The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-06-27

Tie DeSC OF IrlcnuS, ana Wlille~ declared
contidentially to Lillian that Lena was
the incest girl he ever saw. = Go ,
TWENTY POUNDS.
There was never 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 CON
fident [ had seen him in the street. Stain
ing said it was nonsense, and he'd bet ME
twenty pounds to a shilling I was wrong.
He had hardly finished speaking when
Maxwell, who had not sailed, came
up. Staining pulled from his pocket
book a twenty pound note, and handed it
to me. -
"There you are, old fellow. "A fool
and his money! etc. Another illustration
of that wise adage."
Not exactly; for you don't suppose I
shall take your money!"
Eyes, do; and shall be extremely
annoyed if you make any difficulty"
protested; but presently he said in
irritation: "Then be my almoner and
give the money to charity" And he
pressed the note back upon me, and left
abruptly.
There are objections to standing in the
public highway with a bank-note in your
hand, and puzzled expression on your
face. The note was transferred to my
pocket, and went my way bordering,
when I was met full tilt by clergyman
whom very we'll knew
"Hulloa' he cried. "Mr. Smith, both
you and 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 yours?"
mo, thanks; but have Just left a de-
| pressing scene."
"A young couple, married in hot haste,
have come to grief The wife and child
are ill. Relatives and friends have rece-
ded into the remote background. And
worse than all, the husband"- .
"Has become Incorporate or has gone
mad" e
"Neither one nor the other''
"Something worse?"
eyes, for to be dishonest is worse than
going mad. And it is such a mere trife
that is needed, apparently, to put all
straight, that groan at my inability at
! the moment to find it." -
"What is wanted?" .-
"Well, it's only twenty, pounds"
"Therc's the money which you require
Haste away and do all the good you can
with it, - "a -.
My friend looked aston1shed. He even
| hesitated .... r
ut is very good of you," he said; ;: "but
really III -,
II have the power to give it away.
Goodbye" And I hurried off. Then
fastened back to him. ! ,--- 49,
"Kindly, on no account mention my
name'' :
"No, as you wish it; but you should
know that of the object of your bounty
And he told me. Then we parted. had
gone only a dozen yards when there passed
| me a young man, with flushed face
and a frightened anxious look in his ewes.
He caught up to my friend and spoke to
him." . - ~. ~ u.s..
"That is the man, I said to myself,
"whose proceedings have been dubious,
and who will, I trust, be rescued by Stain
ings twenty pounds. Well, if the wheel
should turn, and this poor man should
ever be in a position to deliver a fellow
| creature from such troubles as he himself
is now in, by the surrender of twenty
pounds, wonder whether he'll do it,
Smith, you surely know human nature we'll
enough to answer your own question. Not
he-not 4 bit of it, j.. ,a---;s s-''
This little incident, with plenty of other
things besides, was soon swept from nv
memory by a sudden call to go abroad,
even to place where Maxwell did not
go-Brazil. Nothing hampered me then
l was young bachelor, and could start
for the Antipodes at two days notice.
When I take my wife and children
forget the exact numbcr-for our autumn
nal trip, in these latter years of my life, l
require weeks for preparation. Alas, the
change!' &c.,. ..,,..,. ...
Away then to Brazil; away to new
life, new scenes, new companions, new
hopes and fears; on to fortune-and the
yellow fever! Here bears in my tale a
grand interval of twenty years (my story
1eals in twenties.) I doubt whether /
should have come back, had not a young
English lady one night sang in my hear
ing an old home ballad, so we'll remem-
bered in connection with some loved