The Newtown bee., 1879-06-03
OTHER PEOPLES BUSINESS.

There is scarcely anything more un- fortunate for man than the absence oi loving women around his childhood and youth. Mark Ripon had never known such women, and offer this fact as some palliation for his want of faith in them.
 He was ignorant of his parentage; he had been found one summer morning on the steps of the Foundation School in Baxtersgate, Ripon and as it was on the festival of St. Mark, he had received the name of the saint and the name of his native city, and been adopted by the in- stitution.
 Wholesome food, stout clothing and a decent trade had been given him by the Foundation. and in many respects he was felt to have done it honor, for, after fifty years of creditable citizenship, he was one of the cathedral vestry, sat in the Common Council of the ancient city which had adopted him, and was said to be worth at least f50,000.
 But there is success which the world sees little of-that of the heart-sand in this respect Mark Ripon was the yeriest pauper. Of the nurses and matrons who had been around his earliest years he had not one tender memory; none of them had fed the hunger of his heart. He had no home, no mother and no sister. The school had been simply place in which to eat and to sleep and to learn.
 Unfortunately, when the lad fell in love, it was with a pretty firt infinitely more heartless than himself But Mark s love had been cruelty deceived and mocked, and he had come out of his chagrin and sorrow with Il confirmed belief in the general and natural un- faithfulness of women. Popular maxims and .jests confirmed him every day in his idea, and like most Englishmen, hay ing once ayowed this as his opinion, every reiteratior. of his own idea was a fresh confirmation of it.
 But he had many friends among his own sex. Men generally spoke of him as a crusty old bachelor, but otherwise a well-to-do, shrewd and honorable fel- low. Chief among these friends was young George Downes, the child of the only companion his boyhood had ever known, and his own godson. If Mark Ripon loved any human being, it was George DoWnes, though as the latter grew up to manhood he gave him a great deal of anxiety. For George preferred the society of women and would not credit Marks positive assur ances o their universal falseness and unworthi- ness.
 One moonlight night, as Mark was coming from D vestry meeting, he met George i'll the cathedral close, and on his arm was very beautiful girl. The old man looked angrily and doubtfully at the pretty face lifted to his favorite's. The bright moonbeams touched her long fair curls, and made the white veil around them like glory. Mark re merabered just such a lovely, innocent face lifted to his, and he had no doubt whatever that this girl would be just as false to George as pretty Fanny Maltby had been to him..
 George, however, would not be per suaded to doubt her. Then Mark offered to pay his expenses if he would go abroad and travel for two years; but George said he had just got place in Butterfield's bank, and preferred a home" The young man, in Marks eyes, was bent on ruining himself,aiid in few weeks he celebrated his wedding with an elaborate rejoicing that reused the'old mans bitterest contempt.
 George fully expected that he would now be ignored, and probably lose for ever any chances he might have had oi inheriting his godfather's wealth. Bul Mark was unlike the generality of nler iIn m am Irspeet ils non more thhr n his behavior fo tlle young mn wIie