The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-24
,h. What's the matter, Joe? Isn't

MARS Charles, tnar amt CT scrap err
meat in the house 'cept what's been
done got fur the servants dinner"
Mr.. Barker rom aimed Enxir;. ut the
old fellow for a ull half minute. The
situation dazcd him.
Cant you-cnn't VIC have that?
What have they got for dinner. any
way?"
"a nice roas' of mutton"
"Thc very thing, Juc ;r~vo i m
mediatcly, an here, YOU folks bay
something more for yourselves. We
mustn't keep tho guests whiting"
He handed the dalllya dollar ;.d tho
old fellow slowly poclictcd it.
Serve luncheon ct once" ordered
Mr.. Barker, who was becoming i,npa-
ticnt. What arc you waiting fore"
'Looka.ierc. Mars Charles" said the
old man, slowly. aud deliberately. "llcv
you any ice what that mutton cost?'
II can't say l have. a dollar, per.
haps,"
tinued the darby, 'is incomprensibl
That mutton's worth ten dollars if it's
worth red cent, but seein' as how you
don't want it"
lie was turning away when Mr.. Bar
iNSi otOPPCSh IL DCSun " GAVIN
upon the young man from Twenty
third street that he was being black
mailed.
Here's your ten dollars, you black
rascal"
lie took the money from his pocket
and handed it to Joe.
claret," he said
cost you five dollars more. It's mighty
good wine and cheap. sah."
You black rascal''-he began again
That eXpresshun will cost you just
two dollars, Mars Barker. Doan' you
call Specific servant no black rascle.
You'd better put up dc cash. Lunch
an wine. and dem tings is apt to rise
mighty quick in this house under some
circumstances.
Barker saw he had to alter his tao
tics. He put up another five dollars
without Il murmur.
Mr.. Hanson and his wife had de-
parted upstairs to wash their hands.
ITS awful" Inurmured Evelyn as
she passed him on her way to the ia
BILE. Mamma ran right onto one OF
the Van Lith trunks in the front
room"
He drank his fve-dollar wine reck-
lessly to gain courage. Old Hanson sat
and gorgcd himself on the ten-dollar
lunch. Mrs. Hanson, he Thought, eyed
him suspiciously; and old DC served
them with u broad grin on his ebony
countenancc.
IF this kind of thing keeps up for n
week l am ruined" he said to Evelyn
us the day finally closed, and at last
he saw his wifc's parents safely re-
tired for the night.
I've an idea mother already suspects
something" said Evelyn. 1--WE good
mind to take her into my confidence
and confess it ALL
But this proposition alarmed him
more than anything else.
Don't do that. I've got four hundred
left yet. Let's stick 1T out At say
forty dollars day, how long can we
hold the fort?"
Just ten days."
And in ten days then, it is either
flight, the North river, or the morgue"
Ten days is good long time" re-
piled Evelyn. II shan't worry myself
SO far ahead Good night I'm Off to
sleep"
Eight days of the ten had elapsed.
| The Bankers, with n courage born of
| desperation, had stuck it out" Thcv
had become accustomed to their new
| position, and, despite their failing
means, Charlie sometimes even fancied
himself rich.
The Hansons were delighted with
their new son-in-law. No words in the
English language were expressive
enough to sing their praises. They
had driven here and there. been taken
to all the theaters and feted every dav
on the fat of the land. They had been
made to feel their Importance The
Hansons, of Denver, had never en-
joyed themselves SO much in their
lives.
Barker was nearly crazy. What
would he not have given to be back in
| Twenty-third street, and, if he must be
shot for running away with old man
Ilnnson's daughter, at least have the
satisfaction OF dying like an honest
| man.
On the morning of the ninth day he
found Il letter on the breakfast table.
Old man Hanson was there with his
famous appetite, eating eggs whici
had cost fifty cents apiece and ham
which had been purchased from the
backmailor's ut a dollar slice
The letter was from his father in Dos
ton and read as follows:
| My DEAR CHARLES-Your mother has Jus
| learned from Mrs. Stewart, who arrived in Bos
ton from New York yesterday. OF your lat,
good fortune In Wall street I always knew 70,
would fall on your feet. and you can now AFFORD
to laugh at those who have hitherto callct
you the fool OF tho family Meantime yo.
may expect us by an early train tomorrow
as wo arc anxious to see our new daughter
| Your aIcctionatc father
HORACE Is. BARKER