The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-10-09

"AbhOAN kAAO AuAnNGob ANACACaAo " NAAGA
parents, and your letter was q surprise
70 me-a surprise, that Is, in the fact
that you should have sought my permis-
gion at all"
"Take this chair, captain" he contin-
ned, a. he returned to his desk. ~ have
much to say to you," he added, with u
hgh. Let me say at once that from
what know and have heard Of you there
Il no man Of my acquaintance to whom
! could intrust my daughters future
with more implicit confidence. It Is
true that both her mother and I had at
one time other hopes and>yiews for her,
and that we wish your profession was
not that Of arms. And now beg you to
bo patient with me, and to pardon my
Glluding to matters which you yourself
broach in this-this most manful letter.
You tell me that you are not dependent
on your pay alone, but that from invest
ments in real estate in growing cities in
the west and in mines In New Mexico
your present income Is some Eve thou
sand dollars As understand you, the
property Il steadily increasing in ValueY'
ut has steadily increased thus far,
sir, and l think It will continue to do 90
for several years 10 come-in real estate
investments al least"
II am glad Of this, on your account as
wen as hers, for Mabel has been reared
in comparative luxury. She has never
known what 1t was TO want anything
very much or very long. She has been
educated on the suppOsition that her
whole life would be equally free from
care or stint; and II were to die to-
morrow, sir, she would be q beggar."
And here, in great agitation, the old
gentleman rose from his chair and began
nervously pacing up and down the little
room, wringing his white, tremulous
hands and turning his face away from
the silent soldier that he might not see
the tears that hung to the lashes or the
piteous quivering Of the sensitive lips.
For a moment or two nothing more was
said. Then, as though in surprise, Mr..
Vincent stopped short.
"Did you understand me, Capt. Lane;
/ do not exaggerate the situation in the
least. do not know how soon the AZ will
fall We are safe for today, but know
not what the morrow may bring forth.
may be met en- route by kilograms saying
that the journey is useless-that we are
ruined-and the money hope to get in
New York to tide us over would come
only too late. Next month ut this time
the house in which Mabel was born and
reared may be sold over her head, with
every scrap and atom Of its furniture,
and we be driven into exile Do you rea-
lie this, sir? Do you understand that
If you win her affection and she oecon es
your wife have not a penny with which
to bless herr
"Mr. Vincent" answered Lane, 81
would hold myself richer than any man
in this world IL could know that your
daughter cared for me and would be my
wife. Do not think thatI fail to sympa-
thize and feel for you and all who are
dear to you in your distress and anxiety
but ! am almost glad to hear that she il
not the heiress people said she was. II
Il Mabel ! want,"-and here his voice
trembled almost as much as the old
mans, and his honest gray eyes filed up
with tears he could not down-''and with
her for my own l could ask nothing Of
any man. have your consent tose her,
then, at once II need be2 You know !
am relieved from duty here and must re-
Join my regiment within ten days"
my full consent, and my best wishes,
captain" said Mr.. Vincent, grasping the
outstretched hand in both his own.
"You have not spoken to her at alp
mot . word, Mr.. Vincent; and can
form no idea what her answer will be.
Pardon me, sir, but has she or has Mrs.
Vincent any knowledge Of your business
troubleS?'
my wife knows, Of course, that every
thing is going wrong and that l am des-
perately harassed; Mabel, too, knows
that l have lost much money-very
much-in the last two years; but neither
Of them knows the real truth-that even
my life insurance Il gone. A year ago
strove to obtain additional amounts in
the three companies in which had taken
out policies years ago. OF course rigid
examination had to be made by the med
ical advisers, and the result was the to-
tai rejection Of my applications, and in
two cases an offer to return with inter
est all the premiums hitherto paid. The
physicians had all discovered serious
trouble with my heart. Last winter our
business was at It lowest ebb. l had
been fortunate in some speculations on
change in the past, and strove to re-
store our failing fortunes in that way.
Ny margins were swept away Ike chat,
and have been vainly striving to regain
them for the last three months, until
now the Last cent that could raise Is
waiting the result Of this weeks deal
Every man in all the great markets
east and west knew three weeks ago that
o powerful and wealthy syndicate had
'cornered,' as we say, all the wheat to be
had, and was forcing the price up day
by dag; and had started in on the
wrong side. Even II the corner were to
break tomorrow could not recover half
my losses. The offer the insurance COM
panies made was eagerly accepted, sir; l
took their money, and it dribbled away
through my brokers hngers. II wheat
goes up one cent, we cannot meet our
obligations-we are gone. We have been
compelled to borrow at ruinous rates in
order to meet our calls; say we, for
poor Clark is with me in the deal, and 1t
means ruin for him too, though he. luck
ily, has neither wifenor child. Are you
ready, sir, to ally your name with that
Of ruined and broken man-to wed .
beggar's daughterr And here poor old
Vincent fairly broke down and sobbed
cloud. Long watching, sleepless nights,
suspense, wTetched anxiety, the averted
loolS and whispered comments Of the
man ha daily met on 'chanea. the increns-