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

getner on the 1St OF January, that there
is little to be done; still, we will see
what they say the day after tomorrow.
If there is no offer, no offer consisting
of a cash payment, there is only one
cOurSe-Only one course"
''And that is?"
ga WRIT
The professional smile returned.
"Good-day. Good-day. A merry
Christmas, DR.. Baldwin"
They shook hands and John walked
off, full of sad thoughts, through the
smiling crowd. The bells pealed their
merry carol in honor of the day. What
was the carol they rang to John Bald
win? Ruin-ruin-certain ruin.
John waited impatiently in his rooms
his temporary rooms in the Temple.
Those ugly rooms that he had fully ex-
pected to change for the smiling bijou
house. He had not the heart to keep
Christmas, the feast Of gladnesS,
his Christmas dinner. No. He pleaded
indispoSitiOn, a headache. He sat in
his dismal chamber, in the two pair
back of Kings Bench walk, that Christ
mas day: and there, in lieu of Christ
mas dinner, he sat and ate his heart.
Next day he went to Brisk,
II have heard from them,' said the
lawyer. "'Useless to give Dr. Baldwin
he trouble of a needless interview; we
have no proposition to make There is
nothing for it, we can issue the writ as
a precautiOn, that is ALL
But will that help me?''
81 fear not, DR.. Baldwin; but it will
tend to bring matters to crisiS-you
will know ill a fortnight. You wish US
to do this. supposed"
PaI6 nodded hr,t
smote him. Was not this being hostile
to Day? Of Taper he did not think:
but of Day, who had given him many
slap on the back in his youth, and, what
was more, many half sovereign-of
brisk, kind Day. But the thought of
Lucy banIShed all hesitation. The writ
should be issued.
Back, back to the lonely chambers
he could not face Lucy with the news
he had to tell. What right had he to
have wrecked her life with his castles
in the air. His fathers $4,000, the
rich inheritance of an only son, were
passing away in smoke. Perhaps some
thing might reach him eventually. But
his marriage could never take place
Lucy's father would never consent.
New Years eve passed much as
Christmas day had done with John. He
felt himself under cloud, a thickening
cloud.
New Years day came: again the iov-
bells from the Strand churches rang in
his ears as he left his dark bed room for
his dingy sitting room; the shadows of
gibbering faces seemed to mock him.
He took up his paper and turned to the
city intelligence with mechanical haste:
there it was sure enough:
Messrs. Day, Son & Taper suspended
payment this morning. Their liabilities
are said to amount to 9240,000.
The blow was too much for John Bald
win. His mind had dwelt on it for the
last week to the exclusion of every
other thought. 1t had unnamed
fire, whose face did he see in the
dingy mirror? Not his own. His
fathers face; pale, pale as he had seen
it when he looked upon it at last. 1t
startled him as if he had seen a ghost.
He stared at it helplessly, hardly recog-
niZing himself. Yes, the shadow of
death was on him; physically brave, he
was moral coward.
81 cannot face Lucy" he said with a
sigh. "Lrcannot face her father and
the world; and without Lucy | cannot
begin the world again. l am tired,
dreadfully tired" he muttered. He
pushed away the uncomfortable break
fast with its sordid service, the bache-
lor'S unlOvely meal. He sat down at his
huge writing table, that venerable piece
of furniture which almost filled the
middle of the room. and wrote a few
words of farewell to Lucy.
Forgive me, Lucy. l cannot face
it," He signed it. carefully placed the
paper in its envelope, directed it,
stamped it and put the letter OH the
mantelpiece. AS he did so, again he
saw his own white despairing face,
and shrank from its awful look
Then he closed the outer door
the black door, so funereal i'm
its inky color; his name in white
letters on it seemed to stare at him and
reminded him. he knew not why, of
the name of some one already dead.
Then he took from drawer of the old
writing table his revolver, the well-kept
weapon. the companion of his colonial
life. He looked at it almost with af-
lection. this old companion, all
the corners of which had been worn
bright with use. Mechanically he spun
the chambers round. 1t was loaded
loaded as he had brought it home year
ago. And it was clean, as a weapon
should be. But with punctilious care
John withdrew the copper cartridges
one by one, and as carefully replaced
them. Then he set his teeth, placed the
weapon to his head, and sharply pulled
the trigger several times-a succession
of clicks was the only result. The
cartridges had hung fire from damp.
1t had required an effort. a great
effort, of misplaced pluck to pull that
trigger, second effort to repeat the
But now John Baldwin broke down. the
revolver dropped from his nervous
grasp and he tainted.
He was aroused by knocking. He
snatched up the weapon. replaced it in
the drawer and fastened to open the
door.
Lucy's father and Lucy pretty,
happy Lucy-all smiles and bushes,
were there.
Lucy rushed into his arms.
''Oh, John, how i'll you look. John,
dear John, what is the matter?"
when the mountain wouldn't come
to Mahomet, you know" said Lucy's
father. "a happy New Year, John.
Don't worry, my dear boy. It's not as
bad as it seems. l hear they'll pay
dividend"
There is little more to tell. John and,
Lucp were shortly afterwards married,
and it is pleasing TO chronicle that Day
Son Y Taper paid twenty shillings in
the cOund--the last installment of two