Evening star., 1896-03-21

Copyright, 1896. by Bacheller. Johnson & Bacheer)
PART I.
1t was the title that for some fifteen
years ffd been tackled to the name Of
Percy Marf1eet, whenever he was mention
ed in the local newspapers. Not undeserv-
edly, for in his knowledge Of books he
much surpassed the leading men of the
town. and his life was entirely devoted to
study. Miss Cloud. the borough members 9
daughter, who had bsen at G!rton. herself
the marvel of womanhood in this not alto
gether benighted region, spoke Of Mr..
Marfleet with respect; indeed, for the last
twelvemonth or so 1t had been generally
surmised that the friendship between these
distinguished persons would end in closer
alliance-a mos interesting and delightful
prospect. The lady had entered upon her
twenty-seventh year; Marf1eet drew toward
forty, but preserved the complexion and
the carriage of youth For him. such a
union would in every way be advantageous,
as, from his way of living, he evidently pos
sessed but Modest competence. while Miss
Cloud shone as the sole heiress of her
fathers fortune
For a man of parts and ambition
raised above the necessity of exerting him
self to earn a livelihood, it is dangerous
native country town and settle there with
the purpose of productive study. AS a
rule, men have no such temptation. Percy
Marfieet, whose bent of mind was all to-
ward homeiiness. and who shrank from the
tumuit of the great world. even while
crediting himself with power to win dis
tinction, decided after a very brief trial of
London that he could not do better than
go back to the scenes of his youth,
where kindly notice would inspire him,
where his health would be at its best, and
where a modest income would, he imagin-
ed. assure him a much better status than
among q fl mil ho6
name in the town; since the death of his
parents and the marriage of his sister,
upon him alone lay the duty of keeping the
name in honorable prominence. Moreover,
he owned the house in which he had been
horn. where the days of his boyhood had
been passed With infinite contentment
he read the newspaper paragraph which
made known that Mr.. Percy Marfleet, the
son of our late honored townsman, having
completed a distinguished career at the
University of Cambridge" had returned to
the town, and intended to make Ii his per-
manent abode.
From his earliest school prize to the final
honors at Cambridge, each step of Percy's
progress had been chronicled by the local
paper. No special brill.ance appeared in
the successive achievements; he had done
well. nothing more: but local pride made
much of his academic record He was un-
derstood to be great in history" to his
toric study his life would be dedicated; If
he ran up TO London or to Cambridge, the
newspaper announced that he was gone for
the purpose of consulting original docu-
ments-" At first he declined to take any
part in the affairs of the town, for which
he had absolutely no leisure; but little by
little certain honors were thrust upon him,
and the satisfaction of making little
speeches, carefully prepared and no less
carefully reported. lured his mind from ex-
elusive occupation with the past. At
length he could be depended upon for an
annual lecture at the literary society, for
an address here and there. for the- active
patronage of an enlightened movement
disconnected with politics From strictly
municipal business he succeeded in holding
aioof, his true reason beng fear of ex-
pense, but this prudence, notwiths tanding
the esteem he enjoyed. necessarily cost
him something in coin of the realm, and
such demands UPON his pocket grew heav-
ier and more frequent with the progress of
time. The day came when Percy had Sc
TiOusly to consider his financial position
Seeing no immediate way out of the diff
cuFy, and feeling so comfortable in his
daily life that complete change could
hardly be thought of. he insensbly drifted
into caTeiessness of the future. And so it
came about that in his thirty-eighth year,
having long lived upon capital. with steady
growth of expenditure from Christmas to
Christmas, he saw before him an inevitable
crisis. Income he no longer possessed :
merely I. sum of money which, even with
parsimonious management, could last him
only short tine, and at the present rate
of living would dissolve with awful rapid
ity-
In the way of literary production he had
done nothing Years ago he made no Sc