The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-08-09


have not received Ut your agents will
certainly make an advance. u
81 have no fortune, dear Charley.
Some though 1 II was mine, but the fort
une you probably allude to was left to
my cousin, Miss Anna Thompson Tenn
pie, to whom I introduced you at the
Philharmonic" M
Alb, it was, indeed! She is q favored
young lady; and how much does she re-
ceive?'' .
Report said $500, 900, but Cousin Nan
has been informed by the agents that
there is but So 600 in money, and the
rest in houses and lots in Melbourne,
valued at 800, 0oo.''
s'Ah! we'll, really, how these things
do spread. But to our matter; guess
Miss Anna, you had best have your
way"
The hours OF that evening dragged
heavily along, and as they heightened
Mr.. Charles Ashton's manner became
more and more formal. He left, and
Annals warm heart was sad as she
thought over the cool manner and cool
or parting. No sleep came to her eyes
that night
stCan it be?' she said to herself a
thousand times; land yet it must, for
his manner changed almost from my
telling him Of Nellie's fortune
The next night and Charlie was not
in his usual place, and the next, and
still moro. About week afterward a
short note informed Miss Temple that,
''having lost all his savings In q bad
speculation, he could not think OF
holding her to an engagement which
would be out of his power to consum-
mate in years"
To say this did not grieve her would be
false, but it required not many days to
teach her that she had not loved Charles
AsLt ton as she should the man she was
to marry.
Again our. two young men met. !. This
time on Broadway. Charley, gayly
sauntering along, hailed Ned in his old
familiar way:
+. '.Well, old boy, off early to-day"
''I've been promoted, and am not
obliged to work so late, though do
often; then I think of taking ride in
the park; my head has ached much
of late, and am more nervous than
formerly"
s'Shouldn't work so hard; don't get
any thanks for it. BY the by, that fort
une of Miss Temples turns out to be all
in my eye"
'sHow-what's that?'' was the eager
reply.
''Well, Miss Somebody Temple had
about one hundred thousand dollars
left her, but it wasn't our pretty little
friend"
''But heard you were very attentive
some said engaged"
There's no telling what might have
been but for that fool Of an uncle MAX
ing mistake in names. However, it's
all over now. You know that l, at
least, can't afford to marry poor wom-
an, no matter if she is a Peri. know
you entertain some sort of foolish mo-
ton that love, ETC., will do, but it's all
bosh. Give me the dimes, my boy.
When poverty comes in at the window,
ETC., you know. Take my advice and
drop all such foolish IDEAS"
Ashton might as well have talked to
the lamp-post for all the hearing Ned
Farnham did. What he was thinking
of we can not say, but he did not go to
the park that afternoon, but the even
ing found him in the little parlor, which
had been so often graced by Charley's
presence. Ere the evening was over he
had explained his long absence, told OF
his better prospects,, and had offered her
his heart and hand. She asked three
weeks to consider, he to visit her as
often as he pleased. At the end Of that
time he was accepted, and Anna learned
what true love was.
Here the story might end, but there
is sequel Some months after the en-
gagement Mr.. Smith tapped Ned on the
shoulder and motioned him to the pri-
vate Office.
'sGoing to marry my niece?" said that
gentleman.
II am engaged to Miss Anna Temple,
sir, and we expect, in quiet way, to be
married one month from to-day. But
was not aware that she was your niece. "
''Neither was until q few days since.
As for your quiet way, understand me,
sir-the child Of my only sister can be
married nowhere else but in my house.
Come, now, no f14nching. I've heard all
about it. But she's poor-poor as Jobs
turkey; and I've too many children to
give her more than decent wedding. +"
Ned did not understand the express
sion on Mr.. Smiths face, but felt lit
tie angered, and replied:
II should never have addressed her,
and would release her this moment, if
I knew she were an heiress."
mo you don't; no you don't. I know
you and I know the whole story. You
can CO. "
Ned pondered long over this singular
conversation, but got no satisfaction
from his own thoughts or from Anna.
She replied only by smile and a kiss.
Notwithstanding all the urging Of
her new-found uncle Anna refused to
leave her aunt until the time for the
wedding. That event came and the
ceremony was over. Then Mr.. Smith
called the young couple into his library,
and drawing from his safe strong box.
said.