The Van Buren press., 1895-07-06
DESPERATE ExPEDIENT,
Br DANIEL cI.EvEsrox.

Lac AcotukS WBa Juob ~ IN Gnu, onu
Walter Dundas, M. A., Cantab, gath
ered his papers together, while his au.
dieucs, chiefly consisting Of ladies, pro.
pared to depart. Tho university ex.
tension had but recently penetrated
Into the remote provincial town ot
Slnmberlcigh, and had there met with
almbst unprecedented succesA
I Reaching the outer door before the
whole assembly had dispersed, Dundss
ucannsd each Of his students, exchang.
ing greetings and farewells with some
whose acquaintance he had made dur
ing his few weeks residence In Slum.
bsrleigh. A. the last departed. he
turned on his heel and, heaving slight
sigh, betook himself to his hotel. II
must have misaed Miss Clifford" he
muttered; she was certainly at the
lecture I wish I could have seen her
bsfore I left for New York, just TO Say
'good-by."
Meanwhile, the subject Of his re-
Elections, pretty, bright-faced girl Of
nineteen, had arrived at her homo,
large, handsome house In the princi-
pal street OF the little town. In the
hall she met her father
ssCope into the study and shut the
door," he said. II have something
rather serious to tell YOU"
His daughter obcyed.
Tho fact 10, Mabel" said Mr.. Gift
ford. II have been, ~ you may have
noticed, In pecuniary difficulties for
some time past. Some months ago, to
meet my moro pressing claims, was
obliged to mortgage the house and to
get bill Of sale on the furniture. But
things have gone from bad to worse
and have just found that, unless
can raise fifteen hundred dollars with
An two months, l shall be In fair way
10 become bankrupt. Your Uncle
George IL such : miser that II he heard
tho faintest rumor that was In din
culties through extravsgance he
wouldn't leave me farthing, far less
give me anythingl In fact, Il Is partly
on his account that l am anxious to
raise the money quickly, for II am
gszettcd before he dies (the doctors
say he hasn't two months to live) NV
name will be cut out of hia will"
After pause he went ON:
! II wish some rich fellow would come
and marry you, NAB; that would pro-
vide for you at least, and you might be
able tn spare few half pence foRyour
poor old father"
Mabel laughed. "At least you could
have the wedding presents in that
case, (" she said.
Clifford suddenly stopped short in
the midst Of his pregrinstionA THE
very thing!' he exclaimed.
What do you mean?'
"Quite simple. Send out invitati
to your wedding to some person, imag-
inary, II you like. Then, when you
have got fine array Of wedding pres
ents-well, the event can be postponed
sudden illness Of the bridegroom
anything. Meanwhile, the presents are
converted into ready money. am
once more solvent. Uncle George dies;
hey, presto! everything in fiourishing
condition sgaini'
but, father, think of the deceit!
Why, it would be robbing people,"
"Pshaw! We're desperate, and all is
fair in such cases. Besides, II every
thing does turn out well and Uncle
Georges money comes to us all right,
why, then we can get the presents out
of pawn and return Encouragement
broken of, you know. What
objection can there be TO that?"
"But the whole scheme Il so prepos-
ferrous! No, father, really can't do 1t. :"
$50 you won't even do that little
Dsrvice for me? Well. ! might have ex-