The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-12-07

Thirty years ago Mr., Stuart Starch
about town; he affected to be notori-
Gus young man about town still.
Since he began to SOW his wild oats
three generations Of youths had come,
sown theirs, and gone; but he continu-
ed gaily scattering crop after crop, and
imagining all the while that the world
regarded him still as the sane young
fellow he was of yore. When he rose
in the morning and looked in his glass
he could not but see that his face was
wriukled and his hair was thin. When
he took his afternoon stroll in the
park he felt only too plainly that his
step lacked lightness and his figure
dropped. These and such like un.
pleasant "finger-posts' he contrived to
conceal, as he thought, if not from
himself, at least from the world. His
toilet, it is true, made an immense de-
mand upon the skill of his valet and
the resources of art; but when it was
completed he fattered himself that he
was to all outward appearance as
youthful as many men thirty years his
junior.
Ha, ing thus in exterior renewed his
youth, it was his delight to spend his
afternoons and nights with ''the boys"
There was something pathetic in the
efforts which be made TO do as these
sturdy young roysterers did. He
would stroll with them in the streets,
gamble with them at the club, shuttle
off to the theatre "to mash with them
the ladies of the stage, until he was
ready to drop with fatigue. All the
time be imagined that the lads took
him for one of themselves. He forgot
that there were few of them who had
not heard their fathers talk of "old
Starch" tell of his elopement some
twenty years ago with poor wealthy
| Miss Cash, wonder what had become
of the child of that marriage, and
laugh at the old fogey's affetoation of
youth.
There was just one point upon
which Mr.. Stuart Starcher acknowledg
ed the effect of years, and that was on
the point of worldly wisdom. He not
merely admitted, but he boasted of, the
width of his experience and the pro-
fundity of his knowledge of men, wo-
men and things. Every possible
trouble or difficulty man about town
could get into he had been in. He
had been in love and in debt, hard bit
at cards and threatened with the di.
vorce court; he had eloped with an
heiress, been in scrapes with ladies and
had fought a duel. Every conceiv-
able adventure he had, according to
himself, come through, and come
through, as he proudly declared, with
out as much as scratch. He was as
vain of his astuteness as he was ash
AIMED of his age.
| On this great fund of wisdom and
experience he was always ready to draw
for the benefit of his young friends when
any of them got into trouble; it was
the only fund he was ready to draw
upon. He was at least as rich as he
was wise, but he was as prudent with
his money as he was prodigal with his
advice. As he used TO say, he did
this on principle; he stuck to his mon
ey because if he did not somebody else
would, but as to his advice he could
offer it freely because he knew no.
body would take it.
In this observation he scarcely did
himself justice, for his advice was not
only taken but often sought, and
among those who most needed and
sought it was one of his youngest and
most intimate friends, the Hon. Frank
Terrington.
The Hon. Frank was true Telring
ton; that is he was most of his time in
high spirits and low company and he
was happily blessed with many friends
many tollies and many debts. HI
was not on good terms with his father
no Terripgton ever was.
The hon. Frank was the favoritt
nephew of a very wealthy old aunt
That was all he had to live on yet fol
long time, bnt with the aid Of usur
ers, he contrlved to live on it very
well. But one fine morning wha
should the wealthy old aunt do but g
and get married The first intima
ton of this horrible example of femi
nine thoughtlessness which poor Franl
had was the announcement of he
wedding in the morning papers. IL
read the shameful intelligence with
throbbing brow. His aunt had cal
lousy taken from him his only liveli
hood, for now his credit, like Othello'
occupation, was gone.
As was bis habit when in trouble he
went and consulted Mr. Stuart Starch
er. What was to be done, that wa
his question.
.'Done!" excl aimed Mr. Stuart Stal
er, with his youthful manner bu
shaky voice. "Donel' Why, m
boy-my poor boy, you must marry
This alternative, this, resource is
fearful one to fall back upon. Whel
a fellows stone broke there's nothiuI
else for it,
But who would have met" aske
Frank. "Bcfore my aunt married
might have had chance of marryin
fortune. | had prospects then; bu
now, when I've nothing but bad re
putation aud big debts"
"Confound tho reputation" said MI
Stuart Staroher, in most deoisiv
manner, sand blow the debts!
speak deliberately, and not, as 20
may imagiue, from the turn of IN
periods, without consideration
Frank, my boy, l weep for you.
thought you were lad of spirit an
resource, but | was wrong-ver
wrong"
"Oh, cut this chatf, man, and /
serious" replied Frank, little nettle
By Mr. Stuart Starchers butfooner
over his distress. sim ready to ma
ry money if | can get the chanc
But how am | to get iti Everybod
worth anything in town knows m
and will have nothing to do with m
r. How am | to marry money if none
won't marry meH'
"But it will, Frank" said Mr., Stua
Starcher, "Mark me, it will, if yC
only follow my advice, know VIII
I'm talking about, l can tell yo
Now listen. | never meant you