The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-04-05

aos his own, whom Providence bad.
70 nims lie siipped away fropi All h;s !
associates, till even Mr.. and Mrs. Know
were half inclined TO do as he apparen,
wished, and let him 20.
Due the one person who, with an almr
faithful pertinacity, held to him wos :
1ohn Bowerbank. Whether he, too. w
me sort OF person who, once taking Ii
ing, great or small, never relinouisbes
OF whether some other secret inner svmn
Sny attracted him to young Stenhonse.
ooinR not unilKe wnaJ no ninseIr noo Te.
young man, certain il was that the hes
oI..h INC urn never lost sight of his form,
cierk; and when, on Mr. Knowles snoaas
ing the adyisability Of junior partneS n
9uSstlon arose who should be adopted int
H"h a valuable and responsible sitpotio,
tne nrst person Sir John proposed .
%hom the offer should be made was M,
Stenhouse. was MI
Edward Knowle was greatly amazed-
LAY, msH, perpiSxed. He rubbed up his hal
-, Stop bit; 1 think-I. think shor,
'ike TO speak to my wife about this. !"
"a oar John looked in undisguised snrnr;se
As 'ou please. But it mover would oocn
me 70 consult my wife on business mai.
t9deedln said the other, catobino eager.
n.' ~ tno oePpso.Jtgginity Jgia II wish Won wonid
"why2'
"You see," awkwardly explained Mr.
knowle, a partner. which also implies a
partners wife, is n serious thing to the
woman kind, bringing about much init
macy, and all that. fancy-of course il
IS only fancy Of Iniue-taat the ladies
would both like to be consulted about it.
Shall my wife 60 and speak to Lady Bow
erbank2"
"If she chooses; but it is really great
nonsense bringing domestic affairs into a
mere question of business. It will cause
delay, while every post is matter of con-
sequence. L cannot see the use of it all.
In fact, with your consent"-and his man
ner implied with or without it, for Sir John
Bowerbank was very obstinate man in
his way, as was we'll known to his partner
with your consent, shall write and
make the offer to the young man to-
night"
He did 80, and it>was declined--de-
clined Immediately and point blank, with
out any reason being assigned for the re-
fusal.
Sir John was considerably annoyed. To
the answer, which had come, not by letter,
put by telegram, so eager, apparently, was
the young man to renounce the proilered
kindness, he wrote aguin, suggesting cas-
ier terms-terms so favorable that no man
In his senses seemed likely to refuse them,
and yet by return of post refused they
were.
"The man must be mad," sad Sir John
to his partner.
Perhaps" was the brief reply.
Why, he has three children and a deli
cate wife, and scarcely enough salary to
keep them in bread and cheese; for Won
know, Mt Lady Bowerbank's desire, found
n n 1,nr I,
the wife, and might writa and advise her
to persuade her.lusband out of his folly.
l must speak tosLady Bowcrbank."
Meantime Lady Bowerbank had been
spoken to. In fear and trembling tho
matter had been broken to her by GOOD
Mrs. knowle, but there was no need for
sign of agitation. She merely "ssliqhtast
sho thought such partnership would be
the best thing possible, both Tor the firm
md for Mr.. Stenhouse, and that she hoped
it would como about speedily. And then
she lay looking into the sunset over the
sen, with strange, soft expression in her
eyes.
"You arc snre quite sure. my dear En-
lily, that you have no ObiectionY"
"No; why should l?' And she added
again, still more earnestly, ooh, no--not
now"
Sand by that" commented Mrs. Knowle,
as sho repeated the conversation to her
husband, 81 am certain Emily feels that
she is dying"
They talked the whole meter over for n
while, conjugolly and coniidentially, in
their own room, for they had been asked
to dine aud sleep that night ut Summer
Lodge, as indeed they very ofton were
now, and then went back to tho drawing
room.
There, white indeed rs dying face, but
eager with all the strength OF life, lay poor
Emily, her husband sitting beside her sofa
In his quiet, attentive, elderly way, and
trying, as we'll as he could, to mako little
bits oftalk concerning the news of tho day
in Liverpool, to amuse her during the hour
and q half that he and his guests dined,
and she rested alone, for she had now
ased entirely to join the circle at meals.
"Come hero. Mrs. Knowle, and say ii you
do not agree with mo--you women under
stand one another we'll. have been tell
ing my wifc about that young mans on
ceeding folly-your friend Stenhouse,
mean--in refusing to enter our firm. II
must be mere crotchet-some oifensc
taken, or tho like, for which we cant afford
to lose such useful partner. or to lot q
fine young fellow cut his own throat il
that way. l want Lady Bowerbank tC
write to his wife, and reason with her. She
has right; for Lady Bowerbank has done
all sorts Of kind things to Mrs. S;cn.
house"
"Kindness implies no right" said Emily
hastily and trcmulously. 81 don't know
her. | cannot write to her. What coult
L say?"
"Just little common sensc-that sucl
n chance as this docs not happen to MAJ
twice in n lifetime, that Stenhouse SHOULD
take advantage Of it. lie is very poor
| hear that he can but Just put bread int
the mouths of those three children. If h.
were to join us he would make his for
/ tune"
"Make his fortune" repeated Emily
wistfully. "Ah! if that had becn--oncc
But it is too late now"
"Too lato, my dear! Nonsense! TIL
Young m?n cannot be over Thirty vet"
"Thirty- one and half"
Sir John Bowcibank looked cxcccdingl
surprised for the moment. 81 forgot-yC
said you knew him."
"Yes, / did know him, as Mrs. Knowl
is aware. / met him at her house. l wa
once going to be married to him. lie Wa
very fond Of NO."