Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-06-30


comfortable for fortnight yet, and I'll bet
you what you like there's philanthropist
waiting for me, when | get outside, with
the offer of a situation"
but will Won stick to work il you get
il ?n asked the clergyman.
"Of course will, IL the work will stick
10 me- replied Mr., Micklereed. u don't
pretend to be in love with work IKE 80 20
many humbugs nowadays, but bow 70
tho necessity OF It, Honestly, / tried all
could to get o job before ! came here" :.
but, then, what character had YOU"
began his friend.
"Character what has character to do
with it?" interrupted the prisoner. Isn't
the right 10 labor the pet theory OF the
present day? Besides, there was nothing
acainst nv character. / didn't drink. l
didn't steal. l didn't even lie. The last
head master I saw, after seeming satisfied
with nv answers TO all his questions about
my competence, had the impudence TO ask
What were my religious opinions and he
shaved me The door when said hadn't
any" -. ,,o ..hoo,. ,hor,h after
that and tried the docks, but they wouldn't
have me there. Then 10 was prison or work
house TO get a meal, and chose PRISON as
being easier to get into than the other
Mr.. Bamlett sighed and gave itup for the
Have Won any complaint TO maker" he
AGED mechanically as he prepared to leave
the cell.
claimed the prisoner. "Smuggle me IN q
bit of tobacco the size Of small pea the
next time you come. can't sleep without
il. Wish | could, for it must be uncom-
monty nasty TO swallow"
Il of hn
Mr.. Bainlett's breath. He told his friend
he would not on any account commit such
breach of the trust repoSod In him. FOR
five minutes they argued the point. The
CLERGYMAN blended conscience; the prl-
souer pleaded the duties of friendship.
The question was left unsettled, but next
night the prisoner, with morsel OF To-
bacco in his mouth, slept better tnan tne
man who had supplied him with It, The
Rev. Mr.. Bamlett's conscience was tender,
and though he gave way TO the Emporium
tics of his friend on two or three subse-
ouent occasions. he was very glad when
the day came for No. 119 to leave the
prison.
One thing alone somewhat lessened the
bitterness of his self-reproach. Mlckiereed
during the last week of his time showed
some faint signs of repentance, or rather OF
consciousness that he might after all nave
made fool OF himself. The Rev. Joshua
was neither. proud nor enylops, e dIf . ono
nicotine had perhaps succeeded where
he had failed. As q smoker he knew It's
soothing effect on troubled mind. Inc
rules Of the prison were meant for the PR
soners' good. and if by breaking them be
had done prisoner good-but he dare not
follow this line of reasoning any further.
Micklereed had promised that when re-
leased he would come TO his friends
lodgings, but greatly 10 that good mans
disappointment he did not put in an APP
pearance. Warder Smith. who saw him
leave the prison, said that lawyer-look.
inc gentleman" had met him and taken
him off in a hanson. Also that No. ,1l9
noticing him outside the gate, had Dor
rowed a sovereign from the lawyerIook-
ing gentleman" and given it 20 him, say
inc TELL Mr.. Bamlett he shall hear from
me. and thank you, warder, for your kind
ness"
Three months passed away but Mr..
Bamlett heard no more of his unfortunate
friend. He hoped his relations might have
come to his help. The readiness OF tht
"lawyer-like gentleman to lend the
sovereign looked as if he bad friends, but
the eurate was rather vexed at his silence
anu Mt W AlAAfrNAA A'eeA "a
about the ingratitude of man.
On Friday night, however, Mr.. Bamlett
was reading the Guardian, and he came tC
| "A paragraph which considerably aStonisheC
him. 1t ran as follows:
1--WE understand that the valuable living
| of Platton Magma, SouthShIre, vacant by
| the death of the Rev. Samuel SlOman, ha'
| been offered by the patron. c. Nj. Master
| ton, Esq, to the Rev. Joshua Bamlett, Gu
rate of St. Swithin's. w. c. This living en-
| lows an enviable distinction at the present
| time. Most of its income Is derived from
property in the city Of London, so that II!
! nominal value of GOO year Is some ind
cation of it, actual one. The population o
! the parish is 260. and there is good vlca
| rage. We congratulate MIR. Bamlett on hi
| good fortune"
Nonsense" was the curate's menta
! comment; the Guardian must have mad
| a mistake. There must be another man o
the same name. Those papers are Away
wrong in details"
He took down the CLERGY List, >" and raj
through the Bamletts, but there were ~
many of them. and not one, save himself
rejoiced in the name of Joshua.
surely" said he to himself, 1T can
be true. ] know no one called MastertOn
| Besides, I should have heard of it direct.
Juss then his landlady entered the room
with a letter.
This came for you. sir, this morning.
saieshe, land I'm sorry it has been mis-
laid"
The letter proved to be from Twibell
| Tviss, the solicitors of G. Nj. Masterton
1t contained formal offer of the living o
| Platton, and mentioned the solicitors r.
greet that their client was at present abroad
They requested Mr.. BaInlett to call upol
them as soon as possible.
He called, accepted the living. and haC
read himself in and taken possession befor
| Mr.. Masterton returned.
One morning he was walking in the gar
| den of his vicarago, wishing that his patro
would come back that he might make hl
acquaintance and discover what manner o
| a man it was who, having good thing t
| give away, sought out an obscure curate
the recipient of it, when he saw Charlie
| Micklereed open the gate.
Could il be, thought he, that Charley ha
not deemed him worth visiting before hi
promotion? Did he mean to levy black
mail upon him? IL would not be nice T.
have the story of the tobacco sprea
abroad. No! he would not believe hi
friend could be so base-especially as bi
friend. TO Judge by his clothes and the arc
ma of his cigar, had also prospered i
worldly affairs since he left the prison.
" well, Josh, my boy, DeSan Ut. Mlc6
lereed. "how do you like ity House al
right, isn't it? told them 20 put every
thing square for you before l went away.
You told Them" said Mr.. Bamlett
"but what on earth had you to do wit
it?n
Everything" replied his FRIEND "Pr
not Charlie Micklereed now, you know
but Charles Micklereed Masterton, lord G
this manor and patron of this living. Pos
sibly j. p. some day. Wouldn't that be
joke, ell, JOSH"
II don't understand" said the vica
feebly.
"Ahl suppose you never heard of IN.
great-uncle Masterton. Well, l hardly eve
did before l came out of-you knoI
what. 1t seems he quarreiled with N
mothers mother for marrying my grand
father. She was his only near relation, an
until the newspapers brought me to hi
notice he was actually without any. one t
leave his money to. He was pleased TO sa
/ was a man of spirit. and made me de fact
what already was de iiTe-his heir. Poo
old chap we were only together IA mont
before &c died. The only thing he aske
me 10 do was to take his name"
Then you were the patron OF this Inv
ing when Mr.. Sloman died." said Nj
Bamlett in a disappointed tone. " 1t is nc