The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-08-25

mo very much. There are q thousand
ways by which | can learn much that
you cannot, and"
Yes, yes; ] understand. But sup
pose you should put him to the test; do
you think he would come through-ah
-er-unscathed, rs it were2 Suppose
you, should tell him that l had lost all
| your money and mine in unfortunate
speculation-thatw We were beggars, and
had not a dollar we could call our owne
Are you afraid to try him?"
There was a brief silence. Then:
VI don't like to tell a falsehood, papa;
but it would be only white lie, and
perhaps for the best. Yes. I'll try him
tomorrow night"
That's my dutiful girl. Now run
along and let me work"
! There was sound of kiss, and the
! perspirng young man in the hall has
tened to get out Of the house. lie
| wanted time to think, but the first
thing that entered his head. as he
reachedthe sidewalk. was q fanc iful pic
ture Of the petite Miss Field, with her
one hundred and sixty pounds of avoir-
dupois, running along" and he smiled
broadly. Then he walk ed rapidly over
! to the next street to catch a cab to his
! club, there to hold a pow-wow with
! Cross.
On the steps he hcsitated q moment.
! 'llad l better go back now?" he
! thought. NO; she won't have her little
tale OF woe ready, and might be put out
If l call tonight I might give myself
away, too. Better have time to get my
speech prepared" And this astute
! young man went in and proceeded to
make himself comfortable.
! The next evening, with his usual
| light heart and good spirits, he rang the
door bell Of the Field mansion. Yes,
Miss Field was in, Peter said. Ferris
| went into the drawing room and sat
down, running rapidly over in his mind
the various tender speeches he had pre-
pared for the emergency. Bernice was
long time coming, he thought, for one
who expected him.
Presently she entered-slowly-h
lily. Her head bent low over her ample
bosom, and her breath came short and
fast Ferris went forward to meet her.
his arms outstretched. He was some
thing OF an actor himself and he knew
it.
'Bernice! Darling! What is the
trouble with my little girl?" (Another
good stroke. Miss Field liked to be
called little"
"Oh! Arthur! Arthur! don't know
how to tell you. 1t is too dreadful!
Papa"
"What! Has your father been"
"Oh! no. not that, but-but worse!
Arthur, we are-beggars!"
And Miss Field, delivering these last
words with wonderful impressiveness,
hung her head and sobbcd bitterly be-
hind her lace handkerchief
Then it was that Ferris, like the
young man OF action that he was, put
his arm rs far round his fearful fiancee
as possible, and, with some difficulty,
led her to n seat and pulled her head
down ON his glossy shirt front.
lie was very. very sorry, as she must
know. But it was nothing. Her father
would recoup himsc'f-he had many in.
fiuential friends. AS for her, had she
not him-hcr Arthur? lie would not
he once interrupted her to say, permit
her, through sense Of false pride, to
cast him off now, when she most need.
ed him. No, never!
lie had three thousand n year. It
was not much, he knew, but they could
live on it. And did she suppose, for
one instant. that he had expected to
live on his wife's money? MOI A thou
sand tim cs. no!
I'VE will have a real quiet little we'd
ding, dearest, and. after it is over. we
will go quietly to our own little cottage
in the suburbs, which you and I will
get ready in the meantime, and there
we will be the happiest couple in the
world. What! Bernice, am ! to I'M
derstand that you laugh at my cher
ished plans2'
For Bernice had leaped to her feet
and was laughing heartily.
"Why, you foolish boy. I was only
teasing you bit. Don't you think ri
make good actress2 Papa and |
haven't lost a"
Here was Mr.. Ferris opportunitv
She had doubted him; oh, cruel blow.
II she could not trust him now, how |
could she have any faith in him when !
they were married? Perhaps, after ALL
IL were best
And he strobe haughtily to the door
But TINS was not part OF Miss Fields !
programme, and she did what any very- |
female would do under |
like circumstances, SO that, in a very |
few seconds, two people wero sitting |
on divan in very lover like attitude, |
indeed.
An hour or so later, n young man.
walking brskly down the street, was |
rejecting on the vagarics Of chance and |
his own good luck.
II Peter had been at the door--if he |
had been ten minutes later-if he had !
sneezed in the hall--if-
at was IN awfully close shave" he |
reflected, and he stopped and shook |
hands with himself, much to the amaze |
ment OF the policeman on the corner
Il. l.. Ketchum, in San Francisco Argo- |
naut.
-Reciprocity.-Mrs. Upperson Walk