Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-08-20
OTHER PEOPLES BUSINESS

There is scarcely anything more unfor-
tunate for a man than the absence of
loving women around his childhood and
youth. Mark Ripon had never known
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 ST..
Mark, he had received the name Of the
saint and the name of his native city
and been adopted by the institution.
Wholesome food, stout clothing and q
decent trade hsd 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 100000
But there is success which the world
sees little of-that Of the heart-and in
this respect Mark Ripon was the veriest
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 sis
ter. 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 Marks
love had been cruelty deceived and mock
ed, and he had come out of the chagrin
and sorrow with a confirmed belief in
the general and natural unfaithfulness
of women. Popular maxims anu tests
confirmed him every day in his idea,
and, like most Englishmen, having once
avowed this as his opinion, every reitera-
ton of his own idea was fresh con-
frmation of it.
But he had many friends among his
own SEX Men generally spoke of him
as crusty old bachelor, but otherwise a
well-to-do, shrewd and honorable fellow.
Chief among these friends was young
George DoVnes, the child of the only
companion his boyhcod had ever known
and his 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 wo-
men, and would not credit Marks posi-
ness and unworthiness,
One moonlight night, as Mark was
coming from vestry meeting, he met
George in the cathedral close, and on his
arm was very beautiful girl. The old
man looked angrily and doubtfully st
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 remem-
bered just such an innocent, lovely face
lifted to his, and he had no doubt what
ever that this girl would be just as false
to George as pretty Fanny Maltby had
been to him.
George, however, would not he per-
suaded to doubt her. Then Mark offered
to pay his expenses if he would 60 abroad
and travel for two years; but George
said she had just got place in Butter
fields bank, and preferred q home."
The young man, in Marks eyes, was
bent on running himself, and 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 of
inheriting his godfather's wealth. But
Mark was unlike the generality of men
in many respects, and in none more than
in his behavior to the young man who
had SO fagrantly disregarded all his ad-
vices and entreaties.
He redoubled his care over him, and
watched all his movements with con-
stantly increasing interest. In fact, he
did not blame George at all; he regarded
him as one who, in an unfortunate hour,
had fallen into the hands of power
which was too much for him. He pitied
the happy bridegroom, and resolved as
soon as possible to release him from the
tolls of the woman who had charmed and
enslaved him.
In vain Georges wife smiled upon and
entertained Mark Ripon. He visited
her house, indeed, for it was necessary
to watch her movements; but neither
her smiles, nor songs, nor attentions
moved Mark. He had gone through
that delusion once, and was not to be
deceived again. 1t was one great point
in his favor that George had taken a
house in such situation that he could
keep the young wife under close sur
veillance, and he was confident that