The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-06-06

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RA TX VI smoothly enough.
{SA!IV ~ Percy N % e n
DssSS.$S1kA main aimed his
HIErsSstEaes1 4S1 brilliant career,
SGSn ,cS=zyNW and attained a
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NA p ton among the
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big, handsome youth, with broad Shout
ders and sturdy limbs, clever boxer, a
good whip, a fair billiard player; his
spirits were exuberant, and he had more
mental resources and ideas than are
vouchsafed to the generality of young
gentlemen of his kind. Thus he assumed,
to some extent, the position of leader
among them; and, as he was uniformly
good natured and yet not to be imposed
upon, he was liked and not laughed at
But his favorite companion and friend
was Valentine Martin. The two men
were nearly the same age, Martin being
a little the elder, and were good deal
alike in size and personal appearance.
Martin, being English, wore side whisk-
ers, and Percy, being American, wore q
mustache. Martin was inclined to be
fair and Percy to be dark; but they
might have been taken to be brothers.
The Englishman, however, was of a
somewhat gloomier temperament than
the American; more reticent and more
given to moods and inequalities of tenn
per. He had brought with him several
good letters Of introduction and had duly
delivered them, but he had availed him
self but sparingly of the social courtesies
extended to him, seeming to prefer less
formal and regular life. He made no
pretense Of large wealth, but, on the
other hand, he never seemed to be
cramped for means, and no one could be
found from whom he had borrowed
money. If he were trifle mysterious,
nobody was concerned to fathom his
mystery, for it was no ones interest to
do So Valentine Martin had not come
to America to speculate, to organize a
company, to raise capital, or to do any of
those things that are apt to render en-
gaging foreigners suspicious in our eyes.
He had apparently come to amuse him
self and mind his own affairs; and after
time he was permitted to follow this
innocent inclination. The upper ten,
whom he neglected, ceased to take an
active interest in him, and those with
whom he associated relinquished the
vain effort to persuade him to reveal his
secret, and came to the sensible conclu-
sion that there was probably no secret to
reveal
The acquaintance and subsequent
friendship between Martin and Percy
Nolen had sprung up spontaneously,
without any formal introduction. They
had tastes and ideas in common, and they
mutually pleased one another Martins
was perhaps the stronger character, but
Percy's was the more enterprising and
lively; SO that they were upon fairly
even terms, One day the Englishman
accepted an invitation to come and take
afternoon tea at the Nolens; he met
Pauline on that occasion, and it was not
afterwards necessary to urge him to re-
peat his visit. Pauline was interested in
him as an Englishman, and after discuss
ing his native country with him ad-
mitted him to q certain degree of friend
ship, partly on her brothers recommen-
dation, partly on his own account. He
seemed gloomy at times, and she was
sorry for him, without knowing or even
caring to inquire what made her SO. At
other times he conversed in a manner
that interested her and stimulated her to
talk in return; and, though Pauline was
but a girl, she had mind that was worth
coming in contact with. The English
man never made any direct demand
upon her sympathies or emotions, and
probably he gained rather than lost by
this forbearance. When a woman has
insight she would rather exercise her in
buttons than have things explained to
her.
Matters went ON in this manner for
several months, and the years vacation
which Percy had allowed himself was
more than up. He had as yet shown no
Sloh Va OShiJ DSillhA upOJ ulllCSS d Gel Jttl1
abstraction of manner at times, accom-
panied by biting of his nails, and a
drumming with his foot, might be con-
strued as symptoms Of approaching i'm
pecuniosity. But another affair, not
connected with finance, was going on at
this period which, unless put an end to
betimes, might result in trouble.
There was young married woman in
New York society named Mrs Cuthbert
Tunstall. Her husband, also young, had
inherited from his father an immense
business in coal. Cuthbert Tunstall was
fond of activity, and he plunged into his
coal with hearty good will, intent upon
creating a fortune twice as large as that
which his fGther had left him. As a
matter of course, and of necessity, he
was absent all day at his Office, and was
often obliged to run down to the mines
to oversee things there in person.
His wife was the daughter of an aris-
tocratic Knickerbocker family; she had
been reigning belle in her coming out
year, and the year following the match
between her and Tunstall had been made.
She liked her husband, because he was q