St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-01

been month in England before he met
the incest girl in the world; his liking
was returned, parents were consulted
and nothing remained but to prepare
the settlement and fix the day. Old
Baldwin would commit himself to moth
ing more than this:
81 have provided for John in making
him my residuary legatee; he is my
Only son; can say no MORE"
James Baldwin had always been a
saving man; little by little the snow
ball of his fortune had accumulated,
saved from the small salary he obtained
as a clerk in the old Manchester house
of Taper, Day & Son; and as he rose
to be their trusted traveller and repre-
sentative, the SNOWFALL had increased.
At sixty years of age there had been
talk OF James Baldwin's having seat
in the house; but, truth to tell, he was
getting too old. Taper, Day q Son
had as much confidence in him as ever,
but trade was not what it once was;
the older houses were going to the wall,
and, as Taper, the head OF the firm,
remarked to old Baldwin,:
times, but it has always been plain
sailing with us: these youngsters will
have their work cut out for them"
So said old Taper, and when he left
the house shortly after, carefully with
drawing every farthing he had in it,
his name did not appear any Longer in
ST. Mary Axe, but Day, Son u Taper
was the new style of the firm.
Now, though Baldwin was Shrewd
old fellow enough, he had one weak
point, and that was his intense trust in
the house in st. Mary Axe. Nothing
could disturb this trust. From the firm
h e had received his money, with the
firm it should remain.
Often and often. after Johns return.
he had told him this; and as the nature
of the old man was eminently uncom-
municative John had not the remoteSt
idea of his fathers position, But time
was coming when the father began to
feel that he must needs to be more con-
fiding. The parents of the incest Girl
in the world asked awkward questions,
and at length John was forced to put
those questions to his father. This was
all the more imperative as James Bald
win was in very Indifferent health, and
Lucy'S father was becoming impatient
for something tangible.
John had looked on his father as a
man who had earned his ease by sheer
hard work, and he supposed him to
have small competence. Whether it
died with him or not had not troubled
the younger man; but now he was told
definitely one day by his father what
the nature of his property was.
"My boy, L am breaking" the old
man said, II have not many more weeks
| to live"
John knew this to be true. He
silently pressed his fathers hand.
Il have provided for your sisters. y
he said; "they will have couple of
son, will be my executor and my res
| iduary legatee. l shall leave you TO-
600 pounds, John-tnere or there
| aboutS."
| And then came the oft-told tale of the
| old firm and its work, its steady uphill
but successful work; of James Bald
wins long service to the firm, and OF
their mutual confidence.
| 81 hold no security" said James Bald
! win. 81 want no security; but with
you, my boy, it will be different. My
girls are provided for, my investments
exactly cover their shares; but you are
my only son. you will begin life with
ten thousand pounds" The old man
dwelt on the words lovingly. s'Ten
| thousand pounds, and remember, John,
| you have not known the firm as [ have
l. known it. You will want the money.
Take it out"
| Old James Baldwin placed a memoir
andum of the contents of his will in his
| sons hands, turned his face to the wall
and, as is common with the aged. was
asleep in few moments.
| John Baldwin was aStOniShed; as
| tOniShed at the amount of his fathers
property; astoniShed at the amount of
his own legacy. But it was not exactly
| legacy Johl was entitled to, but a
residue. Lucy's parents, too, were sur
| priSed at the amount, but old James
Baldwin's integrity was 1ncontestable.
| Lucy'S father was SatiSfied-mOre than
satisfied. With 100000 John could &c
into a good house and Lucy would fur
nish it. All was plain sailing: settle
ments were to be prepared. Lucy's lit
tie property was to be securely tied up,
and the young people were to wait till
John came into his own.
James Baldwin's days were num-
bered, and he die1, as he predicted him
self, in few weeks. John and his CO.
executor, young Taper. proved the
will. John paid his sisters their lega-
cieS, and, giving the firm of Day, Son &
Taper six months notice, he waited
patiently for his inheritance.
The notice expired on Christmas eve,
Jon and Lucy were to be married at the
| New Year. John had bought house,
and it was in every way suited to his
object. In doing this John had spent
his last penny, but there was no impru,
dence in this. Did he not hold the bill
of Day, Son & Taper for ten thousand
pounds?
Lucy's father one morning asked
John to call on him.
81 don't like this matter of yours,
john" he said. Il don't like it. Day.
Son Il Taper are-fshy. They do nc
business. The day for middlemen has
gone by.What's the matter with them?''
he remarked. "Will Mr., Titely go to
them? Will the stores go to them, OF
will you and / 60 to their custom ers:
| Now, don't mistake me. / am man OF
my word: will not deceive you. When
you get your ten thousand pounds you
can marry my daughter. Not till then
John knew he meant it. What could
| he say? He left the old man. How
would matters end if Lucy's father were
right? That Lucy herself would be
true to him he did not for an instant
doubt, but to begin life IN an empty
house and with empty pockets and sew
eral diplomas carefully preserved in a
tin case would be hard on Lucy. III
QCcu, uC lClt IL WOuiu pOoolUiCs
Time went on. John got more anx-
ious, Lucy'S father more and more sus-
picious as to the solvency of the firm in
st. Mary Axe. On the morning of the
oath of December he walked to St
Mary Axe.
Young Taper stood upon the steps.
1.-The compliments of the season,
Doctor" said he with a forced smile,
''Step up, step step. Mr.. Day wants to
see YOU"
''Ah," thought John with beating
heart, .'ali may yet be WE'LL"
He followed Taper into into Days
sanctum. He apologized for his in.
trusion. when suddenly Taper re.
marked with much briSkness:
"Well, doctor, we owe you ten thou.
saud pounds-and we can't pay-that's
ALL"
II thought as much," said John.
Strange to say 10 feeling of ill will tc
the firm which. was depriving him OF
everything was fell by John, who looked
appealingly at Day. A kind of gray
smile came over the face of the senior
| partner.