Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-06-18

4
ready confidence and signifed his will
incness to make himself agreeable.
II hope you will buy our place, sir, F"
he said, as they were alone. "lf my
dear papa had lived we would have kept
it, but now mamma says we can not"
'How long has your papa been deadT
.Three years sir. Did you ever soc
my father"
"No. dear child. | have been living
more than hundred miles from here
and have made no acquaintance in this
vicinity until lately" the visitor an
swered smiling.
"Mama has told me of some cousins of
papa's that ! have never seen, and
when first looked at you | thought you
might be one Of them, because it seems
to me you look like my papa. He had
side whiskers, just like yon have, and
his hair was of the same color, and he
was about about as large as you. Here
is his picture" and he pointed to very
fine oil painting on the opposite wall.
Mr.. Truesdell was standing before the
picture, studying it with much interest,
when. Mrs Trowbridge returned and an
nounced that he might now see the
house and grounds. An hour or more
was spent in this way, affording an op.
portunity for such casual and incidental
remarks as the occasion called for.
Ruby was one of the party, ofcourse.
'1s this little boy your only child,
madam :" asked Mrs. Truesdell.
The only one living. I have lost two
dear little girls, one younger than Ruby
and the other two years older"
81 have two little girls" said Mr..
TruesdelI, "and had one boy, who, if
living, would be about the age of yours.
He died about three years ago, immedi-
ately after the death of his mother"
"Don't you think, mamma, this gen.
tleman looks like papa'' interposed
Ruby.
"Well, yes, little, perhaps" answer
ed the mother, smiling.
II am much pleased with the general
| appearance of the property, madam"
said Mr.. Truesdell, "and may see you
again in regard to it."
"You probably know, SIR" said Mrs.
Trowbridge, "that my interest is less
than half the real value. A mortgage,
now overdue, holds the larger share"
Mr.. Truesdell did not intimate that
he had lately become the owner of the
mortgage, but simply remarked that if
he concluded to buy the property the
mortgage would give her no further
trouble.
~ wish you would buy this house and
come here to live, and let mamma and
me live here too" said Ruby, looking
up wistfully into the face of Mr.. Trues-
dell and at the same time grasping his
hand.
1.-THE mother could have got hold of
the boy at that moment she would have
given him an impressive shake, but he
was on the other side of Mr.. Truesdell,
and any attempt to stop him with words
might lead to something worse, so she
simply remarked:
III have several other pieces of prop
erty, some of which have been trying
to dispose of, with the hope of saving
this, but the best bids, thus far, have
been worry low"
care those pieces of property also
encountered 7"
ayes, sir, every one, more or less.
The property that my husband held was
rising in nominal value when those
mortgages were put on, and he thought
he could carry them safely, but reac-
ton came, and now my interest in prop
erty on which he placed high value
amounts to but little"
"Your experience, madam, has been
like many thousands said Mr.. Trues-
dell. "But you are fortunate in having
even o little left. | will have some
conversation with my attorneys, Monier
and Norton, in regard to this property,
and will probably call again in few
days. Good day, madam, goodbye,
Ruby" "Good-by" responded the lit
tie fellow. "Do come and see mamma
and me again. | want to see you, you
look so much like my papa. Don't you
want to see Mr.. Truesdell, again,
mamma /"
"Certainly, my DEAR" said his mother.
81 shall be much pleased to have the
gentleman CALI
The lady and gentleman thus casu-
ally meeting, had incidently and almost
unavoidably learned certain leading
facts in regard to each other. OfcOurse