Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-10-23
A FORTUNATE MISTAKE.

Il
Morgan, stepping back from the sketch
he had just made of n pretty bit OF
scenery. IF finish il. and take IL 10
Staunton, he'll only laugh. / am not
cut out for an artist; neither can L get
even bread and cheese, lot alone an
income to marry on. out of literature.
I'm sure that was n capital tale / sent
to the editor of The SnoWfake, last
week, and he jast sent it back with the
old insult, That I've got so used to,
declined with thanks. really don't
know what l can turn TO. brought up
10 nothing, and expecting u fortune;
it's hard enough for fellows TO make n
position who have studied from boy
hood. with everything in their favor.
must either enlist or emigratc; but
there, I'll go and talk to my pretty
Mabel. Thank Heaven. can still see
her bright face occasionally.
A few minutes later. Bob Morgan
was sitting on the trunk of an old tree,
on the outskirts of the wood with his
arm around the waist of fair pretty
girl. his betrothcd wife. whom he was
now obliged TO meet secretly, in conse-
quence of his loss of fortune.
She did not look mirthful herself to-
night; her eyes were heavy with tears
recently shed, and her pretty mouth
was even now quivcring with partially
suppressed grief.
''Why. my darling little May" Bob
was saying What is the matter? The
sight of your bright face clouded makes
me feel rs if all the world were wrap
ped in gloom, this fair summer even
ing"
, ''Oh, dear Bob, am so unhappy.
You remember me telling you that Mr.
Falkland, an old friend of papa's, had
come to stay with us on visitP Well,
it is too dreadful, Bob; mamma says
he wants to AIRY me, and that if L do
not say yes hen he asks me. we shall
all be ruined"
ITO marry you, Mabelr' exclaimed
Bob Indignantly. The old fright, how
dare hep Why, didn't you tell me he
was eighty?"
"Oh, no. Bob. but he is over sixty,
and that's quite rs old, l think" said
Mabel illogically.
"And what does your mother mean
about being ruined?" asked Bob.
''Oh. 1 don't quite understand it."
answered Mabel thoughtfully. Some
thing about mortgage, which papa
let him have"
well, mortgage or ruin, or what
ever else happens, Mabel, don't let
them brighten You into marrying your
grandfather. We will run away, and
live on my poor fifty pounds year,
first" said Bob stoutly; and then fol-
lowed much loving talk, and many
castles in the air, for Bob's presence
seemed to bring back all Mabels light
heartedness.
But when she had left him, and he
returned to his home alone, all the
fears and anxieties he had shaken off.
returned with ten-fold force.
II know what you arc capable of,
my good Mrs. Walton" he soliloquized,
apostrophising his mother-in-iaw elect.
''lt's quite possible that the mortgage
story is all made up. to try and fright
EN- my poor little girl into the idea that
she is making noble sacrifice of her.
self. for the benefit of the others. And
suppose that horrible old fellow fol-
lows her about, and grins ut her. and
forces his odious presence on her. when
he ought to be thinking of the grave,
the old villain. He's sure to be a coarse
old brute. for all his money was made
in trade" Bob felt all the contempt
for such sordid manner of amassing
wealth that the son of an over-worked
rector. with large family and small
stipend, would naturally feel. How
ever, he shall not rob me of my darling,
nor vex her with his impudent atten-
tons, without first having his eyes
opened. Ii he was young man. now,
/ could punch his head, but as it is, if
he has any feeling az all, he shall re-
ceive blow of another kind" With
which warlike resolution. Bob went to
sleep. and slept soundly, in spite OF his
troubles.
Next day, he went off and had an in
terview with Jenny, the odd man at
Walton Lodge, with which prctentious
name Mrs. Walton. had dignified her
small house. Bob used TO be n favor
it of old Jemmy's, on account of nu-
merous packets of tobacco, etc., which
found their way from his pocket to the
old mans, before Mrs. Walton had for
hidden him the house, on account OF
his altered prospects.
From Jenny. Bob learnt that the
old gent, as the old man designated
the rich man. would probably go down
to fish in tho mill-stream, between
breakfast and luncheon.
Thanks, Jenny, and now tell me
exactly what he is like, said Bob.
But this information Jenny was not
able to impart with much success, so
Bob felt he would have to trust to
chance to show him the right man, IL
moro than one gentleman should Sc
lect the same time and place for his
fishing.
"A6. there he isr' said Bob to HIM
sell, as he deserted q solitary figure on
the bank.
But when he drow nearer, he was
not Mt all sure of his man. This gen.
tleman was jolly, sprightly-looking
man of about fifty-fve, with an air OF
refinement about him which could
hardly have belonged to trader.
Bob drew out his easel and set up
all his paraphernalia ready to sketch,
feeling all his courage OF last night de-
sorting him. -,
"Good-morning. Hope you will be
very lucky" he said, when the angler
had Just landed fine trout.
Thanks; I've had one or two very
fair takes this week." responded the
old gentleman, and he then became
orito talkative, so that Bob soon had
his doubts set ut rest. He was Mr..
Falkland. the man who had come TO
marry Mable, and rob him OF his love,
who had been his since they both wore
pinafores.
D.. ,hough ha made MANY attempts