The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-11-02

over his friend and gently hint few words of
warning to him. So at the club one afternoon
he said to Frank: "Old fellow, always speak
to you openly and plainly, and you've gener-
ally, so far from resentng It,, thanked me for It
afterward, and so hope you won't depart from
your old rule If l say something upon rather a
delicate subject
"Out with it, Jack. I'm ready" answered
Frank.
"lt's about your wife"
"About my wife Great Scott What about
her g'
"Well, do you know that she is in the habit
of borrowing money!"
EMILY borrow money? Well, you do amaze
me She has no need to, and she's really so
careful and moderate that even from you feel
inclined to question the statement"
"Well, all can say is that met her coming
out of Darker's, the tailor in Maddox street,
yesterday. Everybody knows that Darker is
quite as much usurer as tailor, and l don't
think you can imagine that she would be at the
establishment of mans tailor for ordinary
purposes"
"Oh, my dear fellow, it's n mistake !" said
Frank, with very poor attempt at smiling the
matter off. ~ know she had to go therein
connection with our fancy dress ball. That's all
right"
But Jack Spiggot knew that it was not all
right-and more, he knew that his friend knew
it was not all right, for he seemed abstracted
during the rest of the interview.
The next day, on his way home, Frank called
in at Maddox street and interviewed Mr..
Darker What he learned confirmed all that
his friend had suggested. After rejecting upon
the best course to adopt he decided to be per-
frank tn rcto inn
with his wife at once
emily, my DEAR" he said to her as soon as
they were alone that evening, 81 want you to
tell me whether you have any bills unpaid, and
what they are.'
A look of suspicion and alarm, which did not
escape her husband passed over the wifes face
but she quickly recovered her self-possession,
and replied:
Nothing to speak of. Only the weeks
housekeeping accounts and a few pounds for
dressmaking.n
'Do you really mean to tell me" said Frank
''that you owe nothing more than that ?"
81 hare told you so,' replied little Mrs
Cooley, sharply. "Don't you believe me If
you don't please say so.'
Frank did not believe her, for he knew that
the statement was false, but he could not bring
| himself to say so. He had hoped that his wife
would at once have made clean breast of her
peccadflloes. He was therefore panied at her
defiant tone, and at the readiness with which
she told him an untruth. For the moment he
dropped the subject; but, seeing that Emily had
not only deceived him, but was evidently re-
solved to continue the deception, he decided to
discover the truth for himself before speaking
to her more plainly.
With this view, he called during the next
day or two at various millinery and other es-
Establishments where he knew his wife dealt. He
also made various investigations at home A
little later he sought out his friend Jack Spig-
got, and confided to him the result of his dis
coveries. The pair had long talk over the
business, and Mr.. Cooley departed much easier
in his mind.
"My DEAR" said Frank to his wife that even
ing, "Jack Spiggot is coming to dine with us
next Thursday, as it is baby's birthday. He
says he must drink his godson's health, so don't
forget to have the goblet out which he gave our
Frank at his christening''
Mrs. Cooley NODDED her head, and drew up
the newspaper she was reading to hide the sud
den flush of color which came to her cheeks.
She left the room very shortly afterward, and
while Frank sat smoking below she was running
from room to room, searching cupboards and
drawers, oVerhaulng bags and retcules and
boxes and cases, turning up carpets, emptying
dress-pockets, shaking curtains, peeping under
beds-all for little piece of yellow cardboard
upon which was emblazoned the fact that
Messrs. Methuselah, of the Strand, had ad-
| vanced the sum of 910 upon a silver goblet
! 'Now, what shall do ?'' cried the distracted
woman, with strong emphasis on the first word.
| "Here's pretty state of things What couldI
have done with it | daren't ask the servants
if they have seen such thing as a pawn
! tcketn
Then she sat down, looking blaukly before
her, the very picture of shame and despair.
The next morning, directly her husband had
left the house, she went as fast as hanson
could take her to the establishment of Messrs.
/ Methuselah, in the Strand Her awkward posi-
tion gave her courage to enter boldly, and
without any previous reconnoitering, a place
into which year before she would hardly have
gone disguised and after dark.
A young Semitic gentleman of the usual type
inquired her business in the off-hand fashion pc
culiar to men Of his calling who, having to deal
with customers who to a great extent are at
their mercy, accommodate their department ac-
cOrdingly.
"About a month ago." said Mrs. Cooley, 81
pawned a silver goblet here for ten pounds, but
l have unfortunately lost the ticket. am very
anxious to have the goblet, and / am willing to
pay what is required"
The youth shook his head.
''No ticket, no goblet he said "It's against
the law, Can't be done. Must produce the