The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-04-04

ter-She 1Sn'G AFRAID TO unload uef
ideas upon an cid friend OF the family,
50 we've talked very freely about 1t.
By the way, she has such a matter-o1-
fact manner that she looks older than
she is-she's really five years younger
than you. :. Your fortunes made, my
boy, unless you make fool of your
self in some way. Let me sound her
about it ; you may count upon me to
do it without lack OF proper respect
for either of you, and III bet the en-
tire assets of this bank against a bad
penny that you may announce your
sngagament within a week. Then
you'll be hand-in-glove with a lot OF
Us fellows in business way as well as
socially, and we want you've really
DO"
"8udder," said John Brixton, rising
rom his chair, 'tyou've got heart as
big as an OK, and I'm heartily obliged
to you for your interest in me. You
must give me time to think about it,
ihough."
cline -"ejaculated the President.
iring his cigar-butt at the cuspidore
with such energy that he overshot the
mark and elected howl of anguish
from the banks cat as she mistook the
missile for mouse when she opened
her eyes from peaceful slumber.
'There're some things that q fellow
SAINT afford to think about. Do you
stop to think when trout rises tc
your fly? Come along to lunch--and
make up your mind on the way"
But John Brixton wasn't able to give
decisive answer over the coffee and
cigars. A million dollars in good Sc.
,urities seemed we'll worth the taking
BY q man who had worked industri-
ously for fifteen or twenty years only
10 reach salary Of five or six thousand
dollars, andan appreciative wife thrown
in seemed like so much extra luck, for
Johns mother and sister had for years
warned him that wives who hold COED
husbands in proper regard are as scarce
as model husbands. On the other
hand, old Ben Fewse's daughter, who
looked as much like her father as g
woman could look like man, would
be strange life-companion for a man
Who, in spite of much attention to
material things in the way of business,
aad inherited many fine tastes and
sentiments which he kept in good,
asable condition. Whoever be might
marry ought to be fairly companion.
.ble to his mother and sister-two
women whom he could not imagine
enjoying Miss Fewse's society.
But while John Brixton went Oh
linking and wondering and compro-
nising, and rejecting his own compro-
misses, old Builder took the case in hand
as earnestly as if it we're a promising
investment for his own bank. He was
700 good business man to exceed his
authority, but he and his wife took
Miss Fewse out driving the very after
aoon that he had made his suggestion
20 Brixton, and they took her home to
dinner with them, and the old man
made opportunity to sound the praise
Of John Brixton and to tell what fine
women Johns mother and sister were.
So, before the evening was over, Miss
Fewes was conscious of mighty wish
that some man like John Brixton would
ask her to change her name and share
her life and fortune with her.
Brixton had been at his Office only
,alf an hour the next morning when
one of the clerks shouted:
''Some one on the telephone for
you, sir"
"Who is it," John asked, raising
ais eyes from letter he was reading.
"Forty-seventh National Bank
President Budder," the clerk replied.
s'Wait moment" said Brixton,
iropping the letter, seizing his hat
and starting for the door. '1'm out
you don't know when III be i'm
One of the firm who had overheard
the conversation asked his partner
whether he supposed Brixton had been
speculating in Wall street and got
more accommodation from the Forty
seventh National than his collaterals
would warrant, and the parsner re"
Piled chat it might not be a bad thing
10 keep Brixton out of temptation by
,ending him to South America to look
liter railway contract which they
aad been trying to secure through
correspondents.
As for Brixton he went straight
lome and prowled about the house un-
III he found his sister.
"Ettie," said he, 'you and I have
llways been confidential friends, al
though we're brother and sister. ]
want to ask you an unusual question,
md I want you to answer it without
ioking, or raising of your eyebrows, OF
any other teasing. Suppose that ]
should suddenly determine that ]
wanted to marry, whom would you
>est like for sister,"
The young woman did not start, OF
augh or do anything expressive Of as
sonishment, but answered promptly:
"T've longed for years to see you
md Agnes Hammice make a match.
You're made for each other"
"Longed for years, eh?" Never
changed your mind?"
"Never. Isn't she my dearest friend:
isn't she as good and sweet and hand
some. as-as she is poor?'
"What does mother think of her?''
"Just what I think, and what every
,ne must who knows her. The dear
girl would have been snapped up long
ago if she hadn't been too poor to ap-
pear properly in the society for which
she's best fitted. AS it is, scarcely any
ro7srr mon know her eyceDt those who