The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-04-03
CHARLEY WiBURN'S LUCK.

end of relations, anu he Was general
f.vorite with all, even some he had
never seen, for they would die and leave
him legacies He was constantly get
+ino some little +windfall' oil this
Lind. till at length Charley Wiburn's
luck" became a general catchword
among us-a synonym for all that was
lucky and fortunate.
one morning at breakfast-wc were.
artists and shared the same rooms and
e+udio-he received black-edged let-
ter. which, upon opening and reading,
he east down with discontinued look"
another funeral to go to-" he grum-
bled, and here are my pictures unfln-
ished and next week is sending-in day!"
WHO is it now?" l asked. Another
legacy, suppose, eh?"
VERY likely" he returned, indiffer-
cntly-he was so used to these things
he scarcely took any notice of them now.
"It's Uncle Alexander Stephen. Did you
know him?"
] shook my head. ''Have heard of
him: never saw him." said.
Il hardly knew him myself" Charley
explained-"at least, not since ] was
boy. It's rare bother, this, coming
Just now. Such long journey into the
country. l say, Jack, you have done
your pictures and sent them in and have
nothing to do for a spell-couldr' you
20 down for me?"
What, in your name?" / exclaimed.
YES, why not? It's years since l
was among any of the set. This letter
is from a Mr.. Parchly, the solicitor to
the will, l suppose; he doesn't know me.
You are Jack Wiburn-it's only differ
cnce of a Christian name, and it's all
in the family, you know"
To cut the matter short, l had to
consent-as l generally did where
Charley was concerned.
took the lawyers letter, az sort
Of credential. and set out, gru1nbling a
GOOD deal at what l considered Chdrley's
cheek" in thus making use of me. If
I had finished up my work before he
had it was only because l had worked
at it more constantly, and now, instead
of reaping the advantage in the shape
of few days rest, he made it an ex-
cuse for sending me off on lugrbrious
mission like this; and Charley would,
no doubt, have Il good legacy, too, out
Of it.
q don't suppose it's much," he said
to me. "Perhaps a hundred or two
hardly worth going down for, you
know"
So l had to go-with no legacy in
view at all, small or Target
I 7
the place-it was Devonshire-;,nd in
due course l arrived at the little town,
and put up at hotel for the night
The funeral was fixed for the following
day, and on inquiry learned that the
house | had to go to was only a short
distance away.
The next day, therefore, saw me
among the assembled guests. ! found
out Mr.. Parchly and silently showed
him his own letter. "Ah,'' said he,
YOU are Mr.. Wiburn. Very good.
Glad to see you" l did not reply, SO
he concluded that l was Charley Wi
burn, without having said anything
one way or the other.
But, when, after the funeral, the will
came to be read, l found Charley was
down for 5000. That made me think
it harder lines than ever that I should
have had to come down in his place
The weather was atrociously cold; the
March winds strong and clustering,
with showers of sleet and snow, and |
felt cold and miserable. At the end
of the reading of the will / was max
ing my way out to get back to the hotel,
when some one said: "Mr. Wilburn,
l believer" | looked around and saw
Il stiff, military-looking old boy re-
garding me with a smile through his
spectacles. Charley" said he, don't
you remember me?" l thought to my
self: "Oh. now I'm in for it. Here's
a nice MESSIAH through trying to serve
Charley. just my bad luck" This
feeling did not grow less when he said:
"Milly wants to speak to you. She
has been looking at you, and says she
can hardly recognize you for her old
Tlayfellow." Ono wonder" thought.
1T would be strange if she did."O
She came up and shook hands, and
the moment l looked at her simply fell
helpless over head and ears in love
then and there. She seemed to be the
loveliest, most adorable creature 1
had ever seen. A sudden resolve came
into my mind. Rather than run the
risk of losing the chance | now had of
speaking to her l would say nothing
about my not being Charley" let the
consequences be what they might.
Don't you remember your little
playmate, Milly?" said she, with
blush and an enhancing look of her
beautiful eyes. "Well, it's not so sur
prising, for l should never have known
you, either, if Mr.. Parchly had not
pointed you out to me-"
Before l exactly realized what l was
doing | was whisl1ed off to Maj. Rain
held's house-as [ found the name of
Mllly's father to be-to dine, calling at
the hotel for my evening "togs" on the
way.
| found the majors house neat,
Gulet-looking little place on the out
skirts of the town. He lived alone with
his daughter (his wife being dead, q,
housekeeper and one servant. Though
everything was comfortable, there was
mat indescribable air that gave one
tne impression that they were not too
well Off as regards this worlds goods.
since | was not too well off, either,