The record-union., 1895-11-09

is for special motive that he has be-
come so penurious lately. He wants to
save money for some particular purpose,
and l know what that purpose is
l was evidently expected to be Curl
Gus, and 1 satisfied expectation.
Il can speak to YOU" the old lady
went on-'Speak to you as an old
frie nd. You know, when the creditors
came down on us and things were sold,
there were dividends paid don't know
exactly how many or what they
amounted to, but am afraid they didn't
come to twenty shillings in the pound.
And that's what SydneyS saving for
TO pay everybody everything. am sure
of it. When the crash came, remember
his telling me that that was what he
was going to do. He's never said any
thing about it since, and [ had quite for
gotten all about it, and I was puzzled
by his RIGHTEOUSNESS, till all of sudden
l remembered what he had said, and
then everything was clear. | knew that
he was patiently accommodating till he
had got quite enough to pay off every
thing with interest-I'm sure he'd want
to pay interest as Well-and then he'd
come forward and call the creditors and
pay off everything, and then come to
me and say: Mother, I've cleared our
good name from all reproach. Now | am
a free man, and l can marry the girl of
Miss Hilton, who was chatting with my
wife at little distance. And 1 think
you will find'' she went on, dropping her
voice to whisper, that it won't be
very long before all this takes place. l
have reasons for thinking So"
I was weak enough to say something
indefinite about this paying off of old
debts being very rare. And it's very
noble conduct" I said, but"
you think it little Quixotic," the
old lady replied quickly perhaps I do
too. But there would be no use trying
to persuade Sydney-he couldn't be got
ID take the business view of the sub
ject''
Our tete-a-tete was interrupted, and
the theme of conversation changed. But
before we left the old lady pressed me
very earnestly to dine at Kew on GER
tain date she named.
It's my birthday, you know" she
said, "and Sydney is sure to be there.
We haven't seen him for long time
we can hardly expect to see much of him
now that a general elecd is going on,
but I'm sure he'll be there then. He has
never missed my birthday yet
[ promised to be of the party, and the
evident pleasure which my acceptance
gave was painfully significant. l could
see that the old lady was quite sure in
her own mind that that evening was the
time fixed for the scene which was to
mark the triumphant issue of her son s
strange lapse into penuriousness.
Only the day before the evening of the
dinner Carstairs called at our offices
and cOntriVed, not without difficulty, to
get admitted to my Sanctum. He looked
even shabbier than he had done when ]
saw him first Things were going very
badly with him, he said The FOOtlights
had been sold to a man who did his own
1csci,o lAT Of Il Il Il
gone out entirely.
CONDENSED Cocoa gave them a short
ORDER Carstairs said, land when that
came to an end the paper died. But
haven't come to talk about that" he
added, after a short pause, but to ask
you to lend me a few pounds. I know ]
refused when you offered before, but
perhaps you won't mind that"
"Of course not" [ said. Dear me,
Dormy, don't make a fuss about a
trific"
It's for dinner Tomorrow" he said
I've always kept up my mothers birth
day. I always managed it all right, but
this year I can't. My dress suit isn't
isn't available and I want to take few
flowers and some little trifie."
He named a small sum and L handed
over the money.
Il don't know when I'll pay you
back" he said. Perhaps never for
things are getting worse and worse
with me-
/ met him the next day at the sta
ton at Kew He was irreproachably
attired, and carried a big bouquet OF
choice flowers. His looks were gloomy.
Il don't know" he said, "if this was
az to be done over again whether /
would do it. But I've kept up appear
ances so long that / must go on doing SO
tC the end. 1t would be cruel to unde-
ceive my poor mother now"
He shook off all outward signs of de-
preston before he reached the house
and responded warmly to his mother s
ELUSIVE welcome. He talked a good
deal during dinner, and interested the
ladies with gossip of the great world,
gained as I guessed by a careful pre-
liminary perusal of the society journals.
Mention was made of the approaching
marriage of an eX-Cabinet Minister,
and the ladies were curious about the
bride.
rs she so very good looking?" Mrs.
Carstairs asked. you've seen her
scores of times, of cOurse?"
Not lately" Sydney said, with a hur-
ried glance at me. Then he added, But
she was quite the belle of last season
Mrs. CarstairS looked gravely at her
SON you mustn't let yourself drop
out of society" she said, mot even for a
general election"
After diner the evening was very
warm. and we all sat out in the little
garden. After a time music was suS-
gested, and Miss Hilton agreed to play
a sonatina.
IT'S your favorite. Sydney" his
mother said land you must turn the
leaves, and Wen stay out here and have
little chat"
AS soon as the other two had passed
into the drawing-roOm Mrs. Carstairs
opened fire on me with:
Wasn't it a beautiful bouquet that
Sydney brought me2 1t must have
cost a great deal" and she looked at me
significantly. ] knew what was passing
in her mind. She meant to say, The
self-imposed task is over, the period of
penury is gone, and the revelation Will
soon be made"
l was so sure that this was passing in
her mind that l FASTENED to change the
subject. But she soon got back to the
favorite topic.
Don't you think poor Sydney looks a
little fatigued?" and without waiting
for a reply she went on: He has had
TO work so hard, you know. But wtat a
triumph it is for him to have over
thrown the Government. 1t is really
he who has done it, you know. Every
body says il is all due to the Times.
But 1 hope there won't be another gen
eral election Just yet.
] acquiesced vaguely in the wish.
You know" she went on, when sgd
ney was boy and did so we'll at school,
/ used TO be very ambitious for him. /
used to think he would enter Parlia-
ment like his father, and that he might
win a great position there-'The APP
plause Of listening Senates to COM
mand,' you know all that sort of thing,
and it was a great disappointment TO
hot oil M acid Tlt1-
now ! ask you. isn't the journalist, who,
by the mere force of his pen, can mold
public opinion, who can remain I'M
known or at least almost nnkn own.