The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-01-01

THANK you, no. shall find it in my
rooms" and, still smiling courteously,
he turned his back upon the young man
and left the car.
'He would have furnished the morn
ing papers with an item, How John SUIT
ton heard the knews,'" he said with
a grim chuckle.
But what was the news
Mr. Sutton, like most men, had some
times fancied that he might die suddenly
on the street or on change, and his
great fear was that he might shrek or
kick or say something in the act of dy-
ing unworthy of his personal dignity.
He felt as if something like death was
coming to him now. He must be care
full and guard himself.
Whatever it was, Peter, his valet,
would know it.
Peter'did know it. His master saw it
in his face. The man met him at the
door, took his hat and coat and preceded
him up the stairs with an anxious care
quite new in his treatment of him. He
stirred the fire, and drew up his easy
chair, with pity land affection in every
motion. Mr.. Sutton writhed uncomfort-
ably.
''Have you the last edition of the paper
there ?''
Eyes, SIR"
Peter produced it and smoothed it out
carefully upon the table; his red hands
shook unsteadily.
Can go now, Mr.. Sutton ?'
eyes, you can CO."
"pn be outside, sir, if want any
thing"
HE did not want to see me when l
read the news" said Mr.. Sutton. "These
Irish have hearts" He smiled with a
culver of the lips as he opened the paper
Who would have thought Peter cared for
him SO much?
"Ah-h Here it is ~
"Crisis in the Western market Sud-
den and unexpected fall of Leroy Gold
Mine stock below par !! Ruin of great
speculatOr HIP
Below in lesser type the public were
told how, owing to frauds in the far
West, Leroy stock had been without
substance for days, how the bottom had
fallen out without warning. How, in
consequence, John Sutton, who held al
most the whole of the stock, was left
penniless in an hour A brief sketch of
the life of the Great Gold King followed,
with woOdcut of his face, English side
whiskers, neat black cravat and all.
The report continued
'It is scarcely possible that Mr.. Sutton
will ever rally from this complete over
throw. He is a solitary man with no per-
sonal friends. There is a rumor that the
shock of the news has brought on an
attack of apoplexy. His doors have been
closed to representatives of the press all
evening, but from the excited and angry
manner of his servants our reporter in
ferred that this worst surmise was true.
Whether well or i'll, however, there can
be no doubt that the Great Gold King,
who this morning was the happy owner
of riches before whose vast and golden
sheen Aladdins treasures paled, lies
down tonight without dollar!'
Mr.. Sutton read it all to the last word.
His calm, smooth-shaven face whitened
a little; but that was all. He had met
the death-blow with courage which
ought to have satisfied himself. Once
he even burst into hoarse laugh,
"Aha? Peter kept them at bay! He's
a good fellow-a good fellow"
He sat quiet for long time, the paper
dropped upon his knee, looking steadily
into the fire. 1t shocked him to find how
much it mattered to him in this crisis
that this poor Irishman cared for him-a
little. Even the newspaper called him
solitary man. He was solitary. He had
not one friend to come to him tonight
in this desperate strait and say, Sutton
| am sorry for you" He saw it now.
He stood up at last and stretched his
arms up as if his breath would not come.
II have made my life empty" he said;
yes, empty, have make mistake"
But what could he do know? Turn |
lown the gas and go to bed in his usual
orderly fashion, and waken on
Christmas morning into world in which
here was no God, nor friend, nor gift |
Tor him? He put out his hand to the
light; there was quich rap at the door.
A man came in-not Peter An old |
man, stout, stopped shouldered. The
lair was gray-but it was Nick's laugh,
Nick's eyes; it was Nick's old, kind,
1oyish, merry voice. He caught Mr.Sut.
5on by the arms.
"JOhn," he said, don't you know me?
It's Nicholas" The very same tone in
,he voice that used to call from the nut |
,rees! Yet this man was gray and wrink
ed.
Don't you know your own brother?
I've come for you to 90 home with me-"
"Home? To the old house?"
"Why yesP Where else is your home?
Waken up John!'
Some great warm tide of life was sweep
ng through John Sutton's soul. But
labit chung to propriety and order.
"Sit down." he said, feebly. "You-