Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-03-15
THE DEPOSIT.

highly revered Burgomaster Trottenheim
Beautiful, RICH her own indulgent duena,
she could not want for adorers, conspicu-
GUS among whom were three youths I'M
equally endowed with the gifts of fortune
There could be no question of the wealth of
Walter, son of the most Opulent jeweler Of
the city, or Of the poverty Of Alexis, who
seemed to possess nothing but the paper on
which he was continually inscribing a new
draft Of his one sonnet, never to be finished
In this world.
But of Adelbert's property n. only
surmised that it was risked in advei curious
speculations, and that his fortune alter
nately SCARED and tagged like pitching
kite. Perhaps, however, those who knew
most would have marveled least at the ex-
preston of absolute despair which darkened
his countenance as one day be crept into
somber thicket of yew, pistol in his hand.
ut is overt" he cried. "She has fiouted
me TO my facet Alden TO the last hope of
repairing my losses. appeasing my credit
ors and Withdrawing that fearful deposit
ere the day of reckoning, now so near at
handl should die of shame then-better
die of sh~ rSowp
And he pressed the muzzle of his pistol to
his temple. He was in dire earnest--an-
other moment would have been his last
when the pistol was wrenched from his
hand, and a well known voice exclaimed:
Hold or at least declare first, for the
information and, it may be- the consolation
Of thy friend, whether Ida has rejected
thee"
she has not, Walter" returned Adel-
bert. mot the pang of unrequitted love,
but the goad Of accusing conscience, chases
me from this terraqueous world. Hearken.
Walter, 1t imports thee to know, for thy
inheritance will be curtailed by my inn
probity. Trusting In the honor of his old
friends son, thy father has advanced me
10000 ducats upon the security Of a sealed
packet, whose contents | have tabled to be
family jewels, mysteriously intrusted to
me, Oh, Walter, Walter, the sweepings of
the streets were precious in comparison.
Now go and denounce me to thy father-go
and betray me to Ida"
81 am gentleman" said Walter stifiy
and walked away, carrying the pistol with
him. The wretched Adelbert remained the
prey Of torturing thoughts until dismal
sound struck upon his ear, and he fed pre-
cipitately as Alexis entered the grove re-
citing the latest version of his sonnet.
When Walter on his part had quilted
the spot, he was tingiing all over with the
glow of a magnanimous action, or at least
profession, which in its effect on the inner
man is much the same thing. He had not,
however, proceeded far ere he encountered
a black and white parsonage, neither Of
whom indeed had quilted him during his
interview with Adelbert or any Of us at
any period, but of whose presence he then
became distinctly conscious. The black
spirit thought that $1,000 ducats was a
Ia II, -. Ill -. ~
comrade assented, but added that honor
was perfectly inestimable.
The black spirit had much to say about
Adelbert's iniquity, and the white about
its retribution. The question of Walters
duty to society was fully considered from
opposite points Of view. And then the
black spirit introduced the Lady Ida, and
by depicting her in the character OF Abel
bert's bride removed the debate from the
realm Of ratiocination to the region Of SEN
suous perception, where the white spirit
was at singular disadvantage.
And as the arguments Of the black gen
tleman and people Of his sort are invariably
found to gain In weight the longer one is
willing to listen TO them, thou wilt not mar
vel, iudicious reader, to meet Walter next
morning in Ida's saloon making a clean
breast of Adelbert's breach OF honor, but
silent as to his own.
Ida, however, soon made him confess that
his knowledge of the secret was derived
from Adelbert himself, and ihtimated very
plainly that she considered his the meaner
action of the two.
'Oh, lady" pleaded the impassioned
Walter, "allowest thou nothing for the
overwhelming might of self forgetting lover
Wouidst thou have thy slave sit stupidity
bebolding thy innocence entangled In the
wiles of a swindler, in blind allegiance to
conventions-nay,e even to sanctions other
wise imperative5 Not of such clay is thy
Walter fashioned. Show him the law that
restraints, the obligation that debars him
from seeking thy veal through evil report
and good report. and he will rend that law
and spurn that obligation as he skaters
this vessel and tramples upon this quadru-
ped"
Ida's vase Of flowers lay shivered upon the
floor, and her little dog writhed and howled
beneath Walters superintendent boot.
He was evidently beside himself, and Ida
could only recompose him by commanding
him to depart her presence and never re-
turn unless he brought the false packet
with him.
ITO what end, LADY, When it has been
opened ia court, the cheat will be manifest
to thee and TO the world"
And how know | that it may not hsve
been tempered with meanwhile' Produce
it tomorrow OF see my face no more"
Walter meekly represented that the de-
post was not in his custody, an argument
manifestly devoid Of weight He promised
obedience and departed. On his way home
he had much communication with his
black companion, and ere the prescribed
time this excellent young man had pos
sessed himself Of the packet by means Of
false key.
He hurried to Ida with his prize and
placed II in her hands. She waved him
back while she broke the seals. To his
amazement, the first indication OF her SEN
timents was o fit Of laughter, but her ex-
preston became tragic when she had salts
fed herself that the contents were indeed
but paper. She turned fercely upon Wal
ter, who found 1t advisable TO quit her
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