The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-09-07

The fire roared and cracked cheerily
i'm the pr@lte room at the baS, but
neither of the partners had arrived
d" never knew him so late, remarked
Tom Leslie. as if finishing aloud a puz-
ling conjecture.
'.Who? Old Dart?'
"Mr. Dart. Yes
'Ieshe feels it incumbent on him 10
uphold the dignity Of his partners put
in another clerk. "IIis breast swells
proudly with fellow-feeling."
''Nhat an idle set You are, this mrOn-
ing,' remarked Tom, turning from Ai7
desk with the quick, kindly smile which
made his face 80 pleasant to look upon.
AS soon As l am senior partner / shall
give you all a sweeping dismissal.
The listeners laughed, enjoying the
absurdity OF the idea; and one or two
questioned him. with mock anxiety, as
TO the treat he intended to stand them
on the occasion. Through all the laughter
Tom pursued his work, and Dart noticed
this when he entered the bank and
though it WAS but very Curtly that he
answered Tom quiet greeting. yet before
he reached the inner door he turned and
spoke to him.
"Cold outside. Leslie. Keep up good
fires. It Is hard, " he muttered To him-
self ITO pass him without word.
Then Mr. Dart let the door spring Close
behind him. and, sitting down in his
office chair. leaned on one arm Oulv-as
very calm men do when they are iii at
ease. as we'll as tired. He was sitting
SO. looking modify down into the hrc
when Mr.. Maitland entered the room.
. The senior partner did not turn TO greet
/ him. and even when Walter stood upon
( the rug beside him, he did not venture
+ to meet his eyes.
"Maurice.' began the younger man,
/ Il suppose ! may congratulate you. 10
/ is rather hard, vet no one ought TO do it
/ go heartily as II, who know what a
good fellow you are, and what-what a
wife you have won
A glance % surprise into his friend
face. and then Mr.. Dart spoke III few
words, as was his custom:
"~he has refused NE, Maitland"
Refused youl
Walter repeated the words, though not
incredulously. Only truth, he knew
could have weighted them 50 sadly
"She has refused me, too" he said
"She has never cared for me but as
frieud-simply and only as friend"
'In a few kind words to me, sale
Mr.. Dart. without looking W" she TOLD
me she had given her love elsewhere.
was trying, when you came in, to pre-
mare myself to tell you, / rejoice il
your happiness, Maitland And now
voII-vou Come, and say the same - me-
Buried in one long, sad thought, the
partners in the good old firm sat il
their silent room, while the work arr
pleasure of the world went on without
But the DAYS duties had TO be gone
through, and these were not the mer
to shun them selfshly.
q suppose we had better settle with
Leslie about his holiday" remarked
Mr.. Maitland that afternoon, sending
to summon Tom to the partners room
''He will lose every glimpse of summer
if he waits longer"
"He should not have postponed hi.
holiday. He had his choice. Well
I.esliei when do you wish to start?' in
quired the senior partner, when Ton
entered the room.
''You said about the middle Of Octo
Der, and this is the 2Oth.'
Thank you, Mr.. Dart, but if il
would make no difference, l would
rather take my holiday from the 10Th.
"Then it is to be hoped you are going
on visit" remarked Walter Maitland
pleasantly; "lor November days are no.
the pleasantest for tourist"
81 am not going on tour, sir" Ton
hesitated only a moment; then both hi
listners were conscious of new earnest
ness in his voice: 81 should like to tel
you gentlemen, why I want my holiday
then. The Doth is to be my wedding
day"
AZ Nat rot,,rroJ -...:o.I,- 70 l,to ,t-ri :
ing. Mr.. Maitland arose from his seat
and moved to the fire, turning his bacl
to Tom. Before the ewes of both The
partners there lowered face which haC
led them, too, to dream of a possible wed
ding-day--dreams from which they haC
so lately been awakened.
Itwould be hard, with these memorie
rising thick, to talk to their favorlt
clerk of his good fortune; yet 1t wa
not Walter Maitland's nature to let an.
selfish feeling prevent him.
Indeed, LeslieI" he said, 81 am sur
prised; but very glad, of course, to hea
it. / prognosticate every happiness 70
your wife. OF course l cannot do so 70
you until know who she is,
"You know her well, gentlemen" SAT-
Tom, fuSing. Her father, &lone
| COiJ bBhdAif 10 III ulOI0cl . bOttSAH- "
have rarely visited them except whe
they were alone, because---at my mother
cottage, of course, we could not entertai
their guests. We have always been-a
old friends and relatives should be; and
have always loved Isabel, But it wa
necessary for us to wait little. Thong
it would be difficult for you to realiz
the fact, gentleman, marriage is an e2
pense, and debt"
You can go, Leslie" remarked NJ
Dart, without raising his head.
" And the holiday, sir?''
Take your holiday when you choose
only don't make such fuss about it
$ And Is there nothing more you intenc
ed TO say to me, Mr. Maitland?" inqui
ed Tom.
q should say" remarked Waite
with jealous anger in his eyes, " it is a
irreparable mistake you are making