The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-04-05
TWENTY POUNDS s. ERLING.

sure he was right. OR mutual
friend Maxwell ought 70 aaye sailed
for Brazil, but felt confident I had
seen him on the street. Staining
said it was nonsense, and he bet me
f20 to Is. l was wrong. He had
hardly finished speaking when Max
well came in. Staining pulled out
of his pocket $40 note and handed
ii to me.
"There you are, old fellow. I A fool
and his money etc. Another illus.
tration of that wise adagsP
"Not exactly; for you don't expect
1shall take your money! :,
"Yes do, and-shaH be extremely.
annoyed if you refuse"
protested, but presently he said,
in considerable irritation:
"rhen be my almoner, and give the
money away in charity"
He left presently, and as there are
objections to standing in the public
highways with bank note in your
hand, and puzzled expression in
your face, the note was transferred to
my pocket and | went my way won
dering, when was met full tilt by a
clergyman whom | knew.
"Hulloa" he cried. dMr. Smith,
you and | seem to have our minds so
much occupied that we cannot take
care of our bodies"
"No grave matter Of mine" 1
said; "but you look sad. Nothing
wrong with you and yours?"
"No, thank you; but l have lust
left a depressing scene. A young
couple, married in haste, have come
to grief. The wife and child are i'll.
Relatives and friends have receded
into the remote background. And
worse than all, the husband"
"Has become incorporate or gone
mad"
"Neither one nor the other"
Something worse?"
ayes; for to be dishonest is worse
than going mad And it is such a
mere triae that is needed, apparently,
to put all straight, that | groan at
my inability to find it,"
Whats wanted?"
"Well, it's only GOO"
There's the monos, ynurequire.-
Haste away and do all the good you
can with it,"
My friend looked astonished. He
even hesitated a moment.
sit is very good of you" he said,
nervously, "but really"
81 have the powsr to give this
away. Goodbye" and l hurried off,
Then fastened back to him.
May | request that on no account
you vii mention my name?"
"As you wish it, [ won't; but you
should know the object of your boun,
ty," And he told me. Then we
parted. l had only gone a dozen
yards when there passed me young
man with flushed face and a fright,
oned, anxious look in his eyes. He
caught up to my friend and spoke to
him.
THAT is the man." I said to my
self, "whose proceedings have been
dubious, and who will, I trust, be res.
cued by Staining's 600. Well, if The
wheel should turn, and this poor
man should ever be in a position to de.
liver fellow creaturs from such a
trouble as himself is now in, by the
surrender of G20, I wonder whether
he'll do it?-Smith, you surely know
human nature we'll enough to an.
swer your own foolish question. Not
he-not bit Of it,"
This incident was soon swept from
my mind by call to go abroad, even
to the place where Maxwell did not
go-Brazil. Nothing bampered then;
| was young bachelor, and could
start for the antipodes at two days
notice. When | take my wife and
chlldren-I forget tho number-for
our autumnal trip, in these latter
years of my life, require weeks of
preparation.
Away, then, to Brazil; away to new
lie, new companions, new hopes and
Tears; away to fortune and the yellow
lever Here occurs in my tale an in
terval of 20 years (my story deals in
twenties). doubt whether l should