The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-10-12
A Telegram From Boulogne.

Mr.. Stephen Holden was an architect, not,
perhaps, the head of leading firm, but by a
fortunate combination of professional talent and
instructive business ability he had succeeded in
making comfortable income; feeling himself
justified in marrying pretty but portionless
wife, he had set up handsome if not luxurious
establishment in a new house on the debatable
land between Noting Hill and Kensington.
with moderate ambitions and an excellent di-
gestion, Stephen Holden could honestly call
himself prosperous and happy man till one
unfortunate spring, when, Mrs. Holden having
gone to pay visit to her mother in Cornwall
he found himself alone in London, and, to avoid
the dreariness Of his solitary home, had ac-
cepted an invitation from bachelor friend to
spend the inside of week with him at New
market during the races. The friend happened
to be 'knowing one,'' and persuaded the
architect to risk his first ''tenner'' on a dark
horse who was ''bound to win." BY fatal
stroke of good luck the knowing friend proved
to be right. Flushed by his winnings, Holden
was from that hour inoculated with the turf
fever, and became faithful attendant at all the
celebrated race-courses Of the kingdom He
Dragged of his gains to his wife, and observed
discreet silence about his losses He brought
his betting friends to his London house during
the off seasons, and made them welcome; when
the busy (Turf) times came he went off with
them, leaving the Office in Westminster street in
charge of his clerk, Ralph Merwhyn.
Ralph Merwhyn had tried several professions,
and given them up as uncongenial. His father,
well-to-do retired woolstapler, had educated
him as gentleman, aud had always been will
ing to give him fair allowance. The young
man had remained longer in Mr.. Holden's Of
flee than in any previous one, no doubt because
shortly after his admittance to it his patron had
become singularly lax in his supervision, abb
senting himself for days at time, and appar-
emily calmly indifferent.to the regular attend
ance Of his clerk.
Ralph Merwhyn was in his twenty-seyenth
year. fair, tall, good-looking young man, of
singularly amiable disposition, and no particu-
lar strength of character Stephen Holden had
from the first given him a general invitation to
his house. Mrs. Holden concurred and par
ticularized the invitation. In short time the
young man had become the acknowledged ami
dc Ia mdiSOH.
1t became quite matter Of course that when
the architect was away from London for two or
three days, imperilling his professional earn
ings in his favorite pursuit, young Merwhyn
should keep his wife company, constitute him
tedium of her loneliness.
Toward the middle of May Stephen Holden
discovered that after paying up all his available
cash he would still be confronted by a large de-
fcit, and resolved to go home to his wife and
make clean breast of it.
sits allup with me, Molly" he said; 81 owe
a clear thousand that l can't pay, and if don't
settle on Thursday next there's nothing left but
to blow my brains out, for / shall never be able
to back another horse"
Mrs. Holden, always cool, placid, and re-
served, was less discouraged by this abrupt an
nouncement than might have been expected
After moments pause, she said quietly:
Nonsense, Stephen; there is plenty of time
for suicide later on. There ara worse things In
the world than owing thousand pounds"
AS Holden did not reply, she continued;
''Come, let US see, Thursday is the 9Th, to-day
is the 22d; we have four clear days before us ="
Holden, immensely relieved by the unex-
pected fortitude with which the little woman
met his tidings, grew less despondent, and hus-
band and wife began, in true conjugal sympathy
with each other, to discuss the best way of
meeting the fatal Thursdays settlement
However, it presently appeared that Mrs
Holden was right when she affirmed that there
were worse thing than owing a thousand
pounds, for on the following Wednesday Mr..
Stephen Holden, With his hat pulled over his
face, his coat tightly buttoned up, and a rather
uneasy manner pre- 5ented himself at the gate Of