Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-10-04
THAT 100 FRANCS.

| tefesteu III Watching the pay thdt NJ last
she said she would like TO try her luck.
"Very well' said !, laughing, "I'll Just
time you and see how long it will take you
10 lose this" And ! got a hundred franc
note changed and placed the money In front
of her.
The hundred francs lasted exactly half
an hour.
A few weeks after this we returned to
| America, and year later my poor wife
| died.
| Three years afterward married my pres
| ent wife. She had travelled extensively in
this country, but had never been In Europe,
and as she was anxious TO 20, of course we
went.
We happened to be In Nice one day, and
Clara thought she would like 10 sec Monte
Carlo, as il was so near. We went.
As we entered the Casino my former
visit with my first wife suddenly REQUIRED
70 my mind, and | was surprised to see
Clara walk directly up 10 the same table
at which my first wife had played.
Clara began playing with "A few francs
which she took from her purse. She won
steadily, and In half an hour left of play
ing and found she was the winner Of exact
ly 100 francs.
This Is certainly a remarkable ooinci-
dence." reflected, How strange that my
second wife should come all the way from
America 10 win back the money which my
first wife lost at that identical table just
four years ago." told Clara about u al
we walked back TO the hotel She IL in
clined to be superstitious, and was not
surprised when she said:
"Something ought TO be done with that
money, John. IL seems 10 me that 10
doesn't belong To us, but TO that poor dead
girl, and then she conceived the idea OF
sending it 10 some poor relation Of my first
wife.
"As far IA | know" said, 'the only liv.
ing relative il her brother Jack. You
might send it to him II you like. Constance
was very fond of him"
When we returned TO New York and got
settled in our new home, my wife asked me
for Jacks address. SO, 10 please her, /
wrote to tue lawyers in Boston who had
settled up the Corey estate and obtained
the address Clara inclosed a S20 bill in an
envelope and mailed it to Jack.
Some years previously, when Jack Corey
left Harvard and returned to his home In
Boston, his father increased bis allowance,
which was already more than most youths
OF his years enjoyed, and Jack, who had
been the leader of the fast set at college.
was soon in whirl Of gayety. Let him
have his fling" the old man said; hell
soon get tired Of IL and settle down"
From what have heard | am inclined to
believe that Jack was very well pleased with
this arrangement. AT any rate, at the end
of "a couple Of years, when his father intt
mated To Jack that it was time he was
thinking of settling down" and going into
business, the boy couldn't Zee 1t In that
light exactly.
Father" he said, what Is the use Of
my going into busncssi You have more
money now than you know what TO do
with, and l should only lose the capital
you propose 10 put up for me-"
But after his fathers death Jack was
very much surprised To fud that there was
| little or nothirg left after winding up the
estate, and then he realized what an ass
he'd been. He tried to yet something to
| do, but his fathers old friends looked
askance at him, and hs gay chums in pros
porous times passed him by with q cool
nod. He fed to Hicago, presented his let
ters Of Introduction and was handsomely
! received. Wh,u these new friends found,
however. that ne was in search Of employ
ment, they failed TO see him on the streets,
and when approached politely told him
| they could not assist him: Please excuse
me. Very busy" etc.
| Jacks funds ran low, his spirits kept
| pace, and il was obvious that something
must be done. But Jack was easily dis
couraged, and l suspect, too, that an un-
| fortunate love affair had very depressing
| influence on his mind. II will hardly be
believed, but he became 80 desperate that
one day, having come TO the end of his re-
| sources, he actually determined to take his
own life. lie stretched himself on his bed,
| placed the ''cold muzzle" of revolver to
| his temple and cast a last look around. As
| he did so he noticed letter lying on the
| table within reach. The handwriting was
that of a lady. To his aStonishment he
found the envelope to contain $50 bill
nothing else. The postmark-New York
| gave no clew to the sender.
"Well, ;" said Jack, putting on his hat,
"Ill put off my departure for the present.
think a good dinner will be in order"
After the death OF my first wife I had
| lost sight Of Jack. i had written to him
after his father died, but had not heard
from him in reply, although Jack after
ward told me he had received my lettel
and answered it, but not hearing from me-
again thought l had gone back on him.
like the rest Of his fair weather friends
Well, after Jack postponed the enter
tainment," as he expressed it, he made the
best of his way to restaurant not fal
from his lodgings
As hewas about To enter the place an ole
gentleman in front Of him stumbled on tn,
threshold and would have fallen heavily
, had not Jack promptly seized him roun(
, the waist and lifted him to his feet.
my dear SIR" said the old gentleman
you have done me great service. Viii
you Join me at dinnerf
with pleasure" said Jack.
my name" said the old gentleman, IL
tanford"
q And mine il Corey"
"Indeedl Ionce had n great friend name<
e Corey. Was at Harvard with him. Rem
son Corey"
"My father" murmured Jack.
BLESS my soull' cried Mr.. Stanford
"Glad / stumbled Oh you. Hal hal liter
Y ally by Jovel But how is your father, ant
what are you doing in ChicagoY
u Jack related his adventures. When b
a had finished, the old gentleman said
"Well, if you will call at my Office, III
BEE what can be done. There is yacanc
Is which you can ill, think"
r. One day met Jack ON Broadway. Iii
face wore It's old time happy smile, and Ia
: looked well and prosperous. took hin
Is home to dinner, aud he told us his story
Then my wife related the story of tn
uundred francs.
'r M Stamford took "A yrpat iii inu IN Ia,l