The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-03-23
TWENTY POUNDS STERLING.


TWENTY POUNDS STEkLING.
There never was such man to bet as
Staining He was always so sure he WAS
RIGHT. Our mutual friend, Maxwell, ought
to have sailed for Brazil, but felt conf
dent I had seen him in the street, o. I
Staining said il was nonsense, and he + t
$50 to is was wrong. He had hardly lii
ished speaking when Maxwell came l. =.
Staining pulled out of his pocket go ~ e
and handed it to me.
There you are, old fellow. "A fool and
his money &c. Another Illustration OF
that wise adage." -,
Not exactly; for you don't expect shall
take your money!"
Eyes I do; and shall be extremely an
noyed if yon refuse"
protested, but presently he said in con-
siderable irritation:
Then be my almoner, and give the mon
ey away in charity"
He left presently, and, as
there are objections to standing in
the public highways with I
bank note in your hand and puzzled e2-
preston in your face, the note WAS trans
ferred to my pocket, and l went my wy
wondering, when l was mot 1oH tlll py "
Clergyman I knew.
y
seem to have our minds so much occupt d
that We cannot take care Of our bodies
mo grave matter of NINE" said, but
you look sad. Nothing wrong with you
and yours?"
NO, thank you; but have just left q de-
pressing 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. Ard
th bac all the or has
mad?"
Neither one nor tho other.
Something worse
Yes; for to be dishonest is worse than
going mad. And it is sch mere trltie
that is needed apparently, to put all straight,
that I groan at my inability to find it.
whats wanted?"
"Well it's only ego"
"Tbere's the money you require. Hast
away land do all the good you can with it. "
My friend looked astonlshed. He eysn
hesitated a moment.
1T is very good of YOU" he said, ner-
vously, "but really"
Il have the power to give this away.
Good BY" AND I hurried Oft. Then I
FASTENED back to him.
May I request that you will on no &C.
count mention my name?"
"As you wish it, won't; but you should
know the objects Of your bounty" And he
told me. Then We parted. I had only
gone dozsn yards, when there passed me
young man with q flushed face and
frightened, anxious look in his eyes. He
caught up to my friend ana spoke to him.
THAT is the man," I said to myself,
whose proceedings here have been dubl
ous and who will, l trust, be rescued b:
Ckoiv,po'o Wall IF tla Shc,,1S
turn, and this poor man should ever be in a
position to deliver q fellow creature from
such trouble as he himself is now in, by
the surrender OF $40, I wonder whether
he'll do it? Smith, you surely know hu-
man nature we'll enough to answer your
own foolish question. Not he-not q bit
of it.
This incident was soon swept from my
mind by sudden call to 60 abroad, even to
the place where Maxwell did not go-Bra-
I'll. Nothing hampered me then; was a
young bachelor, and could start for the
antipodes At two days notice. When take
for our autumnal trip, IL these liter
years Of my life, I require weeks prepare .
ton.
Away, then, to Brazil; away to new life,
new companions, new hopes and fears !;
away to fortune and the yellow fever! He,e
occurs in my tale an interval of twenty
years, (mv Story deals IL twenties.)
doubt whether I should have come back
had not young English lady enc night
sung in my bearing IN old home Lallad, so
we'll remembered in connection with some
who in this world will sing no more, that q
craving fol- my native land mastered me- at
once, and in very short time I was on my
return home.
IN I,ol
frightful dream. fancied terrible enemy
had me down and cluched my throat
Tighter grew his grasp and fainter my
breath. My staring eyes scanned every
feature of my murderer. Slowly and pain
fully did I call to mind the face above me.
gasped an entreaty for mercy.
Give it to me; want it; I must have it
instantly-instantly! was the hoarse reply.
"What-what can he mean?"
"What!" he shrieked, in maniacal frenzy.
"My e20.'
had quite forgotten about the bet and $50,
butsthe dream set me thinking Of what ru-
mors had heard respecting Staining since
left England-that his money had wasted,
he had fallen in position and even into pow
erty.
Poor fellow!" I thought, there may be
accept It 6e shall have that money nos J1obb a s
and very glad Ishall be to restore it.
Back in England, settled down in the old
country. Main matters disposed of, be-
gan to think of minor ones, and among the
latter the discovery of Staining. He was
not in the former haunts, and failed so
long to find him that was beginning to de-
spair, when one night I met him in the
street.
The brilliant light of ball room may in
crease the lustre Of womans eyes, but if
you want to see broken down man in his
worst aspect, survey him standing discon-
solately under street lamp, a driZzlina
rain descending upon him, and he with
folded arms presenting a picture Of
mute dispair. So did I behold Stain
ing. l put my hand upon his shoulder.
He sprang from me as though were wild
beast.
Il did not want to run away" he said
hoarsely; they knew that. Go on; I'll
walk quietly enough. Why-what-can ii
be-"
Eyes, it is Smith, your old companion.
Come out of this and confde in me. If
you are in trouble and money can help you,
you shall not want" And took his arm
and We went together.
And then heard poor Staining's confess
sion, and it amounted to this: When he
had wasted his money, he obtained situa-
ton in q merchants Office. The pay was
sufficient to keep him; but even new moth
ing could restrain HIM from betting on
horse racing. AS a consequence he was
soon pennlless, and worse-dishOnest. He
had paid betting debt out of a ego note
which had been entrusted to him. Dis
oJvery had ensued, and though the luck.
loss man had explained that it was only
through failure of another member of the
virtuous fraternity he could not replace
the money at once, he had been discharged,
and had reason to suppose he would be
prosecuted.
MANY, many thanks" replied the poo,
fellow to nv offer. You can see the firm