Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-26

seemed TO say, "oh, the unspsakable old skim
But I'll tell you what will do" Van Dorsn
soon resumed, with Q keen though .idelong
whom I'm done with IT. That oughtn't TO be
| 20 long, either. I'll reach sixty eight my next
birthday. Ny father died at 6fty-six and both
| my brothers went at ages under thirty" He
now save . husky little laugh, about q joyless
% the turning Of . rusted key in it, lock. $50,
you see, the chances are against your waiting
| very long. I'll send for . lawyer tomorrow and
BY next Thursday the viii can be fully drawn
up. I intended giving II all TO charities, bnt
nephew that saved my life at the risk Of his
own. Nov, what do you think Of this arrange
ment2 Does it satisfy you? Because II IL
doesn't" finished Van boren, rising, "rm
afraid it's altogether the best can do"
| His own face had soured - he watched the
expression wrought BY these words on the face
OF his nephew. But Stanfelds reply, though
very frank, was quite free from III feeling.
| Naturally" came his answer, II do not wish
to concern myself with any compact that bears
ing to make me your heir 1 can but thank you
for having 90 decided; and yet" he continued,
Il would ask you, sir, for some immediate
help. Our needs are growing urgent though
could live on q very moderate annuity. II you
would consent toad US with certain monthly
| sum could perhsps-indsed, most probably
succeed in getting q clerkship here in New
York that would swell the amount donated
until 1t became an actual competence"
"M-m-yes; yes" muttered Van Doren, strok-
ing his bare, sharp-shaven chin. you want, in
other words, more than I'm willing to give.
thought my terms very fair-very fair, and
he looked both Stanfeld and Martha full in the
eyes for moment, with gaze that seemed to
both of them positively vulpine.
But the young wife, whatever may have been
her furtive repulsion, now drew nearer to the
obdurate old man and addressed him with
simple and lovely eloquence Of pleading. She
spoke Of their marriage and the deep mutual
love that had caused it; Of Alfred great willing
ness to work, and Of her own eager desire to
MI their little home with happiness and thrift
There were tears OF entreaty in her voice,
though none in her tenderly beseeching eyes.
But possibly light was there that somehow
crept, with whatever faintnsss, down into the
sullen gloom Of that unnstural heart. Before
| the interview was over Martha and not her
husband had gained Q victory. Stanfield was
| to receive everything at his uncle's death, and
meanwhile, until that highly uncertain event
| occurred, he was to get small monthly allow
ance. But besides this, as Van Doren gravely
conceded before his departure, efforts would
| be used toward securing for his nephew the
| desired mercantile clerkship.
That last promise. like the former one, was
| faithfully carried out. The old man, In spite
Of his detested stinginess, retained certain
distinct business influence. He recommended
Stanheld to firm Of some importance, and
here, in prim Office overlooking the througs
OF masts at the docks Of Water street, Martha's
husband soon found himself seated before
ledger-laden desk.
1t was tiresome work; he had, a. the phrase
goes, head for figures, and by nature he was
not one whom the giddy pleasures OF cities
oHer tempting lures. But 1t began gradually
to bore him with increasing keenness that he
cOuld of tifx int ba a
five atmosphere Of Messrs. Van Veckten 4 Co.
his longings for quickly acquired riches.
Il despise money merely in itself," he would
say to Martha. "But what it will bring--ah,
that's another affair! Think! You and l might
go round the world together, arm-in-arm, as
let usI'
"And 90 We shall, some day, no doubt"
whispered Martha, with lips against his
cheek.
"Hush, - he said, almost pushing her away
from him. II hate to count on any ones
beethoven hisp'
Yes, you're right, dear" said Martha.
Forgive me-"
Nevertheless he did count on his uncle's
death, harshly as it first went against his nature
| to do SO. During the next five years two chill
dren were born to Martha and himself, boy
| and Q girl. The little family had Just enough
TO supply its wants, and not a dime more.
Martha with her babies and her domestic cares,
Acpt up H6r Bplr1tB IN DutQ65t la8QlOn. But the
change in Alfred worried her. She saw that
his office work was growing a more and more
leaden task to him and that the yearning for
Myndherst Van Doren to die had become like
cancer that slowly eats deeper and deeper into
the flesh.
When their first child was born they brought
1t 10 the old miser, but he caressed it in only
languid and perfunctory way. The truth was
he could earess nothing with any real pleasure
save dollars, and these he actually did ,fondle
and slip through his fingers In their m06texpt1
waiting golden form. For Stanfeld, who now and
then would meet the old butler, had it directly
from Samuel himself, one day, that there was
pot OF actual gold coin in cabinet of the library
upstairs, and that here, very often, instead Of
reading any Of the books on the adjacent
sheives-books which he had long ago ceased
from the horrible extravaganza Of purchasing
he would sit crouchingly beside his green
shaded lamp for hours and hours of an evening"
arranging the gold pieces into piles of a certain
height, making Of these piles medallions, and
then altering the latter with slow but inces-
SAINT variance, till his freakish manipulations
reminded you Of nothing so much as the slug
gish revolution Of a kaleidoscope.
Talk like this keenly interested Stanfeld.
Now and then he would refer to Samuels
gossipy confidence during talks with his wife.
As time went on the city pushed itself up
past tracts of land that but yesterday, as might
be said, were open country. The Stanfelds
moved their place Of residence to one further
up town, tnougn cheaper and more modest
than that which they had formerly held.
Martha protested little at this There's
no use, Alfred" she said, ''in our reducing ex-
penses. We don't want to save, You know"
By this time they had got into the way Of speak
ing quite freely to one another regarding Van
Doren's expected demise.
"No." he replied, mot to save-of course
not. But money is money, my dear. and we
need not squander it."
'Squander itr' faltered Martha. She could
not understand the change in her husband.
He had lost good deal of his old bonhommie:
he was given to fits OF brooding that puzzled
her, and sometimes he would start from one Of
these and suddenly ask her how much a certain
grocers bill had been, or just what amount she
had paid for young Alfreds last pair of shoes,
| for young Gertrudes newest dozen Of hose.
At last poor, gentle Martha walked up and
gave her lord grand scolding. He listened to
| 1t very patiently and told her with q sort of
dazed smile which she somehow detested) that
he had thought SO much of money lately as to
find himself caring about it, watching its ex-
penditure in a really peculiar way.
You think altogether too much on the SUBJ
ject Of money" said Martha with reproachful
heat. Are we not quite comfortable az we
| are? And il certain thing doesn't happen
within the next five years or 30 why on earth
should you care? For good while vet we can
| send the children to public schools. That GER
| tainly is far better than not educating them at
| all. We've no reason to bother ourselves about
money-none in the least OF course You
might have advanced yourself more with Van
4