Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-04
THE LAST TEN THOUSAND.
PART /.

PART l.
On wet gloomy afternoon In the April Of 1877
MT james Heath sat IN a house In Adam street,
strand. and In the curiously- furnished apartment
which he called his once. The very dirty window
curtains OF the room were OF the richest silk. The
cosby Turkey carpet was covered with dust and
Uttered with bundles OF old law papers and news
papers besides letters and other documents.
which, having been torn up, had evidently lain on
the moor untouched for weeks or months. on the
walls OF the room were hung a number OF
valuable OIL paintings water colors, and engrav-
ings Aadcnnas and Holy Families OF the
carry spanish and Italian schools pets OF the
ballet and the prize ring, Dutch Doors, land
scapeS portraits and racing scenes-mingled as
they were without the least regard TO style or
subject, the general eject was altogether novel
and surprising. About the chamber were a num-
Der OF chairs and couches, mostly OF antique pat
terms but all OF them made OF the most costly
materials and covered, like the carpet, with dust
In the corners OF the room were piles OF we'll
bound volumes. and Two massive sideboards-One
Of oak, the other Of ebony-were piled with mis-
eelansous heaps OF books, glasses and silver
plate. Everything about the chamber In short,
WAS dirty, costly and incongruous
Finally, mu1ied up In a thick overcoat, and with
his back 70 the fireplace, In which there was no
nre, sat Mr.. Heath. He was a rather stout man, OF
a very rupicund complexion. on the table before
him stood among a number OF papers bottle OF
brandy and 4 lumber, and he was engaged In read
ing long letter, which was written IN a rather
sprawiing, bOyish hand.
"Dear SIR the letter ran. al must have $500 by
Monday, and want at least foO0 besides. This,
with what owe you at present, will make 900.
propose, IL consideration OF the 81, 900 which
now ask you TO advance 10 assign 10 you the
whole OF my life interest in the fI5OOo per cent
consOlS, together with the whole Interest under
the policy OF assurance for the 1900. The pre-
miumS on the policy only amount 10 GOO per an
nun, so that the $3.50 odd which accrues from the
consols Will leave balance OF about go per cent
interest on the $4,000 until the policy falls In In
other words for "a 600 you get an absolute rever-
sion In 100000, together with f25O year until
the reyersion Is realized. i am aware that could
do better than this, but want the money at once
and am ready TO submit TO the sacrifice for imme-
date payment l snail call on you tomorrow
afternoon at O'Clock, when hope you will let me
ROBERT OSWALD"
Mr. Heath read the letter very carefully through
two or three times, after which he laid IL on the
table and poured out nearly half a tumbler OF
brandy. Having mixed this with very little wa
ter, he drank IL on and leaned back in his chair,
while he INDUCED In soliloquy which he NUT
tered half aloud:
eyes" ne said, .'the terms are good enough The
young fool is In consumption already, though he's
barely twenty three, and this season will Kill him.
chapman says his right lung is nearly gone-lucky
got him toinsure for the big sum at once. Wants
the money, suppose, TO meet his losses on the
City and suburban What's he going to do. won-
fl5,OOO7 Fall back on his mother, / suppose
She's supposed TO be wealthy, but her money Is
tr M am knaw soS 70 sssy say ina anH 1o Iep9r.
ScOtchman, who made a fortune IN America, they
Game back TO England about i've years since TO
Oxford. The father died three years ago, and the
mother has been leading rather retired life since
SO they say. But, nonsense, what has all this TO
do with met Young Mr.. Oswald, who has got him.
self Into consumption through dissipation, Is prac-
tically Offering me f10,OO0 for further advance
OF f1.OOO Even II had 70 walt few years It's
good enough. But he hasn't twelve months life in
him Three months more, at the rate he Is going
al present, ought TO finish him. And them"
nj htl
tumoler. Having drunk IL, he continued almost
aloud, and in an excited manner:
"Then i have made the e100 900 which it has
been the ambition OF my life TO be worth. This Is
the last ten thousand. With this shall be worth
pounds In hard cash, besides the goodwill OF this
cursed business, and all the id things, which
shall dispose OF at once. Why, ought 10 have
nearly one hundred and ten thousand pounds; out
never mind, once i have a hundred thousand
pounds in hard cash, shall give up. To that
have made up my mind. And then? Well, /
shall 20 on the Continent for a time. I'd be
pretty well forgotten In the course OF or three
years, and my name Is not In particularly good
OdOr Just nOw-hasn't been for years past.
Never mind that-when man has four or five
Thousand year, people are not too par
place a little way out OF London-be a sort OF
country magnaie for a 6it-and work my way
into decent club. Let them say what they like
behind my back, they'd be bound to be civil to my
face, and that's all that any one need care. Half
the peers in England would go crazy If they only
knew what their servants are saying about them.
Fools were ALL more or less, tarred with the same
brush thinking vermn as we are II this new theory
OF evolution. or whatever It's called be true. No,
II once get foot into good club they could not
set IL out again, II can only AFFORD 10 respect
ably. Let them whisper what they like behind my
back, all that have TO deal with is what Is said
or done before my face, and the hounds would
be silent for they can prove nothing. IL the brutes
TO bite heavens What sn sO thipg IKE
human naturep the great Napoleon used TO say
when he was young man starving In Paris. Con-
ent-unworthy OF even contempt-poor wretched
puppets You band together, and club your
wretchei seirishness into what you call respecta-
bility. Respect? Why, you will have more real re-
spect for me, who'll force my way, and walk alone
among you, than you have Tor the sleekest
Jackas hero together as Pitt used TO say, and one
can play the Pitt or the Napoleon In private as
TO wait now TIL Mr.. oswald smashes up the little
that's left or his constitution. Not many months
at the furthest. strange that the last 10000
should come altogether in this way; might have
been three or four years getting IT together. Per-
haps longer. Who can tell? We make more bad
debts than people think and, like the snail crawl
ing up the post, / might, now and then, have
slipped down at night twice sfar as had crawled
But here the whole thing is done The last ten
thousand made, as the saying Is, by a stroke OF
my pen And yet it's curious how / have had a
suspicion from the 1rst moment set eyes upon
this brat that he'd be at once my making and my
ruin. Tush! such nonsense; the thing is perfectly
legal, and the money Is perfectly safe. Even II /
lost Il, 10 Be very far ruined; but IL is quite
safe so, Mr.. Oswald, you shall have your thou
sdnu pouhus, more especially as you are pretty
certain 70 Kill yourself with II. sun / have a
strange liking for the lad he has good qualities
with all his folly. But oh, humbug! what have /
70 do with these feelings? II / had any one TO
leave my money to-a child OF my own 10 inherit
my WEALTH. might wish 10 leave IL a little
Cleaner than IL Is Yes its hard 10 think that the
riches for which have toiled will 20 to people who
curse my name-if don't leave them 10 the ma
tlOn, or turn them into cash and fling IL into the
sea before / die Come in"
The last TWO words were In answer to a knock at
the door.
'Mr. Oswald, sir" said boy who acted as sort
OF clerk TO Mr.. Heath.
.SnOw him In" said the latter "a he resumed HIS
seat at the table.
tan. handsome. but very delicate young man
entered the room
We'll, young sir, what can I do for your. said
Heath In grun voice, which was Intended to be-,
pleasant and assuring
one OF Mr.. HeaIh's peculiarfties was that he
seemed 10 take delight In making his clients
state their business as often as possible however
wei ne might De acquainted with IL.
you can orer me a chair II you want TO be civil
friendly" replied Oswald In a languidly familiar
mannrr, which just bordered on being contempt
LOus-
"On, please be seated, my dear sir, II you insist
on ceremony" said Heath, pushing the bottle and
glass tow ard hts visitor as he spoke. .And now
besides Offering you a chair and a little brandy.
wnat else can / do for you?-
well, confOund it. you know what have come
ABOUT 1Ol have had my letter. What's the use
o. asking such question:" was the impatient
reJolnder.
"Yes. / have had your letter, but don't like
the business. / tell you frankly. I don't like "a
do