Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-03-14
UNDER A CLOUD.

Morris Tucker and his uncle sat at
their coZy breakfast table one winter
morning, each with a copy of the morn
ing's paper in his hand, each with a
elouded brow and troubled eye. The
elder gentleman was the first to speak.
at is a bad business, Morrisl''
"a bad business, indeed, STRIP
Then there was another long silence,
while each again read the ominOus news
Of the failure Of a firm whose business
was so involved with their own that the
failure of one house was nearly utter
ruin to the other. The hot chops cooled
on the dish, the coffee was untouched,
and the breakfast literally forgotten,
when the gentlemen left the house to as
certain the extent of their misfortunes.
Bad as they feared those would prove,
the realities were even worse than the
anticipation, and before night the old
firm of Tucker & Co. was in the list
of failures.
There was a dreary amount of hard,
distasteful work to be done after the fail
ure was an estab ished fact; but Morris
Tucker never hinched from any task or
interview till night-shadOWs fell, and he
faced his uncle at the table once more.
Then, with set features and a pale face
he said:
off you can spare me for an hour, sir
1 think had better call on Miss Ores.
Well?"
81 can spare you, but are you wise to
hurry an interview that, 1 fear, will be
very painful ?"
Better to understand my position al
once, sir. If" he mOistened his dry
lips here, as if the words choked him
''if Meta is true to me / will remain here
and try to work my way up again to the
position held only yesterday. If she
frees me from my engagement, accept
your proposal to go to California"
Il think 1T good time to look up those
old claims" said Mr.. Tucker, sliding ca
silly over the first part of his nepheW's
speech; "there may be money in them.
ave will seel If 1 do not 60 we may
be able to find some trusty messenger"
said.
ut may be, Mrs. Cresswen is a world
ly woman"
Meta is a worldly woman. Nay, let
me speak, Morris. I have said nothing
before, though my heart was sore over
your CD Jice Of a wife. Meta is. wonder
fully fascinating, beautiful and accom-
plished as but few women are, but she is
thoroughly heartless. I hoped your
choice would fall on Clarice.''
"Claricel She is a mere child %
"Only two years younger than Meta.
L love n6r very dearly, MOTIFS.
"But you are fond of Metal''
"NOl For her father sake, the brother
of my dead wife, have tried to love
Meta, but she repels mel"
"Yet you never spoke when told you
1 should seek to win her love-"
Because love is too sacred in my eyes
for anyone to interfere with its express
sion. If Meta loves you, will give her
warm welcome and cordial affection
when she becomes your wife, Morris
But nerve yourself for the worst, my
boy"
Nerved for the worst, Morris Tucker
sought his betrOthed bride. From the
time he had come from his Western
home, an orphaned lad of nineteen, to
accept his uncle's offer of home, he had
met Meta CressWelI constantly. He had
received cordial welcome from heI
mother, and had not suspected the
schemes and subtle influence that had
led him on, step by step, from the posi-
ton of friend to that of accepted suitOT
of the beautiful girl. While his feet
were bringing him slowly to the mOmen-
tous interview after the failure of the
firm of which his uncle had made him
full partner, Mrs. CressWen was school