The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-09-09
DANGEROUS CHARGE,

1t was the last nlSnt IN the year,
and a few congenial spirits had
gathered in the batchelor apart
ments of mutual friend to spend
in song and story the few remain
ing hours of the old years life.
Only one of the company had fail
ed to add his share of these to the
general enjoyment.
"Come, Mortimer" said the host,
''it's your turn now. If you can't
sing, let it be story. You that
have travelled about so much ought
to be able to tell something worth
hearing.
A unanimous request that the
hosts suggestion should be carried
out having been made, Mortimer
commenced his story.
at was as long ago as the year
As when l was quite young man,
with very little experience of the
world, though | thought / knew
more than l do now, or am ever
likely to know. For the last three
years | had been head book-keeper
| to a wholesale dry goods house in
the western part of New York, en-
loving in no small degree its esteem
and confidence, which 7 fully ap-
preciated and did my best to de-
serve. With the desire to perform
my duties well and acceptably, l
had an additional incentive to stand
high in the estimation of the firm in
the form of a lovely daughter of its
head partner, with whom I was
madlv. and, as it seemed then,
hopelessly in love. 1t was not the
absence of fortune and position that
made me so faint hearted, for l had
heard Mr.. Crofton, her father, say,
more than once, that he didn't care
how poor his son-in.law was if he
wasn't poor in integrity intelligence,
energy and self-reliance. | was
conscious that he regarded me with
an eve of favor; certainly l could
not complain that he did not afford
me ample opportunity to WOO and
win his daughter ifI could. The
chief difficulty in the way lay in
the fact that | had rival, who,
having been longer in the field, had
apparently obtained footing in
her favor that l despaired of ever
being able to win. And then the
fair Lucy herself was so shy and
reserved with me. She always had
a gay smile and merry word for
Fred Harding, while to me she was
so shy and silent that Inever could
gain courage to express my love ex-
cept by looks, and the eagerness
and persistency with which Isought
her society. Had I been versed in
the ways of women should moi
have let this dishearten me so. Al
lit was, my heart sometimes beat
high with the hope of eventual sue
cess, her eyes grew SO wondrously
bright at my approach and she
lblushed SO prettily when spoke te
her.
| Fred Harding was a gentleman o.
leisure, and quite a fayorite with
the fairer portion of the community
He had plenty of money, which h
spent freely, though where he OBJ
tanned it was not so clear. He was
a slender, smoth-faced chap, Will
soft, white hands, glossy curls ant
carefully got up attire. Inever liket
him, though that is not strange
) considering how he monopolized tn
society Of my adored Lucy He wa
always very civil to me, but tner'
was no love lost on either side
There seldom is between two mel
lin love with the same woman.
One day Mr.. Crofton called M
lon one side, stating that he was go
ling to give me strong proof OF nj
Iconfidence in what he was pleaset
10 term my good sense and integrit.
N intrasting to me some importan