The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-11-15
"rm in q bad fla. "

"Tm in a bad f1."
going to see your lawyer. How should
you feel if you knew had already been
there. Oh, Jemima, what a lark this
is! I'll go to the club now and ask a
few of the fellows if they should not
like to drop in informally and see Tom
entertain Daisy
"Parkhurst, said Tom, taking a
chair opposite his lawyer, "I'm in a
bad fix"
"What's up now?"
"Oh, it's all on account Of that beast
ly matrimonial tax. You know how I'M
possible it would be for me to pay it
this year,
"Not exactly impossible, VAIN
wright.
eyes, impossible unless oblige my
self to live without everything to which
I have been accustomed.
''Would that be so hard?"
cit would be extremely unpleasant. "
"But think to what use your money
would be put You forget that this tax
is levied that women may have few of
the luxuries which you have in such
abundance.
81 forget nothing of the sort. Of
course I am willing to pay fair share
toward their support, but you know
that have always been taxed beyond
reason.
81 think that there are few of us who
would not find fault with almost any
rate of taxation. Well, what can do
for your
''First, forget what I have said if you
can," replied Tom, with sudden
change of tone. ga man must grumble
about something, suppose, or he would
not be human. 1t might as well be taxes
as anything else. l presume shall be
taxed nearly $4,000 this year, shall /
not?'
81 may get it reduced $500 or $500
by proving that your financial condition
does not warrant so large rate of tax
ation
"That would really be proclaiming
that I am hard up. No, don't do that.
If I must sink, I prefer to sink with fly
ing colors. -
"Who is talking of sinking?"
81 am. tell you, Parkhurst, have
got myself in tight place"
elbow sop
"Suppose I am obliged to fight a
breach of promise case?"
"You can't afford it this year, my
boy. 1t would mean financial ruin
81 am afraid l shall have to do it,
ruin or no ruin. very foolishly pro-
posed to Ridgway's cousin and was &C.
cepted''-
"Do you refer to Miss Margaret
Blake?'
eyes. Do you know herr"
every we'll. Tom, you surprise me.
Why did you do that?''
81 had not seen her.
81 should think not % This was said
with such energy that Tom was sure the
lawyer had no higher opinion of the
personal appearance of the young lady
in question than he himself had formed.
"Sander has always seemed to be a
friend whom one could trust" he said
alphabetically. "We have told each 9th
er everything for the last five years. He
saw that l was worried about that
beastly tax and sugge sted this plan as a
way out of the difficulty. He represent
ed Miss Blake as beautiful, graceful
everything, in fact, that man could
ask for except that she might be little
too high tempered.
"Ridgway always worshiped his
cousin. Still, must say that you have
shown surprising lack of common
sense. Had you thought of buying a
horse of Ridgway You would have in
sisted on seeing it first y
81 didn't have much time, you know. "
sob, we'll, guess it is not as bad as
it might be. Miss Blake is quite music
al and she has very pleasant manners,
believe; at least they seemed pleasant
in the country. 1 can hardly think of
her as a city girl. I have an idea that
she will appear very differently from
the girls whom you have usually danced
attendance upon. -
81 am sure of it," groaned Tom.
"Parkhurst, I'm thinking of breaking
the engagement.
"Have you counted the cost?'
81 presume it will pinch me for a
year or two"
"Pinch You! Man alive, it will ruin
your prospects for life. Not only will
there be heavy fine for the broken en-
gagement, but the breach of promise
suit
Perhaps Miss Blake will not sue''-
"Don't fiatter yourself. She will. !
know her better than you do. She will
like nothing better. 1t will give her
just the advertisement she wants before
becoming public singer"
docs she mean to study for the
stage?"
$50 am told"
"Worse and worse. " Tom groaned
more dismally than before. he looked
SO wretched that the lawyers neart be-
came almost sympathetic. There was
silence between the two men for several
minutes. Then Parkhurst said seriously
Il don't believe l should h-eak that
engagement if were YOU, Tom.