The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-18

long treasured nifty pounds
just a week subsequently Mr.. Walter
Watkins sat in his back parlor, wrin-
Killed. Old gentleman with light blue eyes
like staring marbles and Il curious up
while on the table in front Of him lay a
pile of letters.
CHOW We'll see," said Mr.. Watkins
to himself, what ali the ties of relation
ship are worth. I've written pitiful
letters to my six cousins, and I'll be vii
ling to wager the biggest diamond in my
ring that there isn't penny in all these
answers. Well see."
The first letter, as it TRANSFERRED, was
from the Rev. Theodore Talkington,
who inclosed tract entitled "Return,
We Sinners" recommended course of
prayer meetings, and stated that the
Rev. Theodore was quite unable to help
his Cousin Walter except by good advice.
L thought so" said Mr.. Watkins.
The second was from Mrs. Calista
Jones, the wife of a prosperous mer-
chant.
My dear cousin" il said, in little
spid.r-webby characters, "your letter
fills me with surprise. Such necessity
can only have its source in dissipation or
speculation. With neither of these can
YOU expect ne, Christian matron, to
sympathize Under the circumstance l
must beg to decline further postal COM
munication with you. Respectfully,
etc, etc, etc.
The upward curves around Mr.. Wat
kins' mouth heightened themselves out
into the nearest approach to a smile
in which the caustic old gentleman
ever INDUCED, as he neatly labeled and
and docketed this letter also, and opened
still the third, in which MIR. Benjamin
Courtenay regretted the straitened state
of his financial affairs, and bluntly rec
commended some public charitable in
stitution as the best refuge for his cous-
ms declining years.
"Humph, humph9' mutterel Mr..
Watkins $50 he wonld pack me off to
the poor-house, would hel Very kixd
and considerable Of him, very
Mr. Peter Dilks was stage less GER
emonious than others.
Did his cousin Watkins think he
VAS made of money D;l he think i
was his business to supply every Q
pauper In that case Mr.. Watkins
would lind himself terribly mistaken,
fnd so no more from his to command.
Z. DILKs'
Tie fifth epistle from Mrs. Million
naire was excessively civil and as har,
as granite. She begged to call Mr..
Watkins attention to the fact that she,
Mrs. Millionaire, was hut his second
cousin after all, and she really wondered
OF his audaci,y in expecting her to patch
up his ruined fortunes. She inclosed a
card to an employment Office, and hoped
to be troubled no more with such use
less applications.
Mr.. Watkins silently folded this let
ter and placed it with the others before
he opened the one directed in Moses
Haywood's clerky calligraphy. To his
surprise, when he broke the sea out
fell post office order for $50.
''My dear Cousin Watkins" wrote
the school master, II grieve deeply t.
hear Of your financial distress, az
hereby inclose all | have on hand. g..
is not mueh-but | beg OF you to '.-
cept it in the same spirit in which it IS
given"
Old Walter Watkins brushed his
wrinkled hand across his shaggy brows.
"The poorest, most obscure of them
all" he said. ''The one of whom l ex-
pected least. Well, wonders will never
cease" And taking up his pen he wrote
back briefly
'CoUsIN hYwooD:-I thank you.
w. WATKINS"
Gather are you sure you are well
enough to 90 back into school 2
Alice had drawn up her wheeled
chair close to the lounge on which old
Moses had dragged himself into sitting
posture.
"Ies, cAild, yes" he said, drawing
bis hand across his forehead 81 must
be well enough The clildren's parents
are getting impatient | shall lose my
scholars if l don't 60 back into harness
to day.
Father, father" cried poor Alice,
piteously, ''if We had but that money
You saved SO long and painfully that
money you gave to old Mr. Watkins-it