The Russellville Democrat., 1881-03-10

he knows very well, lIllS Hldn NHo pays me my small salary every week with his own hands" .l
 Still he did look at me, and answered with a word or two; l forget what now.
 "Yes," he said-talking with mean ing, too, looking at me, evidently to see how I took the news-'yes, and what do you suppose she does with it? Has 1t locked up in my ffre-proof vault, doesn't use it in any way; doesn't get interest on it. locks it up as she does her rings and pins and lets it lie never touched"
 'I wonder you don't give her better advice" l said.
 Give a woman advice" he said. "Try it. However. approve of this. Better keep her dowry locked up safe than risk and lose it. My fire-proof safe and fire proof vault will hold her money-the money her husband is to have the day he marries her-fast and safe"
 Then the old man trotted away to his own desk, and looked over at me.
 "I'm her guardian" he said. "Her father and l had quarreled, you know. But when he died he left her and her money in my care. A nice thing for an old bachelor to have, niece quartered on him for life! I'll marry her of as soon as l can. 1 say, Fisher, come up and take tea with me tonight"
 He did mean it, He had offered his niece and her e5,000 to me! He had never like me either
 Shall I go?" l asked myself. Why not? l might as well see the heiress. l was not man to be bought by money, if she were coarse vulgar creature, like her uncle; but otherwise, why not see what she was made of? At least it could do no harm to take tea with old Simon Giddings.
 l went home with him that evening. I noticed some little changes in the par Tor, as though lady's hand had been busy there, and in moment more l saw, sit ting in the shadow of the curtains, a girl dressed in deep mourning.
 Margaret, Mir. Fisher; my niece, Miss Giddings, Tom," said the old man; and and as l bowed, l saw little velvet headed crutch leaning against the girls chair.
 She was lame then. Old Giddings thought this an obstacle to her making a good match. So he offered her to Tom Fisher.
 "It won't do, old man." thought. q shouldn't mind plain face so much, but lame wife will never do for me-"
 Then something whispered faintly in my ear: -"e5,000!"
 For the rest Miss Giddings was fair and sweet looking and pleasant in her manner. She was lady, too, which seemed odd for Old Simon's niece, for he was as vulgar as he was rich; and she sang to us after tea very sweetly
 like girl with dash and color, and still her blue eyes and sweet smile haunted me a little after went home. She'll quarrel with one" thought; and woman worth 5,e00 would be catch certainly; but that crutchl I'll stay away from old Simon's house for the future"
 . But he would not let me stay away; he kept on urging me to go home with him.
 There was Marian More. Perhaps she liked me a title. 1 admired her intense ly; but she had no money, and I should take her away from her snug home to some poor sort of place if 1 married her. 1 should find it hard work to feed and. clothe her decently.
 This fair, sweet Margaret was rich, and as time passed on began to see her liking for me. And l sat in the office one day, three months from the time of my first visit, wondering whether I could be quite sure that l should be good enough to the little thing I meant to marry for her money, to keep her from knowing that there was no actual love for her in my heart.
 And as 1 pondered, the voice of old simon reached my ears: 'Tom Fisher up in the moon again, eh? Well, well when fellow is in love we excuse laziness in him. There's my niece Margaret pour ing the tea in the slop basin and over setting the milk at breakfast, Maggie says l, you're thinking of some one, an'ye' She blushed to her ears. You've managed to get into good graces in that quarter, Tom"
 Do you think so?" I said.
 q know so," said the old man. 'I ought not to say so, you know, but I'm frank"
 l listened to him then, two voices whispering to me:
 You don't love her." said one.
 You don't hate her" said the other. "You do want e5000," said the other. Ut would make a man of you. You could go into business on your own account. You'd cease to be slave in this dingy oflice."
 Five thousand pounds" l said to my self Then I started to my feet.
 "Mr. Giddings," said, would you be willing to give your niece to me as my wife?"
 His answer was frank.
 "Tom Fisher I'd give her to any de- cent young man. A girl bothers me; I'm tired of the charge. Every one doesn't want lame wife. If you like her. take her, and on your wedding day I'll hand the e5,000 to you and be rid of the charge, She'll say yes don't fear. I'll tell her that you asked me tonight, and hurry on the wedding"
 l thought l heard the thump of crutch in the church aisle as he spoke l thought of the graceful step of Marion More. l turned faint and sat down to my desk; but went to old Simon's house that night and saw Margaret. Shelook- ed fair and happy as child. l sat down by her and took her hand.
 Are you going to say No Maggie?" said, and she lifted her innocent lips to mine and kissed me. "Pll be very, very good to you"
 But there was no lovers warmth in my heart; only kind of gentle pity for the girl who was to bring me e5,000.
 We were engaged. Old Simon ioked us coarsely and seemed to exult over the affair l might even have doubted the existence of the e5,000, but that Maggie told me of it herself
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