, 1879-11-06
Two Hundred Thousand Pounds.

pOSllOl va.,LJ AN"'AN az .r'' 80 =
too free use Of that umruly member, the
tongue. I was young fellow then,
clerl, in London bank. My fatherwas
m officer in the army, and he often told
us bows that setting each Of US up IN
business or profession was all he could
ever do for MS, for the scant pittance he
would leave behind him must belong
solely to my mother and sister. But my
brother and I were energetic and hopeful.
So long as each day brought us enough
to satisfy our daily wants, we rocked
little of the future.
One bleak, cold January morning |
was greatly surprised on my arrival at
the bank to find my father pacing up
and down before the building. | was
not living at home just then, and his
presence there made me fear lest some
thing was wrong.
phillip" he began, "aro you in time
Can you spare me three minutesP
eyes sir" / replied, "for wonder, |
see am ten minutes earlier than | need
be. You know Mr. Fosberry?"
"Oh, you mean the half cracked old
man who is awful rich, and is my god
father, as well as cousin thirty times re-
movedl' l asked.
"Yes," was the reply. "Well, last
night I received a letter from him, after
years Of silence, in which he asks after
YOU" And lie read me the letter.
"What queer old boyG | IeXclaimed.
"What does he meanl" for | did not
exactly understand it. aorr@og
''Mean p cried my father, excitedly,
snatching the letter from me and crush
ing it in his pocket. "Mean why to
make you his heir, Phillip--his heirP
"Whew," sail !, blushing; "that's a
good idea" A.,
"You must apply for leave and go of
at once" said my father. ''Strike while
the iron is hot. It's a splendid chance,
Phillip-splendid Use it well, and your
fortune is made"
So L thought, applied for leave, and set
off for the Paddington station soon after,
with, my ears ringing with a legion of
instructions for pleasing old men given
me by my fellow clerks. The only one
| could clearly remember was, TO rise
whenever he came into the room, and
then eschew every comfortable arm chair
for fear he should want it. ] felt burst
ing with Importance, and actually treated
myself to glass of hot whisky and water
atthe refreshment room. t
''Hello, William p suddenly cried u
voice.
"Why, Jack, what brings you here 2"
/ replied, recognizing friend, John
Evans
~ am going down to Gloucester" F." said
he. "Where are you off to-"
sob, to such luck p l cried. 81 am
off beyond Hartford to honor an old
gentlemen =
"Whatl" said Jack.
"Come along, and I'll tell you all
about it, said l. "5econd classl Yes,
all right. Here we are 3suo
After we were settled in our places all
old man got out. He was poorly
dressed, and wore green shade over
one eye while the other looked weak and
dropping. We grunted our disapproval
at his entrances, and made mutual grim,
aces, but his blind eye was towards us,
they were lost to him. AS the train
moved off, l told Jack my story, whi,h
you know already.
swell done, Philip Your bread is
buttered for you," he exclaimed when he
had heard me to the end. "What a
glorious chance Man alive / wish
we're in your shoes, that's ALL"
"Yes yes, my boy. All right p |
exclaimed. "Well, its a shame if | don't
secure good smoke now, before my pipe
goes out in obscurity. Did you object
to smoke, sir ?"
The latter question was addressed to
the old gentleman in the corner who ap.
pearcd q curious mass of old coats, rail-
way rugs and newspapers.
Il do object very much was the
grufly spoken reply.
Every sorry, sir" said /. "I'll keep
my head out of the window then"
Shame seizes me when 1 recall this in
eident, In lieu to attending to the old
mans wishes, coolly lit my pipe though
knew the wind would blow the smoke
right into his eyes--I pufFed on heed
lessly. | should be sorry to beso rude
now, but you see I WAS young and eg-
cited,
The short January afternoon was