News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-03-20

fellow who plays bold camel"
"My dear fellow, a bold game is
one thirg, but foolish temerity is an
other. Recollect that you are just on the
eve of your marriage, and that now is
the very time when you ought to be a
bit careful"
The reckless, defiant expression sud-
denly faded from Powelfs face. He
covered his eyes with his hand and
groaned aloud.
This sudden change of demeanor
was no less welcome to Staveley than
it was surprising, and he took advan-
tage of it to have a serious talk with
his friend, which, in the end, lasted so
long that neither of them went to bed
at all that night.
1t seemed that his friends good adj
vice was not lost on Charlie Powell,
since from that time forward he ap.
peared to curb his reckless ess and eX-
travagance in no slight degree.
But, alas! appearances are decep-
tive, and the young mans bankers
could have told widely different tale.
Security after security was sold out to
meet his heavy cheques, which were
presented for payment almost daily,
until at last nothing further remained
to be realized upon.
Consequently one fine morning, lit
tie more than three weeks before his
wedding day, Charles Powell woke up
to find that the fifty pounds in cash,
which lay upon his dressing table, was
all the money in the world that he
could now cafl his own.
That very day-by all unfortunate
coincidence certain jeweller, to
whom Powell owed long bill, called
''to have his little account settled"
having applied by letter several times
in vain. OF course Charlie could not
comply with his demands, and the
| jeweller, suspecting that matters were
| going wrong, issued a writ tor the
recovery of the debt. Then the other
tradesmen to whom Charlie owed
money soon got wind of this and
| followed suit, with the consequence
that, ere a week was out, Powell's
name appeared in tie papers as having
! filed a petition i'll bankruptcy.
Sir Mcpherson Hunter and his daugh- |
ter were at home in Scotland, getting
ready for the wedding, and the appear
ance of PowelPs name in the Bank |
ruptcy Court was the first intimation |
they had of the altered circumstances
of the bridegroom-elect. The Baronet |
at once wrote off furious letter to |
him, wanting to know what the devil |
he meant by his conduct, ordering him
to give up all thought of marrying |
Julia at once, and abusing him vio- |
lently all round. BY the same post |
came a packet of returned letters, ac-
companied by slight note from the |
Young lady herself, in which she re-
Quested Charlie to return all her letters
and presents at once-adding that she
freely forgave him the wrong he had |
done her, but that her papa had hidden
l.er break Il engagement off, and her
sense of filial duty left her no alterna-
tive but to obey.
"Filial fiddlesticksI" said Staveiey,
to whom Charlie showed this note.
.'AIiss Julia hates her papa cordially; |
they have only one quality in common
the love of gold. Send her back her
letters, old fellow, and have done with
her! | don't doubt she'll soon console
her lacerated heart with some other
chap!"
The particulars of Charles failure
were reported in most of the papers;
we quote the following extract from
the Times:-
COURT OF BANKRUPTCY In re
CHARLES POWELL.
A first meeting of creditors was held yes
tcrday, at which Mr.. Whitehouse, who APP
peared for the debtor, said he was glad to be
in position to make a most satisfactory Of
fer. The debtors failure of an unusual |
mi IN lnaL snort In ~
time had run through a large fortune by |
reckless gambling. The young mans friends, |
to whom be had lost much of his money, had |
now come forward, considering themselves
responsible for his failure, and were willing
to settle all claims in full. Mr.. Registrar
HYDE commended the honorable manner in
which the debtors friends had behaved, and
their offer was at once accepted by the credi-
tors.
So, by the kindness of his friends,
Charlie found himself free of all liza
bilities; but, except for what they
might give him, he was without a
shilling in the world.
As for Miss Julia Hunter-Stave-
ley's prediction concerning her was
soon verified. The man with whom
she consoled herself was a wealthy
American, and she married him in less
than fou.' months from the day on
which she returned Charlie PowelFs |
letters.
That young gentleman was present
at the wedding ceremony, as one of
the public, and he witnessed it through
out with a scornful smile. No sooner
was it over than he went straight from
the church to Waterloo Station and
took the first train for Richmond.
Arrived there he made his way to the
river, and, hiring a dingey, sculled
himself leisurely up stream.
He had not proceeded far when he
pulled his boat up to some landing
steps on the Surrey side. A small cot
tage, in the background, peeped
through the willows which here
fringed the rivers bank, and, alighting
from his boat, he bent his steps to-
wards it.
Before he had accomplished half the
distance between the river and the (
house, a young lady, who was reading
in the garden, caught the sound of his
football on the gravel path, and, laying
down her book, came forward to meet
him.
"Oh, Mr. HOWELL" she exclaimed.
''Havo you me by river? | am so
glad to see you"
81 have come," he answered,
"straight from st. Peters Church,
where have just witnessed the mar
rage of Miss Hunter. But l have
few words am anxious to say to you"
She blushed and looked down, but
suffered him to lead her to a seat, I'M
der weeping ash near the river. Eere
they sat side by side.
'.NIiss Tranbury," he began, after
long pause, during which she toyed
nervously with her gloves, and kept
her eyes fixed on the daisies at her feet,
81 wish to ask you one question.
Bankrupt and ruined spendthrift that
| am, | wonder at my own audacity in
daring to ask it. But my feelings
master me, and force me to give them
expression. Miss Tranbury - Una
- do you love me?"
She made no reply, and still fixed her
eyes upon the daisies.
"'Una-darling Una," he repeated,
in a voice tremulous with subdued
passion. "For Gods sake, s, eak, and
tell me-"