Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-06-07

1872 this building was regarded rs one
OF the finest in New York and was occu-
pied chiefly by good class of lawyers.
The apartment on the northeast corner
of the top floor bore upon the ground
glass panel of its door the legend,
Thomas II. Bannick, Law Office" Mr..
Banuick had lived IN the building since
its erection, but only latterly in his
present quarters. lie had begun bust
ness in one Of the large suits Of offices
on the third landing, but, for one reason
or another, the larger rewards OF his
profession had not come to him, and,
not being weighted down by gold in his
pockets, he had gradually risen from
one floor 10 another, until at length he
had found himself, architecturally
speaking, above all his fellow tenants,
To 90 higher was impossible. He was
not yet light enough to live in the empty
air, although If things went on rs they
mad been going il looked as if he would
have TO live on il.
Because 4 man is poor in New York 1t
does not always follow that he is a
scoundrel, or even that he is incOmpe-
tent. Tom Bannick, at all events, was
neither. He was born of good North
of Ireland family, and had been thor
oughly educated at Dublin university.
After supplementary career in law he
came 10 America with ten thousand
pounds in his pocket, and an impression
/ that he was going 10 make large fort
Une. Curiosity and temper hoSpltaole
/ 10 adventure drew him TO the western
States, where for dozen years he had a
very lively and interesting time OF it.
/ lie twice lost all his money, and once
was worth couple of hundred thou
/ sand dollars. These viciSSitudes, il
must be confessed, were not incident to
the regular practice of his profession
/ Speculated in land and mining proper
/ ties, and the inevitable ups and
downs followed. After his sec
ond reverse he tossed up a
cent by way of determining whether he
should follow the law or 90 TO Califor-
MIA and prospect far gold. The cent
came up heads, aud he chose law ac-
cordingly The many friends he had
made and his knowledge of mining got
him plenty of business, and IT turned
out that he was better manager of
other peoples affairs than OF his own.
He was making fair income when it
came into his head that he might do
still better i'm New York.
There is plenty of money in New
York, but, like the fairy gold Of the
legends. it has Il way Of vanishing just
when YOU think you have your hands on
il. TON Bannick was sound lawyer
and a man Of excellent judgment, but
lac was incorrigibly honest. He was
conscientious 10 a degree that caused
/ his colleagues TO Shrug their shoulders.
lie objected 10 taking up doubtful cases
| Ion spec" and 10 defending causes
which seemed to him 10 involve thieve-
/ ~. lie had 10 influential friends to
| back him up, and be was not u pOliti-
clan. ON the other hand, he sometimes
/ advocated case that appealed to his
/ SympathieS. even when 1t did not pay
| him much. Altogether he was not
a success He had lately mar
ried a pretty little wife, who had made
him very happy, and whom he would
/ have liked TO make very rich. She was
a good manager, but there was no
magic dwarf TO help her spin the do
mOStic straw into gold.
One October morning Mr.. Bannick
arrived at his Office about ten o'clock,
and ascertained from the pale faced
and cynical urchin in charge OF the
anteroom that no one had yet called
there-a piece of news which custom
had robbed of its startling features. He
then entered the inner room, hung
uD his coat, lii cigarette, and
sitting down in his revolving
chair began to read the newspaper. The
French indemnity, it appeared, was
paid. Louis Napoleon was not expected
TO live. Count Lucien de Lisle, the
Mexican millionaire was stopping at the
Brevoort House. Stocks were dull.
Mrs. Harry Trent entertained few
friends ut dinner last night.
so she has re-entered the world, has
she9" said Tom Bannick to himself.
.'Well. by George, she's got the money
wish it had been that poor Raven
Girl. Hullo. What's that?"
The outer door had opened, and some
one was in the anterOom.
Must be that beggar about the piano
rent, Well. if he'd collect my bad
debts. I'd pay him. l think I'll offer
him the commission. No, 'tisn't he.
Can't DC a.
A client, he would have said, but it
didn't seem worth while TO hazard the
supposition. Nevertheless he slipped the
newspaper into the wastepaper basket,
threw open his desk and had taken up
his pen 70 write the day OF the month at
the head of a blank sheet of paper, when
the Office boy opened the door.
"Gentleman TO see you, sir, he said,
and handed over card. 1t bore the
name aud title Count Lucien de LiSle' -
..Why, that's the chap at the Bre-
yoortw muttered Mr.. Bannick. "Show
the gentleman in" he added.
A tall man entered, removing mis- silk
hat As he did so. He was handsome
man, aud of striking appearance. His
hair. of light brown hue, inclining TO
reddish. was cut rather short. and stood
upright over his mead without any part
ing. in the French manner. His beard,
also cropped short aud pointed ut the
chin. was Of the S2me hue; but his eye
brows and eyelaSheS, and his eyes them
selves were somewhat darker, giving i
peculiar character 10 his cOuntenance,
scarcely modified by the gold trimmed
eyeglass that sat aStcide his handsome
nose. A black double breasted coat was
buttoned round his figure, and his erect
and slightly formed carriage bespoke
military training His clothes were per-
fectly cut. with just suspicion OF
dandyiSn in the fashion of the collar
and the design of the Scarfpin. But
dandyism in a foreigner is simply "for-
eign," aud bears no stigma. 1t was
evident at a glance that Baron Lucien
de LiSle was 4 gentleman in the most
Axacting sense Of the word.
i4Iood morning, sir" said Tom. glanc-
ing te0m the card in his hand to the
visitor before him. Have chair.
o.. L l.. n 1, IT him for unn0',