The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-05-22
CHARLEY WIBURN'S LUCK.


long to the family at all. We mad no
end of relations, and he was a seneral
favorite with all, even some he had
never seen, for they would die and leave
him legacies. He was constantly get
ting some little ''windfalr' OF this
hind, till at length Charley Wiburn's
luck" became 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
studio-he received black-edged let
ter, which, upon opening and reading,
he east down with disoontented look"
Another funeral to go to-" he grum-
bled, '-and here are my pictures unfin
ished and next week is sending-in dayl"
who is it now ~ | asked. Another
legacy. l suppose, eh?''
Very likely" he returned, indiffer-
cntly-he was SO used to these things
he scarcely took any notice of them now.
ITS Uncle Alexander Stephen. Did you
know him?'
l shook my head Have heard of
him; never saw him. | said.
Il hardly knew him myself Charley
explained least. not since 1 was a
just now. SUCH a 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-couldE' t you
go down for me?'
What, in your name ?" | exclaimed.
Yes, why not? It's years since 1
was among any of the set. TIL letter
is from a Mr.. Parchly. the sole tor to
ha I n L
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. | had to
consent-as L generally did where
Charley was concerned.
| took the lawyers letter, az a sort
of credential, and set out, gruInbIing IL
good deal at what L considered Charley's
check" in thus making use of me. If
| had finished up my work before he
had it was only because 1 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 lug, brious
mission like this; and Charley would,
no doubt, have Il good legacy, too, out
of it.
hoIl suppose II - UluCH. ne Sdll
to me. Perhaps a hundred or two
hardly worth going down for, you
hnow."
So | had to Go-with no legacy in
view at all. small or large
However as | have said, | set out for
the place-it was Devonshire 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 l had 10 go to was only 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
ne concluded that 1 was Charley Wi
burn, without having said anything
one way or the other.
But. when, after the funeral, the will
came to be read. found Charley was
down for c 5000. That made me think
ii harder lines than ever that | 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,
| believe?'' L looked around and saw
II stiff, miltary-looking old boz re-
garding me with a smile through his
spectacles. Charley" said he, don't
YOU remember me?" | thought to my
self: ''Oh. now I'm in for it. Here's
n nice mess-all 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
playfellow." (''No wonder" | thought.
at would be strange if she did,
She came up and shook hands, and
the moment looked at her simply fell
helpless over head and ears in love
then and there She seemed to be the
l1veliest. most adorable creature /
had ever seen. A sudden resolve came
into my mind. Rather than run the
risk of losing the chance i now had of
speaking to her | 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 a
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 | was
| doing | was whisked off to Maj. Rain
i fields house-as | found the name of
MiIly's father to be-to dine. calling at
the hotel for my evening 'togs" on the
way.
/ l found the majors house neat.
| Cuiet-lool<ing little place on the out
! skirts of the town. He lived alone with
| his daughter (bis wife being dead). a
housekeeper and one servant. Though
| everything was comfortable, there was
that indescribable air that gave one
the impression that they were not too
| well off as regards this worlds goods.
Since | was not too well off, either.
! this would not have troubled me, but
| for that legacy of 5000 / was sup
posed to have come in for. WAS that
| the secret cause of this sudden friend
| liness?' | asked myself. But when j
| looked at Milly, and saw the frank
glance of her truthful, honest-loohing
eyes. | felt ashamed of myself; nor.
when | regarded the major, and noted
the open, manly look the line old sol
dier gave back to- me, could bring my
self to think of him as a scheming old
fortune-hunter.
such good friends did we three be-
come that fingered on in the place ior
/ n week. during which time | grew dally