Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-08-29

ing tomorrow, Charley" said Julia one
evening, month after their first meet.
ing.
II suppose you will be going to Eng
land with him some day soon. When are
you to be married."
"Charley Rath, you ought to be ashamed
of yourself! Do you think / want tt
marry every man who treats me decentlyl
You have not time to take me riding, you
dear old busy darling, and must | refuse
the goods the gods provide unless they
send them by your hands?'
Then poor Charley was all penitence and
confidence and alteration. Sometimes he
had chivalrous feeling of friendship fol
his rival, and half persuaded himself that
he would be willing to surrender Julia to
a man so able to make her happy and
honored. Then, again, he had an insane
hope that his hotel would burn down, OF
his horse throw him, or his dinner choke
him. He did not do his work very well in
those days; but his chief excused him. He
had suffered himself once from 'peridious
woman. "*ss.a sf~.ss sHsis--ssls1 |
To Julia the winter passed very happily.
She loved music and riding, and Mr.,
Brookes was always glad to crafty these
tastes. She had no suspicion that he re-
garded their companionship in any other
light than one of mutual entertainment.
Of course Mr.. Brookes knew that she
loved Charley Rath; he had often seen them
together. and she had never attempted to
conceal the relation in which they stood
to each other. Z. Z Ss 81
One beautiful spring evening, Julia,
Charley and Mr.. Brookes stood together
at the open window. Suddenly Brookes
took out his pocket book, and said. ''Look
here, Mr.. Rath''-and he unfolded a ten
dollar bill and smoothed it carefully out
"do you see anything remarkable about
that bills'' 49,, y
'.No,'' said Charley. pcarelessly. ssIt
seems good enough; but / am no expert. 81
Julia glanced at the bill and smiled.
81 can gdess what you mean.'' = ;;
:" Impossible.'' sagt IL Dael.t
"Yes, can. There is'sWilliam Henry
,Brookes' written on the left-hand corner
in. very small characters.' Brookess looked
amazed; and Julia, laughing, said, You
need not beiafraid of me; II am not a medi-
UNI, and I have not the second-sight. I
came by my knowledge in a very natural
way. Is William Henry your name?"
lit is, Miss Julia. May ask you to
tell us the secret Of your informationl"
GU had better first tell how you came
to do so absurd a thing as write your name
in such place. 1t would make me feel as
i'll was wandering about the country
looking for myself.''
"Well, it was whim. Rich Englis b.
men are allowed to have whims; it is one
Of the privileges of their condition. That
bill was the first American money I
touched; got it on board the steamer
and wrote my name on it in an idle whim,
whose source did not then analyze, and
certainly cannot now. The first time
went on Broadway went into a booksel
ler's and bought map and guide to the
city, and I paid for 1T with the marker
note. think I did this knowingly, but I
am not sure in fact, I had only passing
interest in the matter. That must have
been about the 18th of January
"And on the 10th I got it in payment
for some writing. know it was the 10th
for 1 was to go with Charley to head
Lucca, and wanted new gloves and a
ew fan, and had only that one ten dol
lars. Then, too, did not feel very sure
if ought to spend it in that way. 1 sat
thinking..and thinking and turning the
bill in my hand; finally saw the writing
and that very night saw also the wri-
ter"
'And what impression did it make on
you, Miss Juliap am very curious to
know.'
81 don't like to tell. You will fee
hurt"
sNo, 1 will not. Tell me the plain
truth"
Veil, thought. this William Henry
Brookes is snob who imagines himself
the My man in the world. Then reflec-
! ted how conceited he must be to put his
name on what he has only passing use
in" ~
''Thank you, Miss Julia, for your homes
ty. shall never claim another bill unless
I mean to keep it absolutely in my own
possession. Then would have right to
put my name upon it, don't you think
SOP"
Certainly; but that would be more fool
ish whim than the other; you would Meth
er get use nor interest for your money"
II should have my whim. But what did
you do with the bill ?"
II paid it into the treasury of the dry
goods man. and got in exchange gloves,
ribbons, and hair-plns.''
''And you did not forget the name l.
That is strange"
mot at all. I was introduced to you
that night, and have had no leisure, and
no iflclination-to forget since. How did
you get it back again ?"
81 paid my hotel bill to-day. and recaiv-
ed it among other notes in exchange. Will
you please look and see if it really is the
same ?'' ezn9s4 ~.
"Yes. Ethink there is no doubt OF 1t !"
J '.Now will you kindly get me pen and
ink Pr ~ "a 500 sob
"You will find them in the other par
lor.''
Brookes rose, and Julia followed him
curiously. He spread out the bill and
wrote his name all over it in large, clear
characters.
"You have made 1t useless, Mr..
BroOkes."
lit is too precious to use. Remember.
it really introduced me to you. I shall
never let any strange hand touch it
again"
''Ah," said Julia, half pettishly and half