The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-01-01

when every BODY else is IN goO0 numOr,
to GO out in the snow and die of a
hemorrhage, listening to the chimes,
etc. The poor, old man has been thus
utilized ever since. can remember,
and have assumed the responsibility
of committing his sentence, so to speak.
There is another individual who will
not be allowed to figure in my novel
cite. refer to the missing prodigal
son who turns up on New Years eve
while his mother is wondering where he
is. He has reformed and has come
home to see how the family is fixed for
veal This year, If can prevent 1t,
his mother and father will not clasp him
to their bosom.
It is usual for many great literary
writer's to assure the public that the
story is a true one. Here, too, pro-
pose to deviate. My story is lie out OF
the whole cloth. Nothing like it ever
has, or ever can occur. 1 intend to be
strictly original, even at the risk of haV-
ing my article returned. (Signed)
THE AUTHOR.
I had loved Jennie Finklepaugh
from my earliest infancy. We went to
the same school in New England vii
lage, and passion increased so rapidly
that when had reached the age OF
eleven I made up my mind to propose
on the first opportunity. She was one
of a numerous family of children, but
she was the only one cared for. The
opportunity to propose occurred on New
Years eve.
NoTE-Itreally occurred much later in
the season, but as this New Years
novelette, I have mendaciously stated
that it occurred on that day.
There was a chiidren's party at the
Finklepaugh mansion watched my
chance when nobody was looking, and
having coralled Jennie in the hall,
took her little hand in mine, and said
firmly in a tremulous voice:
"Aheml Miss Finklepaugh, desire
to ask you a question upon your answer
| to which my future depends. l love you
with an ever-increasing intensity, and
fam would call you my wife. Let US
wed, and will come ard live with your
folks, for my cruel father might oppose
our union. What dost thou say2"
AS is obligatory in such cases, she cast
| down her eyes, and replied:
81 think pa has got enough children IN
his family already"
| Ih1S reply was noC do ohOourdSAh Ing %
it might have been, but when she
tainted me with my poverty, saying in
| cold, bitter accents that she would never
| wed the man who was not able to provide
her with sealskin sacque, began to
smell ''a mice" / did not leave the
house Indignantly until after had done
Justice to the eatables. must have eaten
about seven pounds of ice cream and
delicacies, after which l went to New
York and plunged headlong into the
wild excitement of Wall street specula-
ton. 1 became immensely wealthy and
had pie for breakfast, but the lovely face
of my first love was not even then out OF
my sight.
After many years I returned to my
native village wore such good clothes
that nobody recognized me. In the
meantime Jennie had married Bill
Boozle, a school-mate of mine, and they
had large family of children. Bill had
turned out bad, and spent all his leisure
hours (twenty-four each day. in playing
cards for whisky straights. l went to the
village grocery. BY strange cotnc1-
dence, as is usually the case in New
Years novels, it was New Years eve once
more. 1t was not the same New Years