Litchfield enquirer., 1881-05-12

and we thought ourselves lucky in lighting upon some deserted chGletS. It was not a cheerful look -Out at the best. The hungry porters had devoured the cold meat, and under the ercthistances we did notcare to grumble at them. One ration of bread among the seven would have reduced itself to something like Q. couple of ounces per man and we had each to be mulcted in portion of that, to contri- bute to the better nourishment of the invalid. Abraham never showed te more advantage. l admired him mere than ever and so am sure did Wildheuer. He had consolatory and apologetic words for everybody, while he monop0lised the post of sick nurse to the in- valid and if he was up once in the night, he must have been on foot at least 8 score of times. ...,...s. ,.os,..
 Next morning, setting out by times, we got our helpless Jonah safely down-sending messenger fort chGtse 0.portear, which met us when carrying became practicable. And And at Grindelwald we lifted Lurcher into the bed, from which lie did not rise for a day or two. He had sharp attack of fever, which communicated itself to the brain, and for the 1 first day and night was delirious. Unsatisfed with the best local advice, Abraham insisted | upon sending for a Berne doctor; and that distinguished practitioner prescribed care and repose, and jou-neying by easy stages after wards. Aggravating as it was, there was | nothing for it but patience, for felt bound to see Abraham through his bother My duties
 were chiefly confined to trying to be pleasant company to him for, as before, he did almost everything for the convalescent His systems | of moral discipline and physical training may | have been rashly applied; and could have forgiven his pupil for being inclined to kick at | them; but putting the ci cumstances of their original connection out of the question if ever man earned the gratitude of a fellow mortal, ! surely Cox had right to the devotion of Lurcher. Had 1 seen the patient in any way l disposed to acknowledge the debt, my person. al feelings might have softened to him. But, ! weighed in the balance, he was found want 1 Ing, and something more. If there is 0erStGs | DO 0i7aO, so there is in brain attack; and while he was recovering his senses, although 1 still something li5ht-headed, he showed malig- | nifty rather than mere aversion to his benefac- | tor. Whether Cox perceived that. I cannot say l had no heart to speak to him on the | subject. Being far from deficient in shrewd- | ness or good sense, imagine he could hardly fail to have. remarked it; though do not doubt that that indomitable good nature of his 1 made all manner of ingenious excuses for the
 ungratefu one. But took leave of them at l Berne on their homeward journey, in the con- 1 viction that where my friend had been sowing | charity broadcast, he was likely to reap noth- l ing save thorns and thistles.
 The spring following our Swiss tour wit | messed sad Catastrophe There was agita- | tion in Nicholas Lane, and profound sensa- | tion in Lombard Street. Cox & Curries had
 suspended payment: There might have beeo 1 whispers of the impending disaster in certain
 circles, but there had been no general
 suspicion of the firms solvency. These pri, | vate banking houses have one great point iu | their favour. They publish no periodical balance sheets, with more or less lucid ex-
 plantations Assets may dwindle and deposits
 be withdrawn, while nobody but the part
 ners and their confdants are the wiser. So
 the shock took the world by surprise, and no
 one was more astonished than Abraham. He
 was brought, of course, to the brink of beg
 gary. It was as. well perhaps for his reputa- tion that he had retired from the manage
 ment when he did; although, probably, had he qualified to remain there, his presence
 might have kept matters straight The liq. | uldatiOn brought out scan0alous disclosures,
 and there had been everything short of actual
 swindling. The brothers Currie had been
 going far too fast, launching out into reckless speculation. Frederick had married the belle
 of former season, the daughter of the most
 noble the Marquis of Coningsburgh, and had l madly plunged with her into whirlpools of
 
 | now appeared, had been plungiEg just as wildly on the Stock Exchange, tempting his | embarrassed brother into following his exam | pie, till the pair were hopelessly in a slough of despond of liabilities. If they had not di- l rectly made away with their customers 1 money, they had committed their resources beyond possibility of redemption; and after | swallowing the private fortunes of the part
 ners (that of Abraham, of course, included), | &ere was but prospect of s)me ten shillings
 in the ponnd, according to the most sanguine estimate. .
 1 happened to be in Scotland when the
 news was announced and when l arrived in
 London few days later, nothing as yet was absolutely known save the collapse of the
 house and the ruin of the partners. l drove straight to Abraham's rooms in the Albany,
 where 1 found him already busted with pack
 ing up. He was as calm and serene as had
 expected to find him. ''Ihis is very good of you my dear fellow"
 he said, as he reached out hand, ''though only what should have looked for. Indeed,
 my friends have been dropping in constantly; and whatever people may say of the world,
 at least have no reason to abuse it.
 '1t IL pays percentage on it's debts, 1 am sure it should treat you generously. But trust things are hardly so bad as they say"
 Bad as they can De financially speak ing and grieved am for the creditors. Naturally
 it is comfort to know that they can't blame
 me, and don't blame me; and yet l must feel in measure responsible. If 1 had gone
 in for the business as ought, it might have
 been all very different. Now can do DO more than surrender everything, and hope that the shortcoming may be less than they believe
 ''But what do you think of doing yourself? You've never been much accustomed to rough. ing it." a... ...
 ''High time that began then" {" he answered cheerfully. ''As you know, my wants are simple enough, and Pm chiefly sorry for the
 people l have been helping, and for poor James Lurcher in particular. He has made
 me somewhat uneasy lately, between our
 selves; and doubt if he IS quite able to walk alone yet must still keep him in hand for time, if can manage that, and then trust to my friends to assist him. N "Ah, by the way, talking of friends" be- gan, you can guess, 1 suppose, why came straight to look you up; for of course you felt sure of my sympathy, in any case. "
 'I think l can," he said frankly. "You meant to do as l hope should have done by yon, and ask me if needed funds to go on with And should have said yes, with out moments hesitation; but the fact is, you have been anticipated. Another good
 friend made tile offer, and I accepted it. Naturally, the creditors have a claim to every thing books, and furniture will all go to the hammer and even if had the right to draw another cheque, should not have drear. edsof touching my bank account. So just be- cause intend to be independent borrowed e5O to carry 3n with in the meantime after that, and with decent economy, mean that James and shall make out for ourselves"
 l imagine that looked surprised and some- what dubious with all my faith in Abraham's abilities, knew that neither money getting nor money saving had ever been his strong point. He answered the look with pleasant smile. r.t.- es7- z.s
 Well, always have been lazy beggar, though have ridden my pet hobbies hard enough. But I've often fancied that could do something if 1 were stirred up: and now and again, by the way of testing that. I have written an article that has come out anonymously. And an old ally of mine, the M