The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-06-12

Ihe eWarm-hearteQ young girl plans,
however, were destined never to be
carried into execution. But few days
had elapsed when tidings came of the
sudden death of the kind old man.
"It's very strange" said Matthew
Dalton, discontentedly, when the legal
statement of his brothers monetary
affairs was laid before him. Il thought
Nahum was worth more money than
that!''
eve can't always Judge by appear
ances, sir, you know" said the lawyer
NO" said Mr.. Dalton, color.ng,
and looking somewhat uneasy, You
are quit right thereT'
Two little leather-bound receipts
books, worn and greasy with age and
bearing marks of frequent usage, were
found in Nahum Dalton's stained pine
desk, labeled respectively with the
names of his two nieces, Eunice and
Nina, ''To be presented upon their
marriage"
"Fiddlestickst" said Eunice, disdain-
fully, 81 don't want the vulgar old
things"
"There,' said Nina, softly, II will
keep them both, for Uncle Nahum's
sake!"
And, spite of Eunice's sarcasm, she
put them carefully away among her
treasures.
"Who knows but what [ may want
to make the real electric cake one of
these days" she said, laughingly.
The double wedding came off gor
geously at the Dalton mansion, but it
proved to be the last glitter of the ex-
piring torch of wealth and fortune.
The cake, all glittering with its sugared
fairies and pictured orange wreaths-
the bridal banquet-the very band
which discoursed sweet music to the
wedding guests were obtained on cred
it, and not one of the luckless trades
| people were paid!
For the next day Matthew Dalton $
entire and total failure was ringing
over all the town, and with this was
also involved the ultimate ruin of his
| son-in law, Herbert Lesderner.
| From a suite of elegant apartments
at the St. Saffron hotel, Mrs. Lesder-
| ner descended to the second floor in q
! respectable tenement-house, and great
were her weepings and wailings and
| gnashing of teeth.
Jerome Falconer struggled bravely
against the adverse tide as long as
struggles were of any avail, but
the failure of his father and brother
in-law induced withdrawal of con-
fidence and credit, and his temporary
| embarrassment followed.
80 you've come down in the world,
too," said Eunice, bitterly, as she
seated herself in the pleasant little
room where Nina was domiciliated.
up in the world, rather" laughed
the CHEEKY girl, why, we are on the
third story here, and to tell you the
truth, Eunice, l like it a great deal bet
ter than | did the big house on Mad
| ison avenue, with its understanding
rooms and frescoed walls, and marble
| paved halls. TO be sure, it isn't so
pleasant to be poor, but as long as Je-
rome is well and in good spirits"
Pleasant" pouted Eunice. Il some
times almost wish that L was dead.
What are you going to do nowP"
For Mrs. Falconer was examining
the state of her little range stove with
dimpled housewifely interest
''What do you think?" she asked
archly, by way of response.
Il am sure | haven't the least idea. -
Il am going to try my hand at cake
baking. Jerome delights in fresh cake,
and Uncle Nahum's receipt-book cer-
tainly ought to be used. Don't you
want yours?"
mo, indeed; 81 have no heart for
such folly" signed Eunice.
Folly! don't call it folly" laughed
Nina. Il don't think Uncle Nahum
could have given me more acceptable
gift Of what use are all my point
lace, jewels and cashmeres nowP"
As she spoke she opened the curious
little volume, dark-hued, and fastened
with little tongue of discolored leath-
er, which slid beneath strap of the
same to fasten it.
''What queer little book" she said,
"and what an odd pocket at the end,
stuffed full of newspapers. Why,
they're not newspapers at all-they're
look Eunice, they are folded bank
notes"
They were. The end pocket or COM
partment was filled with packets, each
tanning some single receipt for cake,
JelIy OF mafmalaue, anu tleu round
with a bit of waxed linen thread.
Uncle Nahum's quaint fancy had
taken that peculiar turn, and each
worn little receipt book contained two
thousand dollars in fifty-dollar bills.
''Eunice," cried Nina, when the two
sisters had recovered in some degree
from their astonishment, ''there is Un-
Gle Nahum's wedding gift, and how in
estimably valued just at present? Oh,
if | could only see the dear old man
once more, to kiss him and thank him
as he deservesn'
And Nina burst into tears, which
flowed from very mingled sources.
A little while ago $40 would have
seemed but a trife in the aggregate of
her annual expenses, now it was CON-
parative wealth-the foundation, as it
were. of new fortune The old man
could scarcely have taken a more Sc
cure method of keeping his memory
green in the hearts of his two nieces.
And years afterward, when Eunice
and Nina were once more restored,
through the instrumentality of Uncle
Nahum's oddly-given present, to COM
petence. ii not to wealth, the worn old
receipt book occupied position of
honor on the rosewood shelves of the
carved library bookcase.