The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-08-23

Hc appreciates the com pllment.
L do not say that Mr.. John Riddel had
not some admirers among the fair sex
who loved him for his own sake. Indeed
it was whispered among his detractor
that, like the first Duke of Marlborough,
and other great men who ought to have
known better, he derived pecuniary ad-
vantage from their devotion so him; that
the sums expended in macassar-oil, &C.,
for the adornment of his appearance,
came back to him twenty-fold in SUBJ
stantial tokens from duchesses and
countesses, and the like. Goodness
knows whether there was any truth in
such stories. Perhaps it pleased his
rivals to invest the drudgery that was
their daily lot with this halo of romance.
For my part my tastes are sensational,
and do what | can to make my beliefs
correspond with them; but, on the other
hand, my strong common sense declares
for moderation as regards Mr.. Riddel and
the ladies of rank; therefore | draw the
line at duchesses. But he was certainly
as fascinating as he was hard-hearted.
When any lady customer who was un-
known to him got out of her brougham
for no one ever came in a cab to
Messrs. MOonstone's establishment-and
moved up the shop in his direction, he
would look at her through his half-shut
eyes-for they were of the "dreamy -
| order of beauty-and murmur to him.
self, "Now, is this swindler or bona
tide party2" and many bona fide party
did he serve with much external polite
ness who little dreamed of the suspicion
which she excited within him.
He thought it a bad sign when they
took off their gloves, and under such
circumstances would always decline to
show them those specimens of rough dia-
monds which a wet finger can carry
away with it. And when they offered
to pay for their little purchases by
check, it was quite pretty to hear him
explain, in his soft voice, how the "sys
tenn" of the firm was a ready-money
one, and that no exception could be
made in favor of any one, however high.
ly connected, who was not personally
known to it.
You might have thought, perhaps,
that the entertainment of such suspi-
cions, MOTTO mention the EVIL commu.
nications (when they turned out 20 be
well founded) to which he was necessa.
rily exposed, would have corrupted his
own integrity; but this was not the case
his employers trusted him quite literally
with untold gold, and he was the last
man to have abused their confidence,
And yet, as have said, he was not pop
ulaf. Indeed, the story which | am
about to relate concerning him, and
which is certainly of q character to
arouse sympathy and compassion, was
told me by his fellow-clerk, Mr.. Nation,
(who has given me his ace-of-spades
adventure in very different style), with
great deal of waggishness and enjoy.
ment.
One afternoon brougham stopped al
Messrs. MoOnstone's establishment with
widow in it; about the brougham there
could be no sort of doubt; it was not q
private vehicle, but one of those which
are hired by the day or hour; the ap.
pearance of the driver, not to mention
that of the horse, precluded the posi-
bility of its being the property of the
person who employed it. If she thought
to be set down among Carriage people y
because she used such a conveyance, she
must have been sanguine indeed. And
so far that was good sign. People that
came to rob on a scale worth mentioning,
Il am not thinking of those who slipped
any unconsidered trife, such as q ring OF
spray, into their muffs; they were
always detected and bowed out of the
shop into the arms of a policeman in
plain clothes who stood at the door,
people, l say, who wanted to saoindle,
were always very particular about the
vehicle that brought them.
What reused suspicion in the watch.
full eye of Mr.. John Riddel was the
widow herself. Like Weller, senior,
Though without his matrimonial expe-
rience to excuse it), he had a prejudice
against widOws-at least in jewelers.
shops; nor, | am bound to confess, was it
altogether without grounds; the garb
and the mein of sorrow being the
stalking-hors under which good deal
of knavery is accomplished And then
this widow was so bewitching to look at
that he was naturally alarmed; from
every neat plat of her beautiful hair,
and every fold of her modest suit of
mourning, there seemed to him to futter
a danger signal. He was wont to de-
clare, indeed, that he knew she was after
no good from the first moment he set
eyes on her; but that statement must,
think, be received with caution. If his
face grew severe and his manner pain.
fully polite, as she came up to where he
stood, it was because he knew that
Bobby and Nation had got their eyes
upon him and were looking out for some
sign of weakness.
Il wish to see some rings" she said in
soft and gentle voice; mourning
rings" and then she took off her glove,
displaying the whitest little hand mag
Unable.
OF course, he could he could not help
seeing her hand, nor yet her face, from
which she had put back her veil. 1t
wore an expression of sadness, but also
one of enfranchisement and content; it
seemed to say: "My late husband was
very unworthy of me; but he has left
me free, and | forgive him." Who has
not see such widows, who wear the weeds
almost as if they were flowers, and who
have apparently selected black as their
only wear, because it is becoming to
them? have often thought, if l could
have the choice of my own calling, that,
next to being companion to lady," |
should like to be young jeweler trying
on rings. 1t must be almost as good as
bigamy, trigamy polygamy, and with
none of the risks.
Mr.. Riddel said, "Allow me, Mad
ame," in his most honeyed voice, and
slipped {" eased" he called it, and GER
tainly it was very easy work. ring after
ring upon the widows dainty finger. 81
hope not hurting you," he murmured.
"Oh, no." she sighed; "there was