The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-06-21

.t has been before stated that for many years there had been little change in either the possessions or the position of the Abbots of Chewton- Abbot: but. like O her people, they had occasional wind falls. Some years after MT. Abbot suc- eeeded to the estate, new branch of a large railway passed through an outlying part of his land, and he vho made it a boast of never selling or mortgaging q single acre vas compelled by the de- mands of pablic convenience and com merce to part with wha. the railway wanted. Of couzse hs obtained . good round sum as compensation This Lay for long time at his bankers, waiting f,r any contiguous land which mieAs come into the market. Alker a while, a no fields which he wished to add to his own were open to buyer, at his wife's suggestion he sought fur another and more profitable investment, and in an evil hour became the proprietor of ffty shares in bank whose failure has now become historical He bought these shares at premium while he held them, they went to . much higher premium, S1s sS 3ssSs :se s.=e :s..s:.y which led him to cling to his acres made him keep to the same investment The high rate of interest also was very useful, and kept another horse or two in the stables.
 We can all remember the astonish- ment we felt that black day when the news of the stoPpage of that particular bank was flashed from end to end of the kingdom, and how, afterward, the ex- posture of the reckless conduct of its di- rectoss. and of the rotten state in which the concern had been for years, sent cold shudder down the back of every holder of bank stock.
 Mir. Abbot was not a man of business. He did not at once realize what being the registered owner of these fifty shares meant. He denounced the roguery of the directors, and vowed that if ever again he had money 10 spare, into land It should go, nowhere else. He had an idea that no more than the money which he had invested would be lost: but vhen after few days he gathered from the newspaper the true meaning of unlimited liability, his heart grew sick within him. The rental of his estate was about SIX thousand year so when call after call vas made on the shareholders, William Abbot knew thai he was a ruined man, and lamented his folly for not having en- tailed the estates. Lands, house, furni. ture, plate, all came to the hammer; md 90 tar as county people and landed es- tates, the Abbots were extinct. Mrs. Abbot had a jointure of some five hun- dred a year, on which the unfortunate couple were fain to live as best they could. They took house at Weymouth and in that retired watering place their woes in gen.eel obscurity.
 50 Frank Abbot came back from Switz- erland to begin the world on his own ac- count, with nothing bu, college degree, perfect constitution, and few hundred pounds scraped together by the sale of ais personal effects. How should he .arn his living! He was sorely tempted o emigra;e. He had the frame and muscles for hard work, and outdoor life would suit him. Yet he shrank from the dea of giving up as beaten in his native and. Other men had made their way why should not he? He felt conscious ness of certain ability which necessity night force into play. His mother sug- sested the church. A clergyman of 5ood family can always marry a rich wife, and that you are bound to do now, Frank shrugged his broad shoulders, and bought sadly of his promised wife. SO many thousands of miles away. Event ially, he decided to read for the bar. He thew It would be slow and dreary work o win success there-that for many years ie must be prepared to endure penury put career might be made. If hun. fred fail, one succeeds should he iot be that one?
 de had no right to keep a girls love du- Ing all the years which must elapse be- ore he could offer her home He must t least release her from her VOWS. H-I md as he believed it would be-she re- used to be released, they must wait and | loPe. Now that the reality of marrying 'n nothing came home to him, he saw what 1t meant-what misery it must en- all. Now that the earning his own liy- ng, of which he had spoken so bravely vhen there was no need of his doing SO. vas forced upon him, he became quite ware of the sacrifices he must make. de was no desponding coward, and in- Iced had little doubt as to his ultimate uccess. He felt that he could bear it if dillicent must also share it. At any ate 1t was right she should know the hange in his fortunes. So he wrote a ew words: My darling-We are all | uined. l am going to try and make a wing as barrister. Of course I must ow release you from every promise" 1e signed his name but before sealing he letter, could not help adding: But
 love you more than ever." Then he ent the letter to Millicent's aunt. and 'egged that it might be forwarded to her iece.
 That letter never reached it's destina- ion. Whether it was mislaid or misdi- ected-whether a mail bag was lost ither on the voyage or on the long land Miss Keene's aunt. rho had learned wha, reverses had be- allen the Abbots, simply threw it on the re, will never be known All that can e said is, Millicent never received it: ald after months had passed, Frank, who 'as looking eagerly for an overdue an-