Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1890-07-17

ere half inclined TO do as he appaenif ba
ished, and let him 60. basse
Bus the or person who, with an almAe
aithful pertinacity, held to him, twas b,yf
ohm Bewerbank. Whether he, too, Vas
he sort Of person who, once taking lik-
ng, great or small never relinquishes it, |
,r whether some other secret inner sympa- |
by attracted him to young Stenhouse, as
being not unlike what he himself had been
as young man, certain it was that the head
OF the firm never lost sight of his former
clerk; and when, on Mr.. Knowles suggest.
ing the advisability of a Junior partner, the
question arose who should be adopted into
such valuable and responsible situation,
the nrsr person sir Jonn proposed to
whom the offer should be made~was Mr..
lStenhouse.
: Edwsrd Knowle was greatly amazed
nav, perplexed. He rubbed up his hair
with troubled aspect.
stop bit; think-I tnrnk I should
like to speak to my wife about this"
Sir John looked in undisguised surprise.
"As you please. But it never would occur
to me to consult my wife on business mat
ters."
Indeed" said the other, catching eager
ly at the opportunity. 81 wish you wonld
! really think you had better--in this mat
ter"
"why?"
"You see," awkwardly explained Mr.
Knowle, "a partner, which also implies
partners wife, is a serious thing to the
woman-kind. bringing about much init.
macy. and all that. / fancy--of course il
is only fancy OF mine-that 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 0
mere question OF business. It will cause
delay, while every post is matter of con-
sequence. / 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.
hight"
He did so, 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,
but by telegram, SO eager, apparently, was
the young man to reno unce the proffered
! kindness, he wrote again, suggesting cas-
| Ter terms-terms SO favorable that no man
in his senses seemed likely to refuse them,
and yet by return of post refused they
were.
aThe man must be mad" said Sir Johrj
| to his partner.
| Perhaps" was the brief reply.
| "Why, he has three children and deli-I
cate wife, and scarcely enough salary I'd
keep them in bread and cheese; for You
know, at Lady Bowerbank's desire, found
out all about them. She was interested I'M
the wife, and might write and advise her
to persuade her husband out of his folly.
/ must speak to Lady Bowerbank."
Meantime Lady Bowerbank had been
spoken to. In fear and trembling the
matter had been broken to her by good
Mrs. Knowle, but there was no need for
uneasiness; Emily evinced not the slightest
| she thought such partnership would be
the best thing possible, both Tor the firm
and for Mr.. Stenhouse. and that she hoped
it would come about speedily. And then
she lay looking into the sunset over thu
sea. with strange, soft expression in hei
| eyes.
"You are sure quite sure. my dear EN-.
lily, that you have no objection?"
"No; why should II" And she added
again. still more earnestly, ooh, no-noi
| now"
| hjtu ny tudt commented MIS-. movie.
as she repeated the conversation to heI
husband, 81 am certain Emily feels thai
she is dying"
| They talked the whole matter over for
while, conjugally and confdentially, III
their own room, for they had been askej
i to dine and sleep that night at Summer
Lodge. as indeed they very often were
now, and then went back to the drawing.
room.
There, white indeed as dying face. but
| eager with all the strength of life, Law pool
| Emily, her husband sitting beside her sofa
| in his quiet. attentive, elderly way, and
trying, as well as he could, to make little
bits oftalk concerning the news of the day
in Liverpool, to amuse her during the hour
and half that he and his guests dined,
and she rested alone, for she had now
| ceased entirely to join the circle at meals.
"Come here, Mrs. Knowle, and say if you
do not agree with me-you women under
stand one another we'll. have been tell
ing my wife about that young mans ex-
ceeding folly-your friend Stenhouse,
mean-in refusing to enter our firm. It
must be mere crotchet--some offense,
taken, or the like, for which we can't afforc!
to lose such useful partner or to let al
fine young fellow cut his own throat in
that way. want Lady Bowerbank to
wHioo W uib WIG, anu reason Win her. She
has right; for Lady Bowerbank has done
all sorts of kind things to Mrs. Stem
house."
Kindness implies no right" said Emily
hastily and tremulously. Il don't know
her. cannot write to her. What could
/ say?"
@Just little common sense--that suoh
chance as this does not happen to a man
twice in lifetime, that Stenhouse shouldI
take advantage Of it. He is very poor. j
hear that he can but just put bread into
the mouths Of those three children. If hi
were to join us be would make his for
tune"
snake his fortune" repeated Emily.
wistfully. "Ahl if that had been-once.'
| But it is too late now"
"Too late, my dearl Nonsensel The
young man cannot be over thirty vet"
thirty -one and half"
Sir John Boweibank looked exceedingly
surprised for the moment II forrot-vHo,nu
said you knew him."
Yes, did know him,t as Mrs. Knovla
is aware. met him at her house. was
once going 70 be married 70 him. He was
very fond Of me.
Quite quietly, without the slightest SIGN
Of emotion, Emily said those words, as i
II had been fact communicated concern,
ing third person; SO utterly divided from