The Bessemer indicator., 1893-08-05
.re no hu.b.nd fo. Jullot Are vou

arc no husband 10. Juliet Arc you
willing to accept the conditionsP To
become the associate OF Simon the
miser, the apt apprentice Of the us
urer, the leech, tho extortionerP
All, you hesitate. 1t is too much OF
test for your love"
1t WAS true the young man face
had blanched little as he listened
to the detestiblo suggestion of tho
miser, but he answered with a reso-
luto voice:
"Mr. Lester, am willing to sub
nit to any test to win your daughter.
SO long as it is honorable"
"Stop" cried the old man, stirred
by tho words OF the young man. ..If
| men will bo fools enough to squander
their patrlmony. Is it unjust that
others should tako what they throw
away. That those who savo should
grow rich on those who waste What
driveling sentiment. to be surei Did
| ever go to any one to rob themp
DO not all my clients come to me? II
l treat them unjustly. why do they
come? No. First thoy get into diff.
fculty and are hard pressed. They
Immediately think of Simon. They
como and implOre me as friend to
come to their assistance, vowing
eternal gratitude. !, well knowing
that they will curse me for their own
follies before they are out of the
woods. yet constrained to help them.
DO l charge them for my help' Ger
tainly. DO they not charge others
for their services? Tut. 1t is the
spendthrifts make the usurers, not
the usurcrs the spendthrifts. Lot
them mind their ways and they would
have no need to complain of tho
usurers.
$50 be it then" answered Arthur
Drayton. "To-morrow | will begin
my study OF human nature. l hope
that L will prove an intelligent pu-
pill"
"You know what depends upon
your aptness," replied the old miser;
land now bogonc. i have two hours
work yet before me and Juliet will
be waiting dinner"
The young man took his hat up
and put it on, saluting the usurer
with his most courteous manner and
swinging the dirty, ill-ftting door
of the miserable den behind him.
plunged downwards through laby-
rinth of stairs into Park row.
"Arthur Drayton money-lcnder's
clcrk," he soliloquized rs he de-
scendcd the steps carefully to avoid
falling down the ill-lit passage. and
u bitterness was in the unspoken
words. But" he followed, Juliet
Lester is the reward and she Is worth
the price of soul"
There arc those Who argue tha
inherent traits cannot be overcome.
They would have marvclcd to see the
change which came over young Dray-
ton soon after his acceptance of
Lestcr's terms.
From wcll-dressed, tinc-mannercd
young man seeking pleasure and re-
iinement as the summum bonum of
mortal happiness he changed almost
by magic into u money-making
automaton.
Simon Lestor himself marvelod at
the transformation, although he was
delighted at the way in which Dray-
ton performed his tasks
Night after night he spent going
over the stock list or making calcu-
lations by means of which the wealth
OF the old miser could with safety be
augmented. Tho two men became
almost inseparablo.
Juliet saw much less of her lover
now that he was her accepted suitor
than She had done when their inter-
II Il ,t,r
of the strange compact that her
lover had made with her father and
knew that his devotion to business
was evidence of the mighty love
that he bore her.
In twelve months time Arthur
Drayton was u monomaniac on tho
question of making money.
He was known in Wall street circles
as ono of the shrewdest financial mon
of the dav, but it was supposed that
much of his inspiration was drawn
from old Simon Lcster's experience.
The preparations for the wedding
were made, so absolutely satisfactory
did everything seem to the old
money-grabbcr.
On the owe of tho bctrothal, which
should take place according to tho
Jewish custom some short time be-
fore the marriage ceremony, Arthur
Drayton was observed to be unusually
excited. Some thought from his
manner that ho had been drinking,
others attributed it to the happiness
over the occasion about to be.
Suddenly the young lover was dis
covered to be missing and Simon
Lester himself went in search of him.
He had not far to go, for, as ho sur
missed, Drayton had gone to the Of
fee, where, as Loster entered. he
found him sitting at his desk evident
ly busted with some momentous cal
culations.
For u moment Or two Lcstcr stood
looking at the young man with an
admiring gaze.
TO think" muttcred tho old
financicr, "that even upon his be-
trothal evo ho does not forget tho
supreme purpose.
The thoughts had barely shaped
themselves before Dray ton looked up
and caught sight of tho intruder.
Quick as flash his hand grasped
tho revolver which lay on his desk
for purposes of protection. and
whether he took Simon Lester to be
IL burglar or whether the fire of mad
ness had already seized his brain was
mover known.
lie fred and Simon Lester fell dead.
Twcnty minutes afterwards ho was
taken by tho police from the office to
a cell, whore straitjacket was put
on him.
Every day carriage stops in front
of the principal entrance to Bloom
ingdale and a tall, slender girl,
garbed in deep mourning. cnters with
flowers and other tribes.