Smyrna times., 1878-07-17

lntCl IuS IOOk place.
The young lawyer had few thousand
dollars which he at once invested in q
house, more pretentious than any of the
village homes to which Ruth had been ac.
customed. 1t must be admitted that she
enjoyed the consequence which attached
to her from her style of living, and her
husbands position. She had gained what
she sought. What matter if she had no
real affection for her husband, or he for
her, for she soon made this double dis
covery. She was at last a lawyear's wife,
and could mention her husbands business
without shame to her fashionable friends.
AS for James Wilkins, he soon removed
from the village, and settled in town in
Ohio. His sparse means he invested in
lands and foreseeing that the town at no
distant day was likely to become point
OF considerable Importance, he borrowed
money for the same purpose. His sagacity
was proved by the event. In a few years a
railroad was built, running through his
land. Its value was greatly increased. So,
too, the houses he had built on speculation
were enhanced in value. Hefound himself
in fifteen years rich man.
More than this, his fellow citizens dis
covered his probity and sound practical
sense, and judgement. He was elected to
the State Legislature, where he became
man of influence. Whatever political
question arose he studied faithfully, de-
voting his leisure time also to the acquisi-
tion of those branches of learning which
his limited education had not allowed him
to become familiar with. He was every.
where acknowledged to be rising man,
and popular favorite. Accordingly it
surprised no one but himself when he was
put in nomination for Congress. The
contest was spirited one, for party feeling
ran high, yet when it was terminated by
the success of James Wilkins, he was so
generally respected that the whole district,
opponents as we'll as friends, acquiesced in
the result, James Wilkins, M. C.. He had
attained a position which would have
gratified Ruths ambition. But she had
thrown him aside. Do not fancy that he
remained single for her sake. He said
! truly that Ruth was not what he had sup
! posed. Her marriage to Fortescue, the
motive of which he understood, had cured
him of all for her. There was a Mrs
wilkins, however, an amiable, attractive
woman, who had been a helpmate, anc
who, though proud of her husbands eleva
ton, had never blushed because he was
mechanic.
Meanwhile how Jared Mrs. Fortescue
Her husband was shallow pretender t
talents which he did not possess. This wa
found out after a while, and affected hi
professional success. Feeling that he wa
not appreciated, he removed to large
place, that his talents might have n wide
field. But here, too, the verdict was tn,
same. He failed to acquire the confidence
of the more respectable classes, and hi
chief earnings came from sharp practic
among the most ignorant, who were dupet
by his consequential airs into thinking hin
a man of talent. Meanwhile his littl
property became yearly less from the in
roads which were made upon it, unit
nothing remained.
Finding his professional success so poor
he turned his attention to politics. AZ
complained by his wife, he went to Wash
ington to try his luck at gaining a govern
ment office. They took cheap lodging:
and waited upon different officials in tn
hope of interesting them in their sui
But, as usually happens, there were te
office seekers to one Office, and all thei
efforts proved unavailing. Meanwhil
their scanty funds gave out. They wer
warned to leave their lodging house, an
in despair Mrs, Fortescue went out int
! the street with her husband, now lookin
8 very seedy and disreputable. On Penn
: sylvania Avenue. they met well-dresse
: gentleman who looked at them earnestly
Am | mistaken" he said at length, &C
do see Mr.. and Mrs. Fortescue?
), "You are right, sir" said the lady, ''bl
| do not recall you at ALL"
I" Yet you once knew me Intimately" /
2 2 said. " / am James Wilkins"
! James wilkins u exclaimed Mrs. For
" | l. l. L I-R
ors's elevation. "Are you living in Was
y ington ?'
, "For the present, yes You have n
4 heard, then, that | am a member of Co
gress."
"a member of Congressp' exclaim,
+ she amazed.
= You are surprised" said he smilin
:, "Well, so was |, when first heard of
= = But how has the world gone with you, u
u friend ?"
- Badly" said Mr.. Fortescue, gloomiI
came to seek an Office but have fail
= = in my application. My money is sper
:. and ! have just been turned out of n
= boarding house."
- "You are indeed unfortunate" said t
te member of Congress. 81 fear l cam
- help you to an office, but friend of mi
=" in Ohio is in want of book keeper.
y will accept you on my recommendatic
:. :. but the salary is small, only eight hundr
er dollars"
ct 81 will accept it gratefully" said Fort
cue, "only l am ashamed to say it, l ha
y no money to defray my expenses"
n n "That is easily remeded," said Wiki
le and he hastily wrote off check for t
;, hundred dollars, saying:
~ You need not trouble yourself to rep
rs this. Your wife and are old friends, a
70 on the score of old friendship she v
y please accept it."
q This assistance was like a plank t.
- u drowning man and was thankfully
II cepted.
x, "What a pity l didn't marry hin
~ thought Ruth regretfully. "Who col
II, have imagined that common carpen
as as would ever become a member of G
tn grees2"
rs So Ruth's ambition defeated itself, O
~ her false pride proved the bar to her
VI vancement.
lty REsUMPTIoN.-It is stated on the v
} a best authority that Secretary Sherman
decided to and will announce the resur
I'll ton of specie payments by the United Sta
he government on or before the 1st of
he cember next. The law requires that
is sumption shall take place January ne
ire This action of the secretary, if taken,
he be to intercept congressional legislation