Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-29
TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND
POUNDS.
A Story for the Possible Heirs of
Old Gentlemen,

position that found myself in through
too free use OF that unruly member, the
tongue. was q young fellow then,
clerk i'm a I.OndOnbank. My father was
an officer in the army, and he often told
us boys that setting each Of us up in
business or profession was all he could
ever DO tor US, tor the scant plttance he
would leave behind him must belong
solely 10 my mother and sister. But
my brother and | were energetic and
hopeful. So long as each day brought
enough 10 satisfy our daily wants, We
rocked little Of the future.
One bleak, cold January morning |
was greatly surprised on my arrival at
the bank to find my father pacing up and
down before the building. | was not
living at home Just then, and his pres
ence there male me fear lest something
was wrong.
"Phnip, he began, care you in time?
Can YOU spare me three minutes?'
"Ics. sir, | replied, "ior a wonder, !
see am ten minutes earlier than need
be-
"NOu know Mr. FuSberry9'
cob, YOU mean the hali-crLcked old
man who is awful rich, and is my god
father, as well as cousin thirty times IT.
moved p | asked.
Yes" was the reply. "Well, last
night received letter from him, after
years of silence i'm which he asks after
YOU And he read me the letter.
What a queer old bOy' Exclaimed
What does he mean Tor did not eX-
actly understand it.
Mean ~ cried my father, eNcitedly,
snatching the letter from me, and crush
ing il inh is pocket. "Mean, why to make
YOU his heir, Philip-his heir -
"Whew," said I, blushiug;;" that's Il
good idea.
"YOu must apply for leave and 20 off
at once. said my father. 'Strike while
the iron is hot. It's splendid chance,
Philip-splendid Use it well and your
fortune Is made.
So thought, applied for leave, and
set of for the PaddingtOn station soon
after with my ears ringing with legion
constructions for pleasing old men given
me By my fellow clerks. The only one
| could clearly remember was, % rise
whenever he came into the room, and
esChew every comfortable armchair for
fear he should want it. | felt bursting
with importance, and actually treated
myself tOa glass OF hot whisky and wa
ter at the reireshment room.
"llellO, William suddenly cried Il
voice.
"Why, Jack. what brings YOU here?'
| replied, recognizing friend, John
Evans
IL an going to Gloucester" said he,
where are YOU going
ooh. 10 such luck 80 cried. al am OFT
beyuund llerefsrd To honor an old gen
tleman 80
what" said Jack.
Come alongand III tell Won all about
it, said !. Second classI Yes, all
right. here We are.
After We were settled in our places an
old man got in. lie was poorly dressed,
and wore a green shade over one eve
while the other looked weak and droOp-
inX We gruuted our disapproval at his
entrance, and made mutual grimacrs,
but a. his blind eve was toward us
they were lost % him. As the train
moved oil told Jack my story, which
Won know already.
"Well done, Philip, Your bread is
buttered for you, he exclaimed when he
had heard INC to the end. what glOri-
Gus chance, Man alive, | wish ! was in
your shoes that : all.
Yes. yes, my boy. All right ~ ! cX-
claimed "Wrll, it's q shame ii don't
secure good smoke now, before my
pipe gocs.out in ub~curity. Do you OBJ
ject 10 smoke, sir''
This latter question was addressed 10
the old gentleman in the corner who APP
peared "A curious mass of old coats, rail
way rags and newspapers.
81 10 object very much, was the
grufly spoken reply.
every sorry, sir, said |. "I'll keep
NV head out Of the window, them
shame seiLes me when | recall this in
cident. In lieu of attending to the old
mans wishes, ! cOOlly lit my pipe, and
though / knew the wind would blow the
smoke right into his eyes-though !
heard him growing with rage pulled
on heedlessly. | should be- sorry 10 be
so rude now, but you see / was young
and excited
The short January afternoon was
drawing to a close, and very soon We
were dependent for light on the lamp
that hung from the center OF the carriage
roof.
Whether il was the old mans exam
pie, who had gone.to sleep, OTthe monot-
OnOuS noise of the train a. IL sped along
or that our powers of chatting were eN-
haused, / know not, but, anyhow, We,
too, began 10 feel inclined for nap.
But We found the lamp an intulerahlr
nuisance with its necessarily tlickcring
! hight.
Bother IT, Can't we blow it out,
exclaimed.
"Not ii we cracked our cheeks. But
I I've a notion" cried ever ready wittcd
Jack. Gland me the old mans hat
whatever fort rs | handed him the
article i'm question. IL was worn and
RUSTY but well brushed and well shaped.
'To make an eNtinguisher 1T, replied
| Jack; and 50 saving he fitted u on the
/ lamp. making the globe act like the bald
/ head Of the owner OF the hat. 10 iittei
/ 20 nicety and 50 tightly a. 10 keep it
well in its place The arrangement an
swered splendidly, and not glimmer Of
/ light was % be- seen.
/ When the train stopped at Swindon
We awOke and rushed ont Of the car
riage to get refreshments, quite forget
/ ting our fellow passenger and his hat.
/ On returning we found they had both
| flown. The train started, and when We
arrived at Gloucester, Jack left me. /
/ had a cool and lonely journal to my des-
tination, a little station Just below
Hartford. When | arrived il was 9
4 O'Clock: a dark, raw night; was very
sleepy and tired. For some moments |
could not find my pOrtmanteau then
my hat box was missing, and while |
Was searching, theguard was enchanting
/ about the delay Of the train. At last II
was all found, the guard whistled, the
train moved Of, and I was standing on
a little country platform, in a strange
I place.
ANY cabs OF flies to be got here"
asked the station master.
"Dear me, no, sir" was the reply
I "But we can get YOU something down IN
town. Where is il 20, sir ~
81 want 10 get 30. Mr.. FoSSberry's, OF
Castle Hall, replied.
paced the wretched little station till
the conveyance came, with my mind
full Of the coming meeting. asked the
driver how lar We had TO go.
"How far, sir1" said he, ooh, about
four miles"
got in and We bowled along the dark
narrow lanes. After halt an hour,
drive we entered some handsome iror
gates, and drove INTO what seemed to m,
now, in the dim light, very EXTENSIVE,
/ park. The whole aspect pressed upoT