The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-07-08
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

'I1ellO, JACK! 1ne very person,
above all others. / wished most to
see."
whats up nowP" asked Jack, in
surprise.
Il have great favor to ask of you;
two favors in fact. One is great and
the other is greater"
go ahead, old fellow. I'm all
in the dark. but. if it is possible, I will
grant them. You know that, though,
don't youP"
II am not certain. But let us re-
tire to some place ''more private, and
the two friends strolled leisurely into
the park, and. lighting their fragrant
Havanas, they seated themselves COM
fortably on one of the many rustic
benches.
I'm ready now, Hal; out with it;''
said Jack Dempsey, as he lazily puffed
out the blue smoke.
81 may as we'll own up that 1 am
such block-head that have to en-
gage a guardian for a week; and, not
caring to confess as much to any
one else, I have decided to ask you,
if you are willing to assume that terri
BILE responsibility"
"a guardian. Hal? A guardian for
what?n
"Ah, thereby hangs a tale which 1
will soon relate. That is the greater
favor. and the great one is to be best
man for me, in little affair that is to
come off next Wednesday,"
"a woman in the case, as usual"
said Jack. II thought as much. at
first; but did not think that you were
going so deep as that"
"Yes, I'm in for it, and all I'm afraid
of is that I will commit some egregious
blunder before 1 get through with it.
l have such confounded luck!'
s'You have confounded luck, when
even your name is Goodluck!"
"All the good luck 1 have is my
name; believe would not curse my
luck SO. often if it was not for the
name. But What's in a name?'
There is John Poor. If there is any
thing in name he ought to be SUBJ
merged in poverty, and he was for
awhile. He had an invalid wife and
ten olive branches, ranging from
twig to limb, when an uncle he had
never more than heard of died and left
him a fortune. That was luck, and
still his name is Poor. Now 1. bear
ing the seemingly charmed name of
Goodluck, had all my ancestors turn
up their toes and leave me-Goodluck
plain, without a cent in the shape of
legacy to back it."
'Why, Hal. have you grown morbid
over destiny?"
No, don't groan over destiny; its
good luck that I'm groaning over.
Things seem to be growing brighter
lately, though, and if l can get safely
over the next four days think l can
sail to port, but you'll have to be pilot
if l get there. This is not the first at
tack of the tender pession' have had.
You look surprised. but such is the
fact Here's the story:
Five years ago met the girl who
first inspired in me the fever called
love. When 1 think OF it I doubt if
I'm over it; but I've passed the crisis;
it don't matter. 1t was while | was at
Belden visiting my college friend,
George Walters, that first met Mary
Shannon. We became friends, and
our friendship fast ripened into love.
There is no use of prolonging this part
of the story, for after love of course
comes marriage. But my marriage
did not come. 1t was to occur, though
as we had agreed, in Decemqer.
II came home deliriously happy, and
worked hard to get the nest ready.
Everything went we'll, and December
drew near. The ceremony was to
take place at p. M, on the 18th. As
it is 100 miles from here. l intended
starting the day before. But here the
first of a series of misfortunes met me.
NY tailor was to blmae for that one.
l did not get my outfit out of his shop
till 10 D. m. on the eve of the 18th.
The difficulty looked small then, as l
knew l could take the a. m. train and
reach Belden in plenty of time for the
event l made my way to the depot
that morning in a driving storm OF
sleet; but l didn't mind that. Who
cares for storm when he's in love?
The next misfortune was dne to some
one or something, no matter what.
The real facts l don't know but do
know that the train was two hours
late. I must have walked more than
the distance to Belden in tramping up
and down the platform waiting for it.
At last, when l was almost beside my
self with impatience, it came putting
along and we were soon flying through
the country at a good speed.
II knew that at such rate l would
reach Belden long enough before 3
o'clock 1 was just beginning to con-
gratulate myself on my good luck
when the whistle for down brakes
sounded, and our train began to slow
up. Windows were hastily thrown up,
and soon the cause of our stop was ex-
planned. We had run into big freight
wreck.
'.Word had not reached the last sta
ton we had left in time to prevent our
starting. Consequently there we were,
out in the country, with a dozen cars,
more or less, piled up and scattered
over the track, while l was sixty miles
from Belden. That was the third mis-
fortune" and Hal. wiped the perspira-
ton from his face, as if he were again
living over the incidents of that day.
Had been your guardian, could
not have helped you through the diff
culties you have mentioned, any better
than you helped yourself, could 1P"
asked Jack.
mo, perhaps not. But you could
have prevented the fourth mistake
and that was the one that lost me
Mary.
1.-The debris was cleared away and
our train pulled out again. Five hours
after the appointed time for the we'd
ding, we pulled into Belden-our train
did, I mean. As soon as / struck the
platform l hailed a 'cabby' with '44O
Jefferson avenue, and jumping in, we
were soon whirling through the streets.
Rain was coming down in torrents,