The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-15
RUPEES,
Or The Lucky Man.
BY W. H. WHITE.

II was bright frosty afternoon in No
vember. Cornelius Crandal, widower,
and lamar Ann Teller, spinster, met in
the main street OF Centerville, flourish
ing little town, the locality of which
may be .ascertained by searching, care
fully, the newest map Of neighboring
state.
Mr.. Crandal was retired merchant.
Having made a handsome fortune in
trade, he had sold out--store, stock, fix
lures, good viii, etc.--and settled down
with the dignified ease Which retired
merchant with substantial bank ac-
count is entitled to enjoy. He was about
fifty, rather good-lsoking, with solid,
substantial figure, fond Of money, some
what dull, intellectually; good-tempered
and given to gossip. He had been wild
over about ten years.
Miss Teller was slender, active,
comeiy little woman of about thirty-five.
She did a fourishing business in the line
of dress-making, being, in fact, the chief
mantua- maker in Centerville.
Good morning, Tamar Ann. What's
che newsT
"Why, Borneel, haven't you heard?"
"No. What is itW
'Martin Weldon has got back from
CaIcutter in the East Injees. / saw him
this morning, looking as yeller as a last
years lemon, and Martins. only about
forty, you know"
"Did he make any money out in the
InjeesT'
eyes. He's as rich as Kreesus, what
ever that is; real nabob, you know; and
he has brought home with him lac of
gold rupees"
"What's lac?' queried the retired
merchant.
"a lac's what the Hindoo heather call
hundred thousand"
"And how much is gold rupeew the
widower wanted to know.
"A rupee is worth about seven dollars
of our money. l found out about it this
morning in Webster's big dictionary"
responded lamar Ann, glibly.
my patience--sakes aliveW exclaimed
Coynelius, greatly interested; "and how
much is that altQgetherw
"Aren't you Smart! Any school-boy
= could tell you that without stopping to
figure it out; and you an old storekeep-
er, too! If rupee is worth seven dollars,
a lac of 'em amounts to seven hundred
thousand, of COURSE" replied lamar Ann,
somewhat scornfully.
"You don't say sop
"But do; and 80 does Charles Travers
Charley is sort of relation to Martin
Weldon, you know, Spd so am l, come
to think of it."
80 he is, SO are youl Goodness gra
ciousl Seven hundred thousand-w
that's most a million!" rejoined Crandal
eyes, indeed. Good-by, CorneeI;
can't stand here talking all day." replied
the lively spinster, leaving the tirec
merchant to cugitate over the immensit,
of the treasure brought home by the ma
bob.
Martin Weldon, the nabob aforesaid
WAS tall, muscular, good-looking gen
tleman of about forty, with complex
ion lily no means of the color which
lamar Ann had asserted il to be. A sci
Of strong, white teeth, a pleasant smil'
- a twiukling eye, denoted that hi
possessed sound constitution, good di
gestion, ahd merry disposition.
Mr.. Cornelius CrandaPs first busines
was to invite Mr.. Weldon to his house
his next move was to throw the ricl
East Indaman into the society Of hi
ward, Nellie Kingsbury, shapely
bright-eyed damsel, who was as full o
sweetness as a red-ripe Cuba orange.
Mr.. Crandal's object was, of course. t.
catch the nabob, using Nellie as a bait
at which, he thought, the golden gudgeol
would surely bite.
Nellie, however, who had placed he
affections in the keeping Of Charlie
Travers, was by no means inclined t
Join in this rupee-catchng arrangement
Charles Travers was the proprietor>Q
the "Centerville Stationery Emporium
Music Depository and Circulating Ii
brary," to which place the ldes were il
the habit of resorting for note paper
sheet music, new novels and gossip.
Travers was well-to-do, wore city-cu
garments, and was called, by the almos
unanimous voice Of the feminine portion
Of the population, 'The handsomest NAL
in CentervilIe."
Charles and Nellie we're engaged, an,
the course Of their true love was running
smoothly toward the nuptial goal, whel
the advent of this modern Cresu
threatened tointerrupt its plocidity.
From that day Mr.. Crandal set hi
face severely against any further court
Ing between Charles and Nellie No
that the widower liked the young ma
less, but he loved the nabobs rupee
X more; and thereforth, in the expressly
language Of Miss Teller, "Charley Ira,
ers' noe was out OF joint with Cornee
Crandal!M
One day Mr.. Crandal and Mr.. Weldo
were together in Mr. Crandal's best PAL
'lor. Tie conversation soon turned upo
Nellie and matrimony.
"Mr. Weldon, what do you think Q
my niece, Nelliep said the widowel
blandly.