San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-12-26

= WIZ was VI dSO-tuu q MUS ONSl
ana sole mistress of various admirable in
vestments producing &C., COO year.
She lived with her aunt-a woman of gor-
geous and llorid taste in costume and sur
roundings-on the Bayswater side of Hyde
park. The eligible family residence was her
own for the remainder of long lease, of
which seventy-five years were unexpired
Stocks, shares, house property and some I'M
Improbable old fashioned foreign bonds
formed the basis of her wealth. A careful
study at Somerset house of her late uncle,
Jabez Plumley, the wholesale grocer's will,
had informed my official mind of these most
interesting facts. To do myself mere justice,
however, must add that, until | had been
rather epris with Mabel at Lady Jorroxs
garden party at Hendon, did not study the
financial aspect Of the matter. For Mabel
had personal attractions. She was 26
blonde, "large, languishing and lazy" as
Lord Byron beautifully expresses it, of regu-
lar features, azure eyes and of apparently
most equabie temper She was somewhat of
gourmand, and think won her heart by
my almost juvenile fondness for Strawberries
and cream, of which we partook largely and
lazily while the rest of the party played lawn
tennis, which my fair one disliked; and as
all the other fellows as well as all the other
girls We're enthusiasts in that line, and we
both hated the game, we had another taste
in common as we ate our Strawberries and
cream and satirized all the other people.
After this we met on several occasions, and
on this particular day took my courage in
both hands, as tine French say, and proposed.
| was accepted.
had procured from confiding jeweler,
with whom | had had some outstanding
transactions, and to whom gave some hint
of my hopes flor he was a cautious NAM, a
very handsome diamond and pearl ring,
which slipped on Mabels taper finger. She
glanced at her well jeweled hands and drew
off an opal ring of curious fashion. "Wear
this, dear Fred. for me-" she said. st was
my dear uncle's, but l should like you to
wear it now we are engaged" l can't cay
much appreciated the romance Of the gift,
for old Plumley had been one of the most
prosaic, not to say disagreeable, wholesale
grocers who ever lived, and it flashed across
me that there was a popular idea as too PALS
being very unlucsy stones. Alas! how forci-
bly, tho popular notion was illustrated in our
case this story will tell
However, the ring was snowy, and, as
my friend, the jcweler-who, in view of
sy-cd me, valuable one, SO | wore it, much
TO Mabel'S satisfaction, and vowed priced it
more than anything possessed. 1t was set
in a quaint anu original fashion, and GER
tainly unique ring.
Neither Mabel nor l were particularly DO
ctical or rhapsodizing lovers and in very
matter of fact fashion it was settled we
Gould be married in the following spring.
4
with me, and many an admirable little dinner
we three shared-all equally appreciative-in
in my frances house at Bayswater, of which,
with secret complacency, felt myself pros
pective master. Ny colleagues at the B. P.
Office envied me, and the chief Of tho depart
mcnt condescended to take rather more notice
of me than he had done. SO mercenary is
human nature! | was asked to heavy din
ners with some of the leading men in the va
riouS "rooms," and more attention was paid
to me in a month than for years my refined
aspect and brilliant talents had Of themselves
only sufiiced to procure. More important
than all, found it far easier to procure ad-
vances, at interest of high character, it is
true, on my note of hand, for l had taken
the precaution to obtain and show an official
copy of the late Mr.. Plumley's will. Mabels
ring, too, was not unimportant piece Of
evidence.
IL
Among my intimate acquaintance was
Dick Everton, brieflesS barrister, of Bohe-
milan tastes. We had that friendship for
each other which is based on reciprocal
ability for ecarte and a persistent endeavor
to get the better of each other. Beyond the
natural readiness to win money of each
other we were very intimate in many ways.
We backed each others bills, and, generally
speaking, we were i'll alliance. Dick and /,
however, were something like horse dealers
friendship never interfered with chance of
looking after ones own interests. Dick was
paragon of impudence, and when, as some
times happened he got q stray old Bailey
brief from some practitioner in that line
who was charmed by his fund of amusing
limitations and full Favored stories at tho
Den, small Bohemian club Of big thor
ouGhfare, and which WAS fullest at the small
est hours, he bearded the most august judge
who happened to preside with as much non
chalance as he would show to the chairman
of free and easy" and he was much given
to practical joking. lie had q Machiavellian
facility for secrecy about him, despite his
usual rollicking manners, which took in most
people. Nay, it even took in me. But this
is anticipating.
"W ell, old man." said Dick, as we sat smok-
ing our pipes one night after q card party ut
mB rooms, where he and l, laying aside our
usual antagonism, had been partners and
had both won fairly. ~ congratulate you
on your engagement, and when you're big
swell in Tyburnia with bank account don't
forget your old friends"
go, l shall not forget them, Dick, you may