Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-07-29
FITl.HUME's EXPERIMENT.

Z
ladies ready TO become mistress Of his
home. that he knew; but be also felt
tolerably we'll assured that the home
was all they cared for. For the for
tune they would wed its owner.
Hang the money! he exclaimed.
] wish | never had penny Of it and
then but, botheration, then should
have been too poor TO marry, any
how. Why couldn't ! have just money
enough for my wants and nothing
more I'll foil them, though, the
mean adventuresses.
A furious pull at the bell rope
brought the housekeeper to the room
in a hurry.
Pick up your traps, Mrs. Ashfeld,
he exclaimed abruptly. I'm going to
close the house.
It was evident he had come TO some
conclusion.
Shut up the house + CALCULATED the
housekeeper, almost believing she had
lost her senses. Why, such thing
has not occurred before since your
father took possession forty years
ago.
That makes no difference. I'm
master here now, and ] shall close it
for the present, Meanwhile your
wages can go on. Have you no rela.
tivea that you can visit?
That settled it. The prefer of con-
tinued wages removed Mrs. Ashfelds
soruples quite eifsctually. She then
remembered she had friends she hadn't
seen for years.
Three days later Augustus Fitz.
Hume was safely domiciled in quiet
clearinghouse. and shortly after began
to sell his diamond stud, ring and
seals as well az to dress himself in
palmer clothes. Arumor that he had
lost his property through an uniucky
speculation was soon ahoat.
He lost friends rapidly. By twos
and threea they ceased to know him as
he met them on the street. He only |
laughed and snapped his fingers at |
them behind their backs.
Then came q time when large cir
Gle Of acquaintance got narrowed
down TO three. It's no wonder he
grew misanthropic.
On Madison Avenue one day he met
carriage containing some Of his
former acquaintance. who had been
absent In Europe since he closed his
house, He thought that they would
not notice him, but each occupant Of
the carriage bowed politely as Of old.
They have not heard the news,
he muttered, cynically.
He was mistaken. That evening
the owner Of the carriage called tosee
him.
Rather close quarters, my friend,
he said, as be took calm survey Of
Augustus not very pretentious sur
roundings.
Pretty close, indeed said Fitz-
Hume, Jolly, But since lost my
property, Of which ! suppose you
haven't heard, / became quite eco
nomical.
But, | heard It. cried his auditor,
abruptly, and that's why Tn .here. |
knew you needed friends now if ever.
And the fact ia--well-my daughter,
sir--I mean ! came to offer you the
position Of head clerk in my counting
house Will you accept it2'
'Ahaml Well, will think about IT.
But il 10 a long way from my lodging
house.
Hang your lodgiag-house. You
can live At my house as a--well--as a
sort Of guest. you know
Augustus looked over him closely.
MIR. Stanley was reputed to be very
wealthy man, There was nothing in
his face to warrant suspicion, so he
thanked him and accepted the offer.
Once cozily settled in the Stanley
mansion, It was not long before he
wondered why he had not noticed
Nellie Stanley before. She did not
seem TO feel above him, notwithstand-
ing the wide ditferencein their appar.
emit positions, and she treated him
cordially, more cordially he thought
than before his change Of fortune.
He would not have been human If he
had not learned to love her.
The climax came when she gave O
grand party. Then before the elite Of
the town she did not hesitate to re-
seive attention from him on which
but one construction could be placed
He thought her quite heroine, and
asked no further proof Of her love for
him.
The next forenoon they met in her