Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-08-16

my own terms, and that i should have
no trouble whatever with the Prescott.
The last thing she said to me was;
We'll, young man, come up and talk
with me again tomorrow, when you
have slept upon it, and the last thing
| saw as | left the house was the sweet
smile of the girl as she looked after me
from the door.
"Do you know was fool enough to
say to myself that night: 'Urquehardt,
that beauty has made an impression on
YOU, and If the signs are worth any
thing, YOU are not disagreeable to her.
"The negotiations reached this con-
clusion the next day. | was to give
the Prescott thousand dollars down,
and the rest of the money she would
take i'm yearly installments. l imme-
diately wrote to my mother in Delhi, and
she promised to raise me the five hun
dred dollars by mortgaging piece OF
land. But would have to wait sever
al weeks for the transaction to be COM
pleted. | told all this to the Prescott,
and she said there was no hurry.
WheneverI got the money we could con-
summate the sale. In the meantime,i If |
pleased, could take my five hundred
dollars and make the needed improve
ments that l had suggested. | might
consider that loan from her when we
made our bargain"
"And you did that"
Courses on my folly, did. l was In
fatuated, went every day to the house.
| PLAYED draughts with the old women.
| | listened to all her troubles. got to
chattering with Addie on the stairs.
became intimate with Ellingher. He
entered into all my plans. l had de-
signs made of new soda fountains
Tore out the shelving, put new mar
bles on the prescripton-counter. In
fact, / spent all my time there fol
three weeks. And one day Mrs. Pres
cot said to me: why don't you take
that hall room on the first iloorP You
can have it cheap. It's of no service tC
me, and it will be very convenient fol
you
"Then l went to live there.
alt was the turning point in my
career. From that moment l wa!
doomed"
"You mean sentimentally doomedi
We all are at some time"
81 mean," said Urquehardt, " tina
l was changed absolutely from ;
Christian gentleman to malignan
fiend. You think you are listening t.
the former friend of your school days
It's mistake. I'm not the same per
son. When you have heard me through
YOU will execrate me. A month passed
by in that house. For sentimental
purposes, month is lifetime. AddiI
and l were confidential lovers. haC
found my way to her heart. She sym
pathized with me, and entered into al
my plans as only one can do who has |
prospective interest in them. Whel
not in the shop, | spent most o
my time with her. | was as happy a
a man could well be, for l had an as
sured future, and wasloved.
"On the 26th of July bolt fell ou
of this clear sky and crushed me-"
"Ah, it was business disappoint
ment? A clear sky is always full o
them"
NO" said Urquehardt.
"Well, it was disappointment il
love?"
mo" said Urquehardt. ~ use,
the wrong metaphor l was crushed
by the uneventful march of events.
was ruined because no bolt would fall
son the Goth of July was approach
ing the house, singing in my heart.
had just bought little present TO
Addie; it was coral rose, exquisitel,
cut. | had it in my pocket, and my
fingers were around it. l looked up
A young man was ringing the door-bell
Something made me pause. Some in
stinct of my soul recognized my enemy
He was tall, handsome fellow, with
pink face, blonde whiskers, and an ex
quisite's dress. l stepped back anC
waited. Presently l heard feminin,
'a-hem.' He looked up. A smilin;
face was at the window overhead.
heard him say he called about the drug
store, and desired to see Mrs. Prescott
A moment latter the door opened ant
he went i'm
"A harmless bolt" l remarked
"You turned it asideP"
"No," replied Urquehardt; al
turned me aside. Irushed to the Pres
cot to remind her that her shop wa
not in the market. She pooh-poohe
me, and said had no head for busi
ness. flew to Addie. She was talk
ing affably with the handsome druggis
at the front door. She avoided me al
day. sought Ellingher. He frank
acknowledged that the new man ha
been looking at the stock. protested
squirmed, appealed. But the hand
some man came next day. He eve
played game of draughts, and hear
Addie laughing at his fiippant remarks
| stopped him on the street and tol
INN that l had made arrangements t
buy the store. He said promptly: IS
have |. l shall take possession mex
week His good looks, his placid man
ner, his imperturbable urbanity mad
dened me. | felt at once that the ma
was a type of the inexorable, and tina
/ would be destroyed by him withou
hope, as an iceberg is destroyed b
sunshine. Never in all my life had
experienced such sense of utter help
lessness as when in the presence of tina
mild, ,invincible monster, for he SCENE
to have the machinery of fate benin
him, and to be entirely irresponsible
The price of the concern is $4,000.
have offered that amount in cash. h
said softly, but convincingly. 'Yo
|, have made some improvements in tn
store, | understand. l shall have {
reimburse you, suppose, when / gC
started. If you look in tomorrow, T.
} go over them with you.' With that h
touched his hat and smilingly went of
"This incOmprehensible superiority
which / could not defne-the alacrit
with which my nature felt the mastery {
destiny in this man-was what incense
me. knew perfectly well in my sol
= from that moment that he would hav
his own way. could not compreheA
it, nor could reason about it. Icoul
only feel it. When l caught Add
alone and upbraided her, | was nC
therefore unprepared for her cool a
, surance that had allowed my fancy {
lead me astray, and that her treatmer
} of me did not warrant any such rider
lous hopes as entertained.
"In word, sir, my jig was up.