The Forrest City times., 1895-05-03

oe sure, had been laying myself out on the old fellow, as should never nave dared to do had known him for millionaire, but that was not for be- nevolence, but purely selfish appre- clation of his boundless fund of travel and experience. His society was worth money to me besides the pleasure of it, and therefore did I court him assidu- ously, with many an entertainment and excursion, which again were no credit to my generosity, for had not the interminable tickets and passes and the duty of going to all these weary things?-a duty much frightened by the society of the lounging, invalid old gentleman, whom supposed no richer than myself.
 told him my story, such as it was; and am fain to think that some sub- tie sympathy, some consciousness of a similar experience in his own boyhood, made him take more of an interest than then suspected in this poor series of failures called my life.
 Then he died very suddenly and serenely, leaving me some unbelievable millions, and as no one but his solicitor knew that he had any money, so no one knew that had any; and behold me forthwith in exactly the position of my childish hearts desire!
 What joy! What wild, free rap- ture of plans, with occasional bursts of fancy which even I dismissed as quite untenable. For instance, l had no longer any faintest hope of marrying my Cousin Mary. She was quite taken up with another cousin, Fred by name, and would have married him long since, no doubt, had he been able to support family. But he was proud, and would not marry until he could offer something to his wife. knew that, for he had told me so.
 However, it was now my delicious fate to be able to arrange matters for these two so that they should be able to marry; neither knowing how it had come about, nor in the least corner of their hearts suspecting me. Then with what swelling pride should look upon their happiness and know that I had given it-I, who so far had given only trouble and modification to my family.
 It was an easy matter to make my mothers last years comfortable; and ah! the pleasure, the selfish pride I took in remembering small personal wishes and gratifying them bit by bit, while never suspected!
 It was an easy matter, too, through my agent, to buy the very paper on which l wrote; to slowly dismiss the men who were disgrace to it, to pro- mote and engage men whose work made it great voice soon, and through it, slowly to win the public confidence and work my will, little by little, among the affairs of the city. Such splendid game it was to arouse public enthusiasm over some free baths, or children's playground scheme or other, to start subscription lists, and covertly head them myself; to machin- ate safely and quietly through my great pages, and all the while having my copy refused half the time, and the other fellows wondering how I kept my place
 All this, and much more, was easy and exciting; more of triumph and joy even than I had ever imagined it would be; but my pet scheme of schemes hung fire little. Fred got his new position. in perfectly natural manner; he was good fellow and de- served it. Still there was no sign of an engagement between him and my Cousin Mary. Then I thought, being an independent girl, she might be waiting to have something of her own; and after as pretty bit of finesse as ever saw in my life, if it was my own invention-and small wonder, for had 1 not schemed at such pleasant mir acles since 1 was eight years old?-I managed to provide her with a neat little fortune of her own. Still no re- suit. So one day when 1 was at home -I did not go often, for mother would always lecture me on my habits, and somehow 1 never could entirely get over the hurt of it, big as I was-I chanced to be alone with my Cousin Mary for as much of an evening as she would be willing to bear my company.
 felt very happy to see how beauti- fully she was dressed in these days, how her hands were white already, and grown smooth again where the delicate fingers used to be rough with countless needle bricks. The house was comfortable one now, my mother was far easier in her mind and there fore a sweeter companion.
 Everything looked pleasant around Mary, and I told her how glad I was to see it.
 did not tell her how glad I was to see her, how in all the rich and varied joy of my present position, as in all the