The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-26

opportunity Wuilt ~ uau boon hhiii0' 'N
now that it was for ever lost saw my
mistake. .....- ..a.
Well, Floyd would have her; be it 50.
At least, would not play the dog in the
manger with him. l will act as l know
he would have acted in my place; and
though it might be with bad grace at
first, I must trust to time and reason 70
reconcile me to the inevitable.
"Wasn't she divineT' sighed Floyd,
slowly withdrawing himself from the
window and returning to his chair. lie
took deep draught from his beer-schop-
pen, selected another huge cigar from the
cigar-case, lit it, and sighed once more.
"You don't know her-do your ne
next inquired, turning a lazy glance
upon me. .r
'"Wbat do you means I know nobody
here"
81 was only thinking" rejoined Floyd,
without observing my confusion, now
nice it would have been if You could
have introduced us. Though to be sure,
no one could know girl like thai with
out falling in love with her himself; so
maybe it's better for me as it is-ehE ma,
ha, ha."
aHa, ha! 1 see-you dread possible
rival in me--ha, ha!
"Dread isn't exactly the word, Tom,
old fellow" said Floyd, in changed
tone, perhaps fancying (for his percep-
tions were as acute as his heart was gen
erous) that his jesting allusion had hurt
NV feelings. '1f you were in love with
this girl, | would give up my chance to
you in moment-and do all man
could to promote your success, too. You
know what | think of you, Tom; but,
hang it, we're Angh-Saxons, We cunt be
. always bursting into tears and swearing
that we love another! But | know what
you've done for me; and mean to do
something for you when my time
colnes."
; "All right, Floyd,' said I hastily
, "Only don't talk as il you owed me any
ting" l added presently, "because you
don't"
"Oh, don't mean to 90 to work
strictly on the debit and credit princi
$ ple," he answered with smile. "But
2 since we've got to talking in this veiI
somehow, we may as we'll have it ont anc
4 done with it. I found out, quite BY ac
: cident, the little ruse you played OFT or
e me six years ago. Istumbled upon th'
t revelation only three months back. AnC
:, that led to my discovering your poverty
s Although, Tom, it took the wind out o
It me for a moment" '@"f
It "Remember one thing" I interposed
II sit wasn't till after had done that, tina
I the robbery came to light l expects
l. to be richer than YOU"
"I know--I understand. But nov
e use your imagination for a moment an
o put yourself in my place. If had en-
d riched you beyond the dreams OF avaric
lie and then turned out pauper mysel
ID YOU would not feel exactly comfortable
Id I take it. Az! if, in the course OF 81
wears, you had proved your?elf goo
steward of property, and had increast
or it's value by upwards of one-hal
7e wouldn't you consider it no more than
at fair and even thing, conducive to IL
d. comfort and respect of both parties,
make chat increase over me, with yo'
~ best bow, and so live happily ever aftei
lis Eh, TomT
1n sThanks, Floyd; that's ail reasonab
p enough, and the only reason | don't 81
,u YES to it is this: am great deal bett
off as am. Money would not do me
! bit OF good--quite the contrary. | h
to feel that ! have none OF that kind
responsibility, and / like to imagine til,
OIL / must work for ii living. Of course,
p is nothing more than imagination, t
he nv income supplies me with all nee
| But it is good for me to have ail oocnp
mi ton. and to feel some sort of obligati,
Ne to pursue it. Pm naturally prone to Il
th blues, and if I had nothing to do but
lie back and enjoy myself, should ha
or then. all the time. Ne are constitute
m differently, that's ali. But-thanks,
he the same. .-...
re- Floyd lay calmly back in lis chair a
". putfed half dozen smoise-wreaths &c
nd ingwards ere he spoke again. y.
On "If you think" he then said, "tha
have been doing nothing all these yei
wv. except sit still and enjoy myself, you
,ed confoundedly mistaken. l have work
op- like horse, though l mayn't look Il
re- it now. The possession Of this fortr
bat has made all the difference between
Il being an industrious and product
al member of the community, and a 60
the for-nothing, lazy detrimental - as
md should have been without it.. No, To
of trust me, riches do aot mean idlent
be- they hayeu't with me, and they wouia
the with you. And think, old fellow,
400 have made man as well as a milione
ker Of me; you can not, surely you can l
did. mean to leave me under such an infer
oct- weight OF obligation. Do be hun
ess. Tom. You have been generous all "
aim life; don't begin to be selfish in the W.
kind of fashion at this late .day-ano
asst. my expense!'
I'm. "Giye me a little time to thi
une Floyd,' said I, feeling very sick
miserable. Tomorrow or next d
ght Remember that Pm an old bachelor
Dice very much set in my ways"
had But the fact was, the new compl
ton about the love. affair, which
sin course, was unable to explain, mao
III ,,ora than aver difficult for iile to en-