Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-09-25

It was The hour of the evening when
another ten minutes can be stolen from
the day by a readjustment of ones win
dow curtains. Rob's blind, however,
had given way in the cords, and In
stead OF being pulled up was twisted
into two triangles. Just sufficient light
struggled through the window to let
Dick see the man who was standing on
the hearth-rug looking sullenly at his
boots, There was the smell Of oil In
the room.
'DowtonP' Dick exclaimed, "what
masquerade is this?"
The other put - mis- elbow, IS If to
ward of blow, and then Dick opened
the eyes Of anger.
"Oh," he said, SIT is you, is ftp"
They stood looking at each other In
silence.
Just stand there, my fine fellow, :"
Dick said, "until 1 light the gas. 1
must have better look at you"
The stranger turned longing eyes on
the door as the light struck him.
"Not single step in that direction, !"
said Dick" 'unless you want to go over
the balusters."
Abinger came closer to the man who
was Sir Clement Downton's double and
looked him over. He wore white
linen jacket and an apron to match, and
it would have been less easy to mistake
him for q baronet aping the barber than
it had been for the barber to ape the
oaronet.
"Your nameP" asked Dick.
"JoSephs," the other mumble6. !
''You are q barber, presume?"
''I follow the profession of hair-dress-
ing" replied Josephs, with his first show
Of spirit.
Had Dick not possessed an inscrutable
face, Josephs would have known that
his inquisitor was suffericg from sense
of the ludicrous. Dick had just remem-
bered that his father was downstairs.
"Well, Josephs, shall have to han
you over to the police.
81 ehink not" said Josephs, in his
gentlemanly voice.
why not?" asked Dick.
because then it would all come out. ="
what would all come out?"
1.-THE way your father was deceived.
The society paper would make great
deal of it, and IL would not like that
Dick groaned, though the other did
not hear him.
"You read the society journals, Jo-
sephs?'
''Rather" said Josephs.
perhaps you write for them?"
Josephs did not say.
"Well, how were you brought here?"
Dick asked.
"Your friend" said Josephs, sulkily,
came into our place Of business in
Southampton row half an hour ago and
saw me. He insisted on bringing me
here ut once in a cab. / wanted to put
on O black coat, but he would not hear
of it,"
"Ah, then, suppose you gave Mr..
Angus the full confession OF your
roguery as you came along?"
"He would not let me speak" said
Josephs. "He said it was no affair OF
his"
"No? Then you will be so good as to
favor mo with the pretty story"
Dick lit cigar and seated himself.
The sham baronet looked undeci1edly
at chair.
certainly not" said Dick; "yOu can
stand"
Josephs told the tale demurely, oc
casionally with CLEAN OF humor, and
sometimes with sigh. His ambition
to be a gentleman, but ID desire to
know the way, had come to him one
day In his youth when another gentleman
flung a sixpence at him. In moment
Josephs saw what it was to belong to
the upper circles. He hurried to a
street corner to get his boots blackened,
tossed the mental the sixpence, telling
him to keep the change, and returned
home in an ecstasy, penniless, but with
an object In life. That object was to
do it again.
At the age Of eighteen Josephs shaved
merrily during the week, but had never
any money by Monday morning. He
was a gentleman every Saturday even
ing, Then he lived; for the remainder
of the week he was barber. One Of
his delights at this period was to have
his hair cut at Trueftt's and complain
that II was badly done. Having re-
proved his attendant in gentlemanly
way, he tipped him handsomely and re-
tired in glory. IL was about this time
that he Joined a Conservative associa-
ton.
Soon afterwards Josephs was to be
seen I'm Rotton Row, in elegant apparel,
hanging over the railing. He bowed
and raised his hat to the ladies' who
took his fancy, and, though they did not
respond, glowed with the sensation Of
being practically a man OF fashion.
Then he returned to the shop.
The years gllded by and Josephs dis
covered that he was perfectly content
to remain a hair-dresser II he could be
a gentleman now and again. Having
subped once in fashionable restau-
rant he was satisfied for fortnight or
so with a sausage and onions at home.
Then the craving came back. He saved
nm for two months on one occa-
sion. and then took Saturday
to Monday at Cookham, wien
he passed as Henry K. Talbot
Deyereux. He was known to the wait
ers and boatmen there as the gentleman
who had quite pleasure in tossing them
hslf-crowns, and for a month after
wards he had sausage without onions.
40 far his holiday had been the memory
Of his life. He studied the manners and
language of the gentlemen who came to
the shop in which he was employed and
heOan to dream of big thing annually.
He had learned long ago that he was
remarkably Good-looKing.
For a whole year Joseph aostained
from being gentleman except In the
smallest way, for he was burning to
have a handle to his name, and feared
that it could not be done at less than
twenty pounds. His weeks holiday
came. and found Joseph not ready Tor