The Owosso times., 1881-11-18
A "REAL-LIFE" STORY.

NV a q OoOs
Reflect a moment, Myrtle, 1 beseecl
you'll You hold my life and happiness
In your hands and the voice of Adel
bert TOmpkins trembled as he spok,
these words with an earnestness thai
forbade, even for an instant, any doubt
as to their being the outpourings of his
heart. sd sIG Mf
Myrtle Mahaffy was a beautiful girl
just budding into sweet wOmanhOod
and Adelbert loved her dearly. They
had wandered together this summer af
ternOOn from the matinee to the street.
Car. and he had asked her to be his
wife. 1t was in answer to this ques.
tiOn-the earnest appeal of man whose
whole nature was wrapped up in a pas.
sion he could neither control nor cast
aside-that Myrtle had spoken the
words with which our story opens. She
had uttered them lightly, even careless.
ly, and at the instant they were falling
upon Adelbert's ears with the horrible
distinctness that marks the ringing OF
q prisOn-bell as it tolls the knell of the
murderer within the walls of the dun.
geon beneath, had smiled witchingly
upon Reginold Caryll, who was pass
ing, and said, How dO?' in a CHEEKY
voice to girl friend who accompanied
him, hut at heart Myrtle knew that she
was taking step that might alter the
whole course of her life. She was a
girl OF strong perceptive faculties, a
keen judge OF human nature, and knew
that he who had spoken to her those
words that breathed only devotion and
love was man of many good qualities
and that he would cherish and protect
her with his life's blood if necessary.
But still she could not bring herself to
marry him. She had watched him
closely during an acquaintance of near
ly two years, and noticed with pain how
be sedulOusly avoided candy stores and
ice-cream saloons. Il can never marry
q man. she had said to her mother one
day, who SHES at the sight of candy
store like a country horse at fire-en-
gine.' And when the expected avowal
came she had kept her word.
Adelbert turned around in a dazed
sort of way after Myrtle had rejected
him, and walked swiftly towards the
dry-gOods store which had been so for
tunate as to secure his services. Sud-
denly the merry twinkle of a streetcar
bell aroused him from the reverie into
which he had fallen. Great heavensl'
he said, Il forgot to pay her car fare.
N, matter If the proud beauty scorned
my proffered love, i should not have
done this. She will think it is not the
TOmpkins blood that runs in my veins,
but that Of some base-born, cringing
menial whose mind is tinged with sor-
did thoughts-'and he ohewed so ner-
vOusly at a tOothpick that fellow
clerk who met him imagined that per-
chance he had been invited to dinner.
All the afternoon Adelbert stood
modify behind the ribbon counter
thinking of how he should revenge him.
self on the naughty girl who had wreck
ed his happiness. At precisely 4:30
o'clock fierce Joy lighted up his coun-
tenance, and putting on his hat he left
the store.
As the bells of st. Agnes Church
were striking 9 young iuan sprang
lightly up the steps of magnificent
residence, and was soon seated in the
sumptuously-furnished parlor. The
proprietor of the house, a benevolent
looking old gentleman, entered the
room. DO you wish to see meP he
said to Adelbert Tompkins-for it was
he who had sprang lightly up the
steps. tA 'rA1- - N
Yes replied the young man, you
are the person / seek
What would youF said the old gen.
tleman.
You are the Cashier in the
Bank, believer said the young man.
q am
You have been stealing the con-
Germs money. Do not seek to deceive
me. You are a G ,shier; 'tis enough
Give me 10000 or / will expose you
and ruin your life. Having heard me
twitter you can choose your own
course and calmly cutting chew oi
tobacco from plug which he fishec
from his coat-tail pocket Adelber1
waited for a reply to his cruel words
For an instant the Cashier did moi
move, and then going to an elegan
eScretoi,e which stood in corner OF th'
room he wrote check for $50, 900, Ger
titled it and handed the piece Of pape
now fortune-tO the young man.
u have but one favor to ask, he said
and that is, that You will marry m.
daughter. wouldn't like to let a
sure a thing as you are 60 out OF tn
family. She has 800, ,0O0 in her owl
right, and when I am dead and tn
bank Directors are in Jail on account o
my bookkeeping it will suffice to kee
you in comfort.
Il accept your TERMS was all tina
Adelbert said as he left the house.
Two months later Myrtle Mahaffy
the Cashiers only child, became Ade
bert's bonDy bride. One child, a blue
eyed boy with golden hair, has blesse
the union, and as he sit8 on his granC
fathers knee in front Of the fire, an
asks in his innocent, childish way
papa isn't smart man, the old ger
tleman kisses him fondly, and says
soft, low tones: 49,, 80.
You're singing on the right Ike
now, sonny.'-From In Sunshine an
Shadot0, By N. Halstead.
There's my hand" he exclaimed,
moment of courage and candor, "an