The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-01-01
THE LEROY GOLD MINE.
Salad, sir ?''

DdldOl, SlI
Mr.. John Sutton shook his head and
then nodded. He did not like salads
did not want the cheese and ice and cafe
nOir which the waiter brought in turn.
But one should go through dinner cor
rectly. He had for years tried to take an
interest in cookery, because it seemed
= fitting that rich old bachelor living in
New York should be bit of an epicure
but, in fact, he did not care what he ate.
This evening he would rather not have
eaten any dinner at all; but John Sutton
never failed to do the proper thing,
though he knew that not human being
in the city noticed what he did.
Besides the dinner at the little cafe
broke up the evening, which was apt to
be long and lonely. He was by no means
"A en'imental man, yet the fact hat it
was Christmas Eve emphasized the lone
illness. The CHEEKY hustle on the streets
suggested happy homes-you could
hardly call his luxurious apartments,
overlooking the park, home. The air
was full of friendly gayety. Mr.. Sutton
had not an intimate friend in New York,
and though always courteous and good
tempered, never had been gay in the
memory of man. He could not have his
Tuesdays game of whist tonight, be-
cause Pratt had to dress his children's
tree, and Vaux was chairman of chair
man committee, and Perry was visiting
his PCT hobby, the industrial school.
Mr.. Sutton gave to many charities-it
was proper to do SO; but he took an in
terest in none of them. He had no hob
bies; he often wished that he had.
A MIN of fifty, who had made more
money than he needed, who had no child
and 10 hobby, was-well-outside of
things, somehow.
He glanced at his hat and half rose;
but if he went to his apartments there
but to re-read the evening paper. Mr..
Sutton was no student, and the theater
boled him.
lie sat down again and slipped his cold
coffee, slipping coin into the walters
hand to keep him patient. An uneasy
smile crossed his face. At so to have to
buy welcome for half an hour from a
poor darby! Something must be out of
gear in a life that ended in that lonely
fashion.
No There had been nothing out of
gear in his life! 1t had been rational,
well-ordered, calm from his school.days
until now. He had been no scapegrace,
thank God
His lips frightened and he sat looking
darkly across the room, seeing nothing.
Why was it that with every year the
memory of his home and of that boyish
trouble grew more sharp and close?
They were more real to him now than all
the tw, nty years he had spent in New
York.
His trouble had been commonplace
enough. He had brother Nicholas, as
unlike him in body and mind as if they
had been born at the antipodes. But the
boys were twins and had love and ten
derncss for each other singular in rather
dull hobble-de-hoys. At IS John went
to New York and began the correct, de-
cOrous business career which ended in
making him one of the richest men on
Wall street. Nicholas, like too many
sons Of Virginia planters in those days,
took to cards aud brandy.
He followed his brother to New York.
Mr.. Sutton shuddered even now as he
thought of the ragged, drunken loafer
who hld hung about him for months,
1gl $50 was trying to,make a place for