West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1891-01-01

when everybody clso Ia In good humor,
to 60 out In tho snow and die OF q
hemcrrhsgc, listening 20 the chimes,
etc. The poor, old man has becn thus
utilized ever since. I can remember,
and have assumed tho responsibility
OF committing his sentence, so To speak
There ts another individual who will
not be allowed 10 figure In my novel;
ettc. refer TO the missing prodigai
son whD turns up on New Years eve
while his mother Ia wondering where he
is. Ho has reformed and has come
homo to see how the family Is fixed for
veal This year. II | can prevent It,
his mother and father will not clasp him
10 their bosom.
II Ia usual for many great literary
writer's to assure the public that tho
story Is true ono. licrc. too, I pro-
pose to- deviatc. My story Is lie out Of
the whole cloth. Nothing l'se IL ever
has, or ever can occur. intend TO he
strictly original, oven at the risk OF hav-
ing my article returned. (Sigucd)
THE AUTHOR.
had loved Jennie Finklcpaugh
from my earliest infancy. We went 70
the same school in New England vii.
lagc, and passion increased so rapidly
that when ] had reached the age OF
eleven ! mado up my mind 70 propose
on the hrst opportunity. She was ono
OF a numerous family OF children, but
she was tho only one cared for. The
opportunity to propose occurred on New
Years eve.
NorE--Itrealiy occurred much later In
the season, but rs this New Years
novelette, have mendaciously stated
that It occurred on that day.
There was a children's party at the
Finklcpaugh mansion. / watched my
chance when nobody was looking. and
having coralled Jennie In the hall, I
took her little hand In mine. and said
firmly In tremulous voice:
"Ahem! Miss Finklcpaugh, ! desire
10 AK you q question upon your answer
to which my future depends. love you
with an ever-incrcasing intensity, and
fsin would call you my wife. Let us
we'd, and ! will come and live with your
folks, for my cruel father might oppose
our union. What doSt thou say?"
As is obligatory In such cases. she cast
down her eyes, and replied:
81 think pa has got enough children in
his family already"
This reply was not as encouraging a.
IL might have been. but when sho
taunted me with my poverty, saying In
cold. bittor accents that she would nevor
wed tho man who was not ablo TO provide
her with sealshin sacque. I began 70
smell "a mice" | did not leave tho
house Indignantly until after had done
Justice 70 tho oatablos. must have eaten
about seven pounds OF leo cream and
delicaoies, after which ] went 70 New
York and plunged headlong into the
wild excitoment OF Wall street spccula-
tion. l became immensely wealthy and
had pie for breakfast, but the lovely face
o; my Hrst love was not even then out OF
my sight.
After many years I returned to my
native vills2c-I wore such good clothes
that nobody recognized mo. In tho
meantime Jennie had married Bill
Boozle, a school-mate OF mine. and they
had a large family oYchildren. Bill had
turned out bad, and spent all his leisure
hours (twcnty-four each dayJ in playing
cards for whisky straighta went 70 the
village grocery. by q strange co.nci-
denco. as IL usually the case in New
Years novels, IL was New Years eve once
more IL was not tho samo New Ysar's