Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-06-25
The lJsurer'S Gift.

V0ut
A few months ago IN London an old
man sat in a large panelled room in one
of the streets near Soho square. Every
thing in the apartment was brown with
age and neglect. Nothing more super
latively .dingy could well be imagined.
The leathern covers of the chairs were
white and glossy at the edges the car =
net was almost Of uniform tint not
wlthstanding It's original gaudy con-
trasis: there were absurd old engravlngs
upon the walls-relics Of the infancy OF
tho ort-and curtains to the windows
which the smoke of years had darkened
from a delicate fawh to rusty choco-
late color. II the centre of the room,
and. as it were, the sun of this dusty
system. stood an office table OF more
modern manufacture, at which was seat
ed the old man alluded to. sole lord and
master of the dismal donicile. lie was
by profession mcney-lender. His age
might be from sixty to sixty-iive years :;
his face was long. and his features SEEM
cd carved out of lockwood or yellow
sandstone. so destitute were they OF
mobility his eyes were Of a cold' pale
steel color, but his brows were black
and tufted. like a grim old owl; a long,
aouiline nose. a thin and compressed
mouth, and a vast double chin, buried
in voluminous white neckcloth gilmore
than one days wear, completed the por-
trait. Nor did the expression Of his
countenance undergo any pcrceptiblc
change as, after timid knock, the door
opened. and young man entered OF
sineularly interesting appearance.
The newcomer was well dressed
though his clothes were none OF the
newest, and had the air OF a man ac-
customed 10 society. His pale brow
was marked with those long horizontal
lines of which time IS rarely the artist
His dark, deep set gray eyes flashed
with a painful brightness his long
chestnut hair. damp with perspration'
clung in narrow strips to his forehead :;
his whole manner implied the man who
had made up his mind to some ex'raor-
dinarv course, from which no waverlng
or weakness on his part was likely to
turn him ASIDE. whatever the opposition
of others might compel him to abandon
or determine. Bending his tall figure
slightly, he addressed the money'lender
in tone ofconstrained calmness.
You lend money, l believe"
'Sometimes-on good security re-
n,ied the usurer, indiflerently, forming a
critical summary of bis VISITORS costume
at a glance.
The stranger hesitated; there was a
discouraging sort Of GOODNESS in the
mode of delivering this answer that
seemed to PREJUDICE his propositlon.--
Nevertheless he resumed with an effort,
I saw your advertisement in the pa
per.' The usurer did not even nod in
answer to the prelude. He sat bolt up
right in his chair, waiting further infor-
nation. L am, as you will see by
these papers, entitled to some proper
tv reversion.'
The usurer stretched out his hand for
The papers, which he looked over care
fully with the same implacable tranquil
ity, while his visitor entered into eX'
planatlon as to their substance.
Once only the money-lender pcered
over the top of the document he was
scanning, and said grufly: 'Yourname,
sir, Is Bernard West"
1T is replied the stranger, mechan-
ically taking up newspaper, in which
The first thing which caught his eye was
ne advertisement alluded to, which ran
thus Money to any amount advanced
Immediately on every description of Sc
curity, real Or personal. Apply, be-
tween the hours of 10 and 5, to Mr.. John
Brace. - street, Soho 'quare.'
After brief interval of silence the
usurer metbodically rearranged the pa.
pers and returned them to the
stranger. They are of no use, he said,
mo use whatever-thc reTersion IS
merely contingent. You have no avail
able security TO of'er?'
Gould you not advance something
upon these expectations-not even a
small sum? p
Not a farthing,' SAID the money
lender.
Is there no way oil raising nltY, tnir-
ty-even twenty poundsS' SAID the
stranger, anxiously. and with the te-
nacity of drowning man grasping at
straw.
There is a way said the usurer'
carelessly. West in his turn was silent
awaiting the explanation of his compan'
ion. 'On personal security continued
the latter with a sinister impatience,