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

urious establishment on Fifth Avenue
and pondered deeply. The subject Of
his cogitation was a wife. or how to
get one. There were plenty Of young
ladies ready to become mistress of his |
home. that he knew; but he also felt
tolerably well assured that the home
was all they cared for. For the for.
tune they would wed its owner.
Hang the money! he exclaimed.
i wish / never had penny of it and
then-but, botheration, then ! should
have been too poor to marry, any
how. Why couldn't l have just money
enough for my wants and nothing
morei I'll foil them. though. the
mean adventuresses."
A furious pull at the bell rope
brought the housekeeper to the room
in hurry.
Pick up your traps. Mrs. Ash6eld.
he exclaimed abruptly. I'm going TO
close the house.
Il 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 60 on. Have you no rela-
tives that you can visitT
That settled it. The prefer Of con-
tinued wages removed Mrs. Ashfeld's
scruples quite effectually. She then
remembered she had friends she hadn't
seen for years.
Three days later Augustus Fitz-
Hume was safely domiciled in q quiet
clearinghouse. and shortly after began
to sell his diamond stud, ring and
seals as well as to dress himself in
palmer clothes. A rumor that he had
lost his property through an unlucky
speculation was soon afoat.
He lost friends rapidly. By twos
and threes 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 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
a 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 to see
him.
Rather close quarters, my FRIEND
he said, as he took calm survey of
Augustus not very pretentious sur
roundings.
Pretty close. indeed said Fitz-
Hume, Jelly. But since | lost my
property, of which / suppose you
haven't heard. became quite Geo.
nomical.
But, l heard it, cried his auditor,
abruptly, and that's why I'm here.
] knew you needed friends now if ever.
And the fact well-my daughter,
sir-l mean came to offer you the
position of head clerk in my counting.
house. Will you accept it2'
'Aheml Well, / will think about it. |
But it is long way from my lodging
house
Hang your lodging-house. You
can live at my house as a-well-as a |
sort Of guest, you know
Augustus looked over him closely. |
Mr.. Stanley was reputed to be a 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 difference in their appar.
ent 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 a |
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 |
L. y u