Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-10-02

given me. 1t was her programme
for the evening, a dainty card,
folded book wise, and secured at
the edges by a number of postage
stamps stuck all around 1t. 1t was
stamped with a penny stamp, and
addressed in pencil. Of course, l
had no business to read the sd
dress. knew that well enough
1t was, perhaps, an ungentlemanly
thing to do; but then my curiosity
was greatly excited. | hoped that
the name pencilled on the back OF
tho programme might be that of a
woman. But l was disappointed.
By the light of gas lamp l read;
Immediate. Arthur BellIngham,
E>q.,-Furnlvars Inn, HOlborn,
E. c.
Bellingham? Belliughami SEEM
ed to know the name. For a
minute or two stood trying to re-
member whom 1t was | had once
met that owned it but, in vain.
What did iL malteri The affair was
at an end. l dropped the queer
letter into the letter box and went
home to my lodgings.
A few mouths later | was stroll
ing along Oxford street, 1 heard
nv name called ont, and looking
up saw Arthur Brllingham stand
lug before me. | recognized hin at
ouce-a young engineer whom L
had met once in a country inn on
a wet day in the Lake district. We
had been capital frieUds tor a week
and | could not understand how |
had forgotten him when | had
tried to remember what Belling-
ham I had known.
We greeted each other warmly,
and he would have me 20 with him
to his chambers in Furnlvaps LIN
and smoke a cigar with BIN.
Bellingbam,' | sad, as | stood
on his hearth rug, did it ever
happen that you received a letter
written on a ball prOgrammeF
His eyes and mouth opened ID
pure astonishment.
What do you know about thatF
he calculated.
Il ought not to have known any
thing about it, but l pleaded guilty.
to having read the address. L
posted the programme to YOU one
night on ny way from BALL.
Ny friend sprung mp and wrung
my hand as if he would wiring 1t
Of.
nv dear fellow he cried, d am
infinitely obliged to you for your
tact and kindness on that Occa
sion. IfyOu bad not posted that
note il would have meant ruin to
me. Maud told me how awfully
good you we're about it
'MAudl Do you mean-
Maud, my sister-the girl who
slipped the note into your hand
rs sbe your sister,
Certainly she is. It's rather an
uncommon story. Shall tell it to
your
IF YOU don't mind. confess l
am burning with curiosity
The fact Is, that some three
years ago my poor mother, who
was widow. did what turned out
to be- a very foolish tblng-she
married again, and married with
out making proper inquiries. My
stepfatnet, Mr.. Maddox, turned
ont to be very bad egg. Ny
mother lost the greater part OF her
fortune when she married him, and
we were for time practically de-
pendent on my mothers uncle, an
eccentric old gentleman, rather
fond of money called HOdgkinson
'Msddock is neither more mol
less than an adventurer, aud for q
long time 1t was the main business
of his life to expoit my great uncle
At last he nearly succeeded
Maddox and some friends of hls
cot hold of a bit Of land in S)uth
Africa, which they wanted to sell
as a gold mine, I don't believe
there was an ounce of gold on the
premises. But my great uncle said
that he would bay 1t at the higl
figure they asked tor it it l would
90 out and see 1t, aud send him d
private telegram advising him tha'
gold was there in paying quantl
ties.
'Of course, 1 was ready to 60;
and | was to have sailed the yer!
morning after the night OF the bal
that you aud Maud attended.
'Well, Maud happened to be II
the conservatory attacned to to'
ballroom, when she heard two mel
tLking rather lndlscreetly. Sh