Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-03-07
Two Hundred Thousand Pounds.
A GooDY-GooDY STORY OF AN oLD-FAsHIoNEp
KIND

KIND.
| shall never forget the uncomfortable po-
Eition that found myself in through too free
use of that unruly member, the tongue. |
was young fellow then, clerk in a London
bank. Ny father was an officer in the army,
and he often told us boys that setting each of
US up in some business or profession was all
he could ever do for us. for the scanty pit
tance he would leave behind must belong
solely to my mother and sister But my
brother and | 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 I was
greatly surprised on my arrival at the bank,
to find my father pacing up and down before
the building. l was not living at home just
then and his presence there made me fear
lest something wa, wrong
philip, he began, ''are you in time z
Can you spare me three minutes 7"
Yes, sir, replied ''for a wonder see
| am ten minutes saricr than / need be-
What Is the mattcr?"
DO not look so startled, he said Moth
ing is wrong. You know Mr.. Fosberry 2"
"Oh, You mean the half-cracked old man
who Is awfully rich, and is my godfather. as
well rs cousin thirty times removed?' asked
Yes w'.S the reply. We'll last night
received letter from him, after years Of 81
lence, in which he asks after you" And he
read me the Litter.
"What queer old boy! l exclaimed.
What does le mean Z" for did not exactly
understand it,
Mean :" criedmy father excitedly, snatch
ing the letter from me, and crushing it in his
pocket. Mean why, to make you his
heir, Phil,p--his heir"
"Whew!" said l, blushing; that's good
idea"
you must apply for leave and go of at
once" said my father Strike while the
irons hot. It's a splendid chance, Philip
splendid Use it well and your fortune is
made"
So thought, applied for leave, and set of
for tho Paddington station soon after, with
my cars ringing with legion of instructions
for pleasing old men, given me by my fellow
clerks. The only one | could clearly remem-
Der was to rise whenever he came into the
room, and then eschew every comfortable
m-chair for fear he should want it. | felt
bursting with importance, and actually treat
ed myself to a glass of hot whiskey and wa
ter at the refreshment room.
"Holo Philip" suddenly called a voice.
why, Jack, what brings you here ?" re-
piled, recognizing friend John Evans.
~ am going down to Gloucester" said he.
Where are you off to ?"
"Oh, to such luck !" cried. ~ am of
beyond Hereford, to humor an old gentle
man 20
"What ?" said Jack
Come along, and I'll tell you all about it, "
said l. 'Seoond-class? Yes, all right. Here
we are"
After We were settled in our places, nm old
man got in, He was poorly dressed and wore
green shade over one eye, while the other
looked weak and dropping. We grunted our
disapproyal at his entrance, and made mutual
grmaces, but as his blind eye was towards
us, they were lost to him. As the train
moved off, told Jack my story, which you
know already.
"Well done, Philip! Your bread is but
tered for you" he exclaimed when he had
heard me to the end. "What glorious
chance Man alive, | wish l were in your
shoes, that's all
''Yes, yes, my boy. All right" I ex-
claimed, "Well, it's shame if don't Sc
cure good smoke now, before the light Of
my pipe goes out in obscurity. Do you Oh
ject TO smoke. sir?
This latter question was addressed to the
old gentleman in the corner, who appeared u
curious mass of old coats railway rugs and
newspapers.
i do object very much, was the grumy
spoken reply.
Very sorry, sir, said l. 'I'l keep my
head out of the window, then"
Shame seiZes me when | recall this Incl
dent. In lieu of attending to the old mans
wishes, l coolly lit my pipe. and though
knew the wind would blow the smoke right
into his eyes-though l heard him growing
with nge-I pulled ON heedlessly. l should
be sorry to be so rude now, but you see l was
young and excited.
The short January afternoon was drawing
TO a close, and very soon after we were de-
pendent for light on the lamp that hung
from the centre of the carriage roof,
Whether it was the old mans example, who