The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-01-23
HIS WIFE'S FORTUNE.
a Charming Little Romance with
q Moral

..Have YOU heard the news about Miss
Temple, Ned?" said Charley Ashton, as
he sauntered leisurely up to the desk
which Edward Farnham occupied in
Messrs- Smith s. Jones' Office on Wall
street.
The warm blood colored Ned's cheek
in spite OF all his struggles to prevent
IL, and he replied:
mo; hope no harm"
We'll, 1 should guess it wasn't
Come, put up you books, and as we go
up town I'll tell YOU"
mo; / can not leave yet have not
finished my balance"
''Oh, pshawl finish that tomorrow
before ten o'clock. l wouldn't work as
hard "a you for any man living, much
less bankers, who think that all fellow
is made for Is 10 work and make money
for them. Come along"
mo- can not CO."
well. then, the tale in short is she's
had big fortune left her, some say
$500, 900"
An involuntary sigh escaped Ned,
and he rather muttered than spoke:
I'm sorry to hear it"
.Why. what's got into you, you min
ny? Sorry? Why, 1 haven't heard any
thing to please me so much in many
day. / always liked the girl, but I'm
not philosopher enough to marry for
love alone. Ny doctrine is when pow
erty comes in at the window love goes
out at the door"
al am afraid / don't agree with you
in all things, but / have no time to dis
cuss it now. Miss Temple, in my opin-
ion, would be fortune 10 any man did
she not possess a cent of money"
"Pshawi that's old fogy. Love in .
cottage! la! ha! Well, liked her
pretty well before, but can't help think
ing her attractions very considerably
enlarged since heard that news. Never
should have thought Of any thing but a
pleasant acquaintance; guess I'll go in
for her now. Goodbye, old fell, and
don't hurt yourself working over those
books"
Ned made no reply, but he felt as if
he would like TO grind beneath his heel
one who could speak so irreverently of
her, who to his idea, combined every
grace of heart and mind and perfection
of form and feature which should make
up a perfect woman His thoughts
turned to action, and he caught himself
stamping his heel on the desk stool with
such force as almost to dent hole in
it, and looking up saw Mr.. Smiths
steady gaze fixed on him. -
Back TO his work he tried to bring his
thoughts, but they were not subject to
his will, and he found himself in
great danger of writing the thoughts
passing through his mind. ''She is lost
to me now. Oh, how / wish it had never
happenedr' He shut the book, but put
away his papers, and with that dreary,
lost, far-away kind of look passed un-
heedingly among the throng on the
money mart OF the new world.
Charley Ashton lost no time in i'm
proving his opportunities, for that night
found him seated tete-a-tete with Miss
Temple in a cosy little room in Twenty
first street. ---s-
Miss Temple was an orphan, and had
for years lived with an aunt-her IA
theirs sister. An income of siOO year
had been left her, which at least sup
piled all absolutely necessary wants
She was not ashamed 10 assist her aunt
about many things some would call
menial; and in form and feature, heart
and mind, all her -acqaaiatanceS said,
fully sustained the high opinion VIC
have seen Ned Farnham had of her.
Ere the evening was over Charley
Ashton had succeeded in appearing
deeply in love, and not many days
passed ere he had proposed and was ac-
cepted. OF all her male acquaintances
Miss Temple had always preferred the
two young men we have mentioned. 1t
was true she had rather leaned to the
quiet, steady Mr.. Farnham, but of late
he had ceased to visit her, while Mr..
Ashton's presence had been almost con-
stant Hence she had persuaded her
self that she loved and had accepted
him.
Charley urged a speedy marriage, why,
came in conversation too long for me
to detail, wherein it itappeared that some
of the ''boys" on the street were fix
ing up pool to buy up certain st>ak,
and our friend Aston wanted some of
the $500, 600 to put in it Anna Temple
preferred a longer time, urged that time
would make them know each other bet
ter, especially in the intimate relation
they now stood. Charley vowed that
he would never change. and he knew
that time could never develop any fault
in her.
But" said Miss Temple, "there is
another reason, and / think ! can be
free with you now. / have spent SO
much of my little income, and aunt has
no spare money, SO that i have no
means of defraying the necessary ex-
penses-''
But you have the fortune left you by
your Australian uncle. and even if you
have not received it your agents will
certainly make an advance"
II have no fortune, dear Charley.
Some thought it was mine, but the fort
une you probably allude to was left to
my cousin, Miss Anna Thompson Tenn
pie, TO whom l introduced you at the
Philharmonic
"Ah, it was, indeed! She is favored
young lady; and how much does she re-
ceive?"