The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-06-08

found Black the centre OF an admillng Devy a
|, the depot He had quite an imposing make
= up and glib tongue, which he used in in
r Weighing against our system of paving. HI
complained of the condition of good man,
things in our young township. and seemed Il
gain popularity with every fault that he found
At last he spied me, and was exceedingly louC
and ELUSIVE in his salutatiOn.
Halo, Brown" he sad, shaking my hanl
again and again, and declaring to the people
about him | was an old friend whom he wa
glad to unearth "I've run you down, you
Islly fox. That's Il very snug little place arounC
the cOrncr-vcry snug indccdn,
wouldn't have believed it possible | coulC
have been such an ass as to feel ilattcred by
this familiarity Of Blacks, but | found myself
Sinking and nodding with great complacen
Icy Here were at least halfa dozen Of the gent
ry about me who lived in big houses IN my
lneghborhood, that | had been going up and
down to the city with for years, yet scarcely
knew them well enough for an exchange Of
civillties, and here was Black already hand in
glove with the finest Of them. 1t makes me
sick now when ! remember that turned my
back on poor old White, and went t0adylng
on with aristocracy. White lived in even a
smaller house than mine, and had hard enough
work to paw for that II, had failed in bust.
ness some years before and don't know what
they would have done without their boy Bob.
| He was with me in the city, and knew that a
goodly portion of the lads earnings were given
over to the support of the house. 1t was rGth-
or hard for Bob, but he bore his lot with great
resignation. llecamc over pretty often to have
IA game of cribbagc and talk over business mat
tiers with me, and found him sharp enough
at both. Then he had pleasant way with the
women. Our little Resale was little more
,l, al I,,t Sn1I, hi,
when Bob came in, till she got into that kink
about the Blacks
you'll stay here with Resale, won't you,
Bob, till we come back?' | said TO young
White: and as | spoke felt Sally give a saw
age pinch to my arm No sooner were we out
side the door than she began about poor Bob.
"If you have no regard for your daughters
future, and choose to throw her away on u
poor miserable beggar like Bob White" be-
gan Sally.
"Whv, my dear" | broke in, "Rosalie's
mere child. Don't begin to plan about her flu
turc beg Of you. She's scarcely left off her
pinafores, and If ever there was maiden medi-
tation, fancy free anywhere, it lies in the
brown eyes Of our Resale"
BY this time We had reached the imposing
portal of Blacks house and were soon ushercd
INTO the presence of the satin damask and ebony.
DIuCh y CUlIliIcH "tIt IlDllt vi lntIl grown,
but were precocious enough to take the lead in
conversation; and we sat for whole mortal
hour and listened to the eldest hammer out
upon the piano what Mrs. Black called ''rev
erie" | was glad when Black took me into
his library, where there were some good CT.
CARS and some pretty fair wine, and we eftthc
women to themselves
But goodly quantity of poison was Infused
into Sally's system and mine before we left the
big luxurious house, and we went home to.
gether as changed as if touched by the rod of
an enchanter.
Dear mcn' sad Sally, what little cub.
byhole this is! declare its quite like a ba-
by house"
I'D like to have library like Blacks"
said |, taking up the refrain. It's nice to
have room," | continued to Bob White,
"where man can take his friends 1t would
be far pleasanter, TOR instance, if could have
our game Of cribbage without the continued
gable of women in our ears"
"Oh, ] aont think So" said Bob don't
think so at ALL"
The lad looked over at Rosalic and bushed
ungeniousy. The color deepencd in Rosalle's
cheeks till 1t went far ahead of the crimson in
Blacks satin danlask upholstery, and shy
CLEAN shot from her brown eyes that sent Il
flood of light into my obtuse Uranium
began to think that Sally was right. Bob
White was all very well in his way, but no
sort of match for my daughter Rosale She
was my one eve lamb-the bonnicst, best, and
dearest little girl the sun ever shone upon.
And besides all this, there was the secret con
seriousness that she could, if she wanted to,
dress I'm silk attire and siller hae to spare"
hadn't lived IN PLAIN way all these years
for nothing People about me began to real
l, tn1t
he was man Of no uncomfortable means.
Black had managed to convey this intelligence
10 them, and found no fault with this friend
illness on his part. Old White never thought
IF such a thing as taking the seat beside me
now on our way down on the train; it was gen
rally filled by more popular parties, and | be
gan To take quite an interest in the social and
political points of discussion.
All this cost me considerable in the way of
line and money. My games of cribbage were
ew and far between, and put my name to all
he subscriptions they chose to get up; but |
lidn't mind the money, and | had long since
determined that the less Resale saw of young
White the better. The color grew Il little less
vivid III her rounded cheeks, and the light less
nlschievous and joyous in her eyes; but Sarah
said thought this was really II more suitable
name for my wiie's years and dignity-that
w b'tu'l was SION lHp iolcH anu more IT,
fined every day. It. had even lately attracted
he attention of Mr.. Percival Green, the junior
member of Blacks firm, and Green was one of
hose live, active business fellows who was sure
10 make his mark III the world. | told my
wife to spare no expense for Rosalie's advance
mcnt and happiness, but was sorry TO see lack
IF spirit upon her part, and quiet denial to
partake of these new pleasures of popularity.
one thing was certain-radical measures
must be tak ken to put gulf between her and
Bob White that could not readily be bridged
over The whole White family were rs proud |
Is Lucilcr, and | knew | should have very lit. |
lie trouble IN convincing them that the old in
imacy had better be broken of. Nv new |
house on the Boulevard began to take noble |
dimensions, and had already cost me a mint of
money. It's marble hallswere spacious enough |
o chill me TO the bone and there was quite
melancholy cXpanse of mud and masonry in |
Is vicinity