The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-12-19
Through FlOOd---ThrOugh Fire


Through FlOOd---Through Fire
Il assure yOu, my dear boy, | am pK'
tremely sorry To appear unkind i'm this
matter; but, believe me. ! am acting
for the best"
"But surely ! may srr Rosie as
UsualI" | asked.
81 am afraid not" replied Mr.
Temple. at would be very injudi-
eiOns. YOu are both too young and rO-
mantle AT present Besides, your
means are utterly Inadequate 10 main
tain wife"
MAY | not bid Rosie goodbye.
them | persisted. "One more meet
ing cannot hurt either Of us"
"ROSie is not at home" replied her
father, gently, almost Sympatheticdlly,
as he shook me by the hand. ''Nhe
went to stay with some friends YES
terday. Good night; and hope for
better DAYS"
Good night" replied. Il suppose
YOU don't mean to lie unkind, Mr..
Temple, but yOu have made me very
miserable"
MY dear young friend" he replied,
putting his hand kindly on my should
er, were You in a position to maintain
wife, l would sanction your engage
ment in time; but now such 4 course,
though painful for us all, is the only
one Mrs. Temple and l can in justice
adopt We shall be pleased to see you
again after our return from the con-
tinent. Good night"
Imade no reply-indeed, | could not
have spoken Just then. My throat
was chOked with tears, and big drops
Welled slowly from my eyes as l
walked away across the open space
facing the house. This was to be the
termination of our engagement, theni
Rosie Temple and had fiattered our-
selves that a series of dances, picnicS,
and charade parties, with very good
knowledge of lawn tennis and crOquet,
constituted housekeeping. We had
only 600 year between us, and dear
Rose ALWAYS spent $40 at least on her
dress annually. She had lately been
very economical in the matter OF
gloves, and had made herself a bonnet
which was in every sense becoming;
still, we were not much nearer ID
matrimOny then; and now
so i pursued my way across the COM
mon, and / do not mind cOnfeSSlng
that / shed tears as | walked IN that
dark evening beneath the trees and in
to the gloomy and desOlate high road,
caring for nothing and for nobody eX-
cept Rosie, my pretty, piqIIGilte Rose I;
wondering whether she had gOne-Or
had she really gone. Was ii not a
pardOnable Subterfuge on the part of
Mr.. Temple to induce me 10 leave the
nfighbOrhOOd?
At that time ! had, unfortunately,
no OccupatiOn. had been a clerk in 4
banking-hOusP. hut the "had times
had necesSitated a reduction in the
"Staff." and | was one of those sent
away at months notice and months
salary. True, | had 4 small Income
deriYable from a legacy, but this was
scarcely enough to keep me in bread
and cheese and clothing.
1t will therefore be seen that Mr..
Temple was quite right. Matrlmony
was a luxury I cOuld not afford. ] ac-
knOwledged it even then, as ! went
home despOnding.
When reached my lodgings found
two letters awaiting me. One was
from INV brother, who was command
ing a detachment of his regiment in
Ireland. the other was from my late
fathers solicitor / opened the ~6f-
fetal" note first.
1t contained only a few lines, re-
questing me to call on him in London
in daY or two, as perhaps / might be
able to do some work for the good
natured lawyer.
The other letter was most cheerful,
and bore a warm invitation to share
nv brothers country quarters for a
fortnight, "Or longer if ] liked, next
month.
Before L went to bed l replied TO
both my kind correspondents, accept
ing both invitations.
Next day ] went up to London, and
i'm the afternoon / called upon the so
licitOT nerYOuSly.
His business was simple. Did L
know French? | did. Was l ac-
quainted with bookkeeping? | was.
"Well, then" said he, Twill you go to
Geneva, and transact this business,
particulars of which / Will give You
tomorrow! You shall be paid as my
clerk, and have your expenses and
something besides"
Agreed" | said gladly; Il will go.
When am to set out =
AS soon as YOU can get ready. II
YOU do this well think l can help you
10 something better"
l wrung his hand and left him, took
the first train home, packed up, and
next morning at IL o'clock was AT the
Office in London again. | wrote to my
brother telling him the facts, mastered
my instruction, ana next morning l
was in Paris.
found the business at Geneva much
more complicated than L expected. 1t
was a liquidation case. Day after
day passed; the days ran into weeks.
and at last, after six weeks hard work
and run To ChamOuni, WAS on my
way home again.
We'll dOner was the verdict passed
upon my efforts, and was very well
come, accompanied, as il was, with a
check for fifty guineas.
Call on me when | return To town,
said my friend, "in about five weeks
time, and | will tell YOU something /
think you will be glad to hear"
NV thoughts Immediately flew TO
Rosie. Not that / had by any means
forgotten her; but now that | was idle
again ] felt even more detected than
ever. Liquidation cases are not rO-
mantle.
was now at liberty to join my
brother. l telegraphed at once, and AT
IL o'clock that evening | was knocked
lIp to take i'm the rPplV.
1t was short and 10 the point. 1t
ran thus: Come along, old fellow;
stay as long as You like"
l went. l lived with the detach-
ment; and what fun We had Fishing
in a fine river close by; cricket; lite
shooting, for September was upOn MS
now: rowing up and down the stream,
and dining with the hOSpitable Irish
residents, made up the total of our
davs after parade or inspection.
One guest night-fOr We had our lit
tie social parties OccasiOnally-we were
sitting at the open windows, when the
sub of the party exclaimed:
what a glare there is yOnder, It's
a fire, / believe"
4Bedad, you're rightr' said one of
our guests. Its down by Sir Johns; (;
he has a house full. hope its not the
house ITSELF
"Shall turn out the pickett asked
my brother. "Why, look, its increas-
ing; they may want assistance"
As he spoke the flames mounted up,
and the lurid smoke rose high into the
glare above.
sound the fire-call and turn out the
pickets, HamblyR," said my brother.
Take the men down at the double.
Wen drive over. Come along. Look
sharpP
/ hn1nied ont for cont Ia cnNer my