The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-11-16
How Nh. Jerome MOTd1lni Squared Up
BY SHIRLEY BROWNE.

And he really owes all this money ."
said Mrs, Castlethorpe.
She was tall, portly, old lady, with u
false front of intensely brown curls, fresh
complexion, and spectacles that seemed to
gleam at you like twin moons every time
she looked your way-and she always wore
black satin, with reckerchief of white
tulle, and a heavy gold chain wound round
and round her neck and falling in glittcring
fcstoons across her chest.
eyes, ma'am," said Mr.. Audrey her legal
adviser, " I'm afraid he does" ...
"Then," said Mrs. CastlethorpQ, " he's a
downright lar
"Very likely, ma'am," said Mr.. Audrey,
dryly. "Young men have misreprosented
facts before now, and will again, am
afraid" ...
" But he told me that the last eight hun
drcd dollars would settle all his debts-and
here is q washerwoman'4 bill, tailor's ac-
count, q bootmakcr's little memorandum,
and thirty dollars borrowed of Higgins, the
jewoler, on Il set of ruby shirt studs; to say
nothing of these other bills" and Mrs. Cas-
tlethorpe nodded her head towards pile Of
slips ofpapcr that lay under an ivory weight,
at her left hand. "Why, it's perfectly dis
graceful lie has deceived me! lie has per-
jured himself OFT and out -
Mr.. Andrey looked wooden and impertur-
bablo. To him every phase of human rogu-
cry and duplicity seemed not only possible,
but probable.
"But won't stand it," cried the old lady,
growing more and more excited, /" I'll teach
him lesson -
"You will cut or supplies, ma'am2" said
Mr. Audrey, interogatively.
"No-oh, no!' said Mrs. Casticihorpc
scratching her nose with the point of her
crochet needle. "Tll lct him have the five
hundred dollars l promised him. am a
person of my word, whatever he is" with
an accent Of infinite scorn. But, Audrey,
haven's told you about the worst debt OF
alp
Indeed, ma'am ?" ...
ellis landlady's daugLter-a poor, little,
bluc-eyed thing, with her head hanging
down, and the prottiest yellow hair ever
saw-cdmo here yesterday. lie owes her g
heart p
Borrowed, ma'am?' said Lawyer An
drcy, with twinkle of his dark eyes.
Well, yes" ossonted Mrs. Castlethorpo,
grimly. Engaged himself to her while he
boarded there. Dropped her completely
when he was able to remove to more aristo-
cratic quarters, Broke her poor, little heart.
Bica he shall mend it again."
"Do you think it is probable, ma'am ?
asked Mr.. Andres, rather obviously.
a will make it probable!" said Mrs.
Castlcthorpe, resolutely. You're not en-
gagged to dinner for tomorrow evening, are
you, Mr.. Andrey?"
Il believe not"
Pray, give US the pleasure of your COM
pany, them" said Mrs. Costlethopc. "At
six precisely. TO meet my rerhcw Jerome.
and a select few of his friends"
Full dress?" asked the lawyer.
ooh, of course!' said Mrs. Castlethorpe,
brislly.
And Mr.. jerome Mordaunt, lounging oyer
q French novel in the elegant seclusion Of
his apartments, was puzzled at the note he
received from his rich aunt.
Dear Jerome: Come TO dinner at Elk
tomorrow night, and we will have a little
talk over your affairs. The five hundred
dollars viii be ready. Your atiectionate
aunt. CONSOLATION CAsTLETHORPE."
"Tho old lady is coming to her senses
eh?" said he folding The billet into the shape
of cigar lighter. "Woll, Pm glad of that.
couldn't have kept up the campaign much
longer without ammunition! III be there
punctual to the minute, dear Aunt Conny
may be quite surew
He was as good as his woTd. At six t0
the second, he bowed himself debonarly in
to Mrs, Castlethorpe's old-icshioucd dining
room-old fashioned, but eminently COM
Portable. A fire of anthracite coal, glowcd
and cracked in the CRATE; wax candles
shone with white lustre in silver candeabra,
and large centre-piece Of flowers decked
the middle Of the board, with solid silver
glass onamented with a monogram, and
painted china were arranged to the best adj
vantage. Mrs. Castlethorpo was rich, and
she liked to show it.
"Ohw its you, Jerome is it ?" said she
" Pray walk in. Take that seat at the head
of the table. You are my guest of honor to,
night. jones'" to the old butler, show in
my other friends"
And while Jerome ATordaunt was marvel,
ing what this unusual politeness could por-
tend, old Jones threw open the folding doors
and in marched Lawyer Audrey, followed
byistichem the tailor in his Sundays best
Mrs. Riordan, the washerwoman, in a sur
prising mob-caP. Lastly the consumptivC
little bootmakor, Higgins, the jeweler, Prick
en-, the cigor-merohaut, and Spill, the wine,
dealer. While last, but not least, followed
| Mrs. Nuttiugiale, the boarding-housekeeper
and her pretty, blushing daughter, Ruth,