St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-24

an Unexpectedly good night. After had
| breaiIasted, therefore, when he once more
required to the subject which seemed to be
uppermoSt in his mind, / permitted linn to
talk. but implored him to control himself
as much as possible, and not to OvcrtaN his
| strength.
What he told me was in substance as fol-
| lows | made exhaustive notes of it as
soon as left his room, and am confident
| that | have succeeded in recalling many OF
Sir James actual phrases. 1t made Il very
| powerful impression upon me. and do not
| doubt that it will equally excite the interest
and sympathy of the reader. The names
alone are altered:
- was b0ln," he said, lin London III
1872, My father was the rector OF ST.
IS; and after putting me to good
school he sent me to Cambridge. l took
my degree in 1888, and they went to the bar
Ny chief friend. both at Cambridge and at
the Inner Temple, was Horace Raven, a
| young man who possessed astonishing abil-
ity, remarkably good looks great ambition,
and the prospect OF succeeding to Il large
fortune and to one OF the oldest English
baronetcieS. In all these respects he was
| need scarcely say, my superior. | was a
poor man: | had only my energies 20 de-
pend upon; and | mad no Influential rela-
tiYes no near relatives indeed of any kind
except my father. | being an only child, and
my mother having died during my infancy
At the bar | was, for q y0ungSter, fairly
successful. Raven and | had chambers to-
gethcr: we had our laW-5O0kS III cOmmOn;
and we We're on such terms of friendship
that we We're known on our staircase as
the Brothers, For some years | lived a
very happy life. made enough to enable
myself to live in tolerable comfort; and in
time indeed felt myself to be justified III
looking out for Il wife.
''One evening Raven and | went to ball
at Lady DIS. We there met Miss Mary
Bagster, young girl of surprising beauty;
and before the night was spent we had both
as had learned subsequently -fallen III
love with her. Her father, like mine, was
a poor clergyman. | had but little difficulty
in establishing myself upon footing of III
timacy with her family; and often when
visited them, Raven accompanied me.
Mary. though she was, as | have said. III
eXpressibly lovely, was of a somewhat cold
disposition. She was unenthuSlaStlc and
self-contained to an unusual degree: and
yet. in her way, she was ambitious. She
desired to marry a man who would make
MS way in the world; and it was only after
some very fattering hints about NE and my
ability had been let drop in her presence by
her father, who evidently favored NE, that
she consented to become my wife. Raven
was not at Mr.. BagsterS house on that event
full evening. Next morning when | met
him at our chambers told him of what had
occurred. He changed colOr-Which at the
time | attributed to the strength of his
friendship for me-and then congratulated
me in 4 somewhat eXtraNagant manner.
"'When are you going to be married" he
asked
- Soon I replied There is no reason
Why we should delay. | could wish that [
We're little better Off; but our misfortune
in that respect will. trust, disappear in
course of time. As it is, we shall, | think,
be able to do pretty we'll
I wish you joy said Raven, as he rose
to go into the chancellOrS court, where he
had a brief that morning.
Il had then no idea that he also loved
Mary Bagster, and that he had determined.
even at that late hour, if not to wrench her
from me for himself at least to prevent me
marrying her. His conduct toward me re-
MANNED so far as | could see. exactly what
it had been previous to my engagement. lie
was genial and friendly appeared to take
an absorbing interest in all my plans for
the future and actually accompanied me to
Brunswick square to look over house
which was TO be let, and which thought Of
taking and furnishing. | found that the
place would be rather beyond my means,
and regretfully told him so.
Never mind Jack, he said; you will
find something better perhaps. But | GER
tainly should like you to have the house,
That evening we were sitting together
over the fire. jack he said suddenly,
we are old friends. and want to give you
a handsome wedding present.
He had. | should explain. recently sue
ceeded to the barOnetcy and the estates, and
was now a rich man.
- You are very good l answered.
Anything that You may give us will be
valued. not merely for itself, but for the sake
of the giver.'
"'We have been in chambers together, he
resumed, for more than seven years. |
shan't like losing your company; for of
course | shall be robbed of good deal of it
now. Be plain with me, Jack. Would not
money be more useful to you than mere
present? 1t usually is acceptable | believe,
in these cases.
II thanked him feeingly for his fore
Thought. ii WOulu Dt pdi liculdIlS WEI
come / said. Without another word,
he drew his chair to the table, took his
check-book from drawer. and filed in a
draft. which. after he had carefully eX-
amined. he handed to me.
Il took it and gaZed at it with astonisl-
ment-it was for a thousand pounds. My
dear Raven gasped, forI was overcome
by this act of apparent and totally uneX-
pected generosity, it is too much: it is too
good of You. | cannot think of it,
"'You know that l can well afford it, he
said curly. L insist upon your taking it,
If you refuse. we can no longer remain ON
terms of friendship
Nay. Raven cried. while my heart
seemed to rise TO my throat. 'Donot misun-
derstand NE. This is noble of YOU | thank
you with all my heart: but | cannot accept
such a large sum-
''IIe would not listen, however. to my
refusal: and finally p0cketed both my
pride and the draft
MARY BagSter was at the time paying
a short visit to her friends in the country:
and thus it happened that | did not men
ton the fact of my having received Ravens
handsome present either to her or to any
one else. | looked forward to surprising
her with the news upon her return to town;
and in the meantime sent the draft to my
bankers, d well-knOwn private firm. with
which l had but recently opened an ac-
count.
"a few mornings afterWaW | was sitting