The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1890-10-29

was his only friend.
Walter Arroyo, now Ridgetield,
seemed to make it a sad sort of luxury
to keep away from Amy. He let her
know of his arrival and Of his safety. but
nothing further. She was there in the
same city, and he might go to her at any
moment IF he went, it would be but
for one purpose; and he did not wish to
go till the money had been paid back to
her family. But if he proposed to her
now, would it not be exacting an I'M
manly advantage through some natural
sense Of obligation Oh her part? Surely
his fancy was little overweight and
morbid He doubted whether the dis
grace could ever really be got rid OF,
whether the name could ever be cleared
of the stigma so long attached to,it.
Then, too, one day he was greeted by
q staggering blow: the entire sum he
had brought had been used up in the
payment Of the debt. He seemed to have
made some sort Of miscalculation: he
was apprized from the mint that con-
siderable portion of the metal had fallen
below the standard roughly fixed upon
it in his estimate. AS a consequence,
instead Of having a liberal sum left to
draw upon, after all the obligations were
met, nothing would remain for himself.
He proceeded at once to find a more
modest abode, and took steps to procure
employment in his profession as an en-
gineer.
Nevertheless, for all his holding back,
and for all his juggling with the dearest
passion Of his heart, he meant to see
Amy, and was counting the very Sec
onds till the moment arrived. An arti-
Gle appeared in one Of the more temper
ate and dignifed of the newspapers, Civ
ing some account of the whole affair."
1t was founded upon statement by his
counsel. That gentleman had only been
kept from giving it to the press hitherto
by his express prohibition, bat now at
last he boldly disregarded this.
Il hold myself responsible" he said,
warmly. Il have done it, perhaps, even
at the risk Of violation of confidence.
Have you not been defeating your own
end by the transformations course you
have adopted, and by the obscurity in
which you have chosen to shroud the
source Of the reimbursement even from
all those who have enjoyed it's benefits?
The atonement ought to have us much
publicity as the original scandal.
But the terrible publicity Of it," OBJ
jected the young man, though he was
more than half convinced that the other
was right
''Oh, these things very soon pass over,
and just leave Il good general effect be-
hind" responded the lawyer, reassur-
ingly.
Those of our citizens who have
reached middle life" said the newspaper
in question, Twill still recall the start
ling effect upon this community pro-
duced by the failure and flight Of the
late Randolph Ridgefield. The magni-
tude Of the interests involved made it
the most notable event Of the kind in
financial history, and it is doubtful if it
has ever been surpassed, even with our
larger way Of doing things in these
times. The unfortunate Randolph Ridge
field died in poverty in Mexico. His son,
Walter Ridgefeld, Esq, young man
of great ability and force Of character,
has, meantim2, by his own unaided in
dustry, acquired Large fortune in that
country. He lately arrived here, and,
we learn upon the best authority, has de-
voted not a part only, but the whole Of
it, to making good the losses occasioned
by the transactions Of his father. He has
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