed off short note in
disguised hand, telling him that unless he acted
promptly Mr.. Sandy Briggs would propose to Miss
Wales. Miles received the letter and ran his fin
gers through his long, brown hair in an distracted
way.
"Can it be true?" he murmured, "that puppy
like Sandy Briggs would dare to propose to Mollie
Wales 2"
AT first he disposed to regard the informa-
tion with disdain, but when he had reflected a
little while, he began to admit there might be
truth in it. He must attend to the matter; he
would go that very evening and offer himself to
Mollie Wales. 'Tw0uld be mere matter of form,
for Mollie must understand his intentions. He got
out his clothes. No, he wouldn't put on the brown
suit, he thought he would wear black, twas sol
emn occasion anyhow, and somehow suited the
color Suddenly he recollected that it was Friday.
lie had attempted to run away from his creditors
on Friday and last, but not least, it was on a
Friday that he had called to renew his lease, and
found that he was twenty -four hours too late.
No, no, he would not go to Mollie Wales on
Friday, much less propose to her. One day would
make but little difference perhaps none at ALL He
would visit Mollie on Saturday morning, and go
early sefore Sandy Briggs could make visit
"That for Sandy Briggs" he exclaimed as he
snapped his fingers. He put away his brown suit
and his black suit laid by his lavender necktie and
his lavender gloves. He threw the blackning
brush into the corner, and slipping on his smoking
jacket and Turkish cap, sat down in his comfort
able chair and began to puff his cigar and watch
the blue smoke curl up to the ceiling.
Saturday saw Mr.. Miles Harvey at the Wales |
iilnsIOn- lle ASCEND the sIeps The
door suddenly opened, ard Sandy Briggs, with a
smiling face, tripped down and greeted Harvey |
with good -natured salutatiOn.
Course that fellow 7" muttered Miles, ''latey he's
always been grinning when 1 meet him. he'll
laugh on the other side of his mouth when he hears
that Mollie and l are going to be married"
Miles strutted about the parlor, and admired
himself in the mirror. Truly he was good-look- |
could not compare with him in point of personal |
appearance. He wondered how Mollie could toll |
crate such an ape.
By and bye there came light step on the stairs |
and Molie entered, radient with smiles. She held
out both her hands to Miles, and seemed in unusu-
ally high spirits.
Miles was a fluent taker and at once went into
business with gush. Not doubt had ever en-
tered his mind that he had only to propose to be
accepted. What then was his astonishment when
Miss Wales, in grave but gracious manner, in |
formed him that Mr.. Sandy Briggs had proposed
the previous evening, and that she had accepted
him.
"But yesterday Friday" groaned Miles,
Il was coming to propose myself when happen
ed to recollect the day"
''Well, sir" replied Miss Wales, ''you are just
fourteen hours too late"
"Too late!' cried Harvey with despairing
cry. "Too late, did you say? VIII ever be in
time for anything in this word?" and he wrung
his hands.
81 am very sorry for you, Mr.. Harvey" replied
Mollie 'but it is all your own fault My wedding
day is fixed, and matters have gone too far to be
altered now. | always liked you but L think you
too slow. The world msves, and we must
move with it if we expect to make a respectable
figure in the race of life"
Maddened with anger Miles Harvey rushed
from the presence of the lady and hurried toward
the ferry intending to take sail upon the river
to cool and quiet his agitated nerves. The gang
plank had just been hauled in and the boat was
backing out of the pier. Miles was desperate; he
made jump for the deck, and missed it by about
foot. Down into the river he went, and the cry
ga man overheard" rang from the wharf and the
steamboat. Boats, lines and preservers seon
on the face of the water, waiting for Miles Harvey
to make his appearance, that they might snatch
him from watery grave; but Miles forgot to ap-
pear until week had passed, and in the mean
time his obituary had been read by his acquaint-
ances in the newspapers. Poor fellow, he was too
late for everything in this world let Us hope he
was more fortunate in the one he so suddenly en-
tered.