New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-09
CHARLEY WIBURN'S LUCK.

all We had no end Of relations, anu Ho wac "
general favorite with all, even some ne ~ new
seen for they would die and leave MN ioN 80,
~ vas CONSTANTLY getting some little "windfal
OF this kind, till at length "Chariey "i'u"
luck" became a general catchword among Us
.,.ro,,,,,e sor all that was lucky and fortunate
o,a morning M breakfast-we were artists anu
s,ored the same rooms and studio-he rece'Neu
block-edged letter. which, upon opening anu
rood,nr no cast down with a discontehted iooh
"Another funeral to go to-" he grunpied' anu
here are my pictures unfinished, ana next WIEN
Is sending-in day.. ,o..
"Who is 1t now?' asked. "Ano'hef ies''''
suppose, eh?' ,,...,,,. NO
was so used to these things he scarcely TOOK any
notice Of them now. ITS Uncle AeA'"u'' "'>
phen Did you know him.? ....
shook my head Have heard Oh niii' "0
saw him." said -,.,oa
II hardly knew him myself" Charley explained
80, ,oost NOT since was boy It's a rare
bother. this. coming just now. Such long jour
nav ,n,o tho country l say, Jack, you have done
vour mixtures and sent them IN, and have nothing
20 do for a spell-couldnt YOU so down TOT me-
What. in your name?" exclaimed
ives. why not? It's years since was among
any of the set This letter is from MI. Fai0's
the solicitor to the will. l suppose he ooe',
know me. You are Jack Wiburn-its only "'i-
rarence Of Christian name; and It's all IN 'he lam
lily, you know.
To ont the matter short. I had TO consent-as
generally did where Charley was concerned
1took the LAWYERS letter as sort Of credentlai'
and set out grumblins good deal al "iidl Vo''.
r;aarod Charle,,s cheek" in thus making use OF
me- If I had finished UP my work before ne hau'
:, was only because had worked at it more con-
Of
tage in the shape Of a few days rest he made II
nm excuse for sending me off on luSubriOus mis-
Y;o, ,s,e this: and Charley would. no doubt, have
a good legacy, too. out OF H.
az dont suppose it's much he said to me-
"Perhaps a hundred or tw)-hardly worth gong
down for You know.
So 7 had TO go-vith no legacy in view at all
small or large. -. ,ooo
IT was in Devonshire--and in due course ar
rived at the little town and put up al a hotG LOT
the night The funeral was ilXed lor the iUiIoN
.nc day and on inquiry learned that the house
! had 10 go 10 was only short distance away
The next day. therefore, saw me among the as,
sembled guests. ! found out Mr.. Parchly ana
silently showed him his own letter An SAID
he YOU are Mr.. W.burn Very good Hidu 70 see
YOU did not reply, 50 he concluded 'ha' was
Charley Wiburn. without my having sa'u any
thing way or the other. . -, 1900 .
But. when after the funeral, the will came 70
he read | found Charley was down for to,ooo.
TIT, made me think ii harder lines than that
sbonid have had to come down in mis- place. The
weather was atrociously cold; the March winds
strong and clustering. with showers OF sieet ana
snow: and felt cold and miserable AT the ehd
of the reading Of the will was making my way
ont 10 get back to the hotel when some one
ga. M Wiburn beleve?" looked around,
and saw a stiff military-looking old boy regard
ing me with a smile through his spectacies;
"Charley" said he. don't you remember me- /
thought 70 myself "Oh. now I'm in for II. Here's
D nice mess-all though trying to serve Charley
Just my bad luck" This feeling did not gro"
4. fl1r ant n
She has been looking at YOU, and SAYS she can
hardly recognize you for her Old piayieIoW.
Ono wonder" thought. 1T would be strange
Il She She came up and shook hands; and the mo-
rnent looked at her simply fell helpessly over
head and ears in love then and there. She
seemed TO me the loveliost. most adorable Great
,Ire had ever seen. y sudden resolve came INTO
my mind Rather than run the risk OF losing the
chance 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. We'll. lis not 50
surprising for should never have known YOU
either. if Mr.. Parchly had not pointed you out
Before exactly realized what was doing, I
was whisked off 10 Major Rainileids nouse-as
found the name Of Mlys father to be-to dine,
calling at the hotel for my evening logs on the
found the Majors house neat quiet-looki
little place, on the outskirts Of the town He
lived alone with his daughter (his wife being
dea6 a housekeepcr and one servant Though
ovSrvthing was comfortable there that in
describatle air that gave one the impression that
they were not too well off as regards this worlds
goods -, =,
not have troubled me but for that legacy 81 t5oOO
was supposed to have come in for was tnaI
the secret cause of this sudden friendliness? |
asked myself. But when looked AT MlHY ana
cav the frank glance OF her truthful. honest
looking eyes. I felt ashamed Of myself; nor Whch
regarded the Major and noted the open many
"a Ia 10
bring myself 10 think Of him as schemlng Oh
fortune hunter. 49,,
Such good friends did we three become that
fingered on in the place for week during whlch
time l daily grew more uncomfortable at the part
was playing At last sought out Miliy one
dav alone and confessed the truth TO her.
III am not surprised" she said; 81 thought you
were not much like the Charley | used to know.
But am sorry for yonIsorry TO to think think your ,
cousin should have got that $1,000. while you
were not even much as mentioned
An" | said with a sigh, that is Charleys
luck-and mine, 1t is always the same-ai"ays
has been. and always will be. ] suppose.
was thinking what dared not say-that, If
that 70 900 had but been mine could have asked
her to be mine, too; whereas now, with my poor
prospects-wel Of course. it was folly even 10
dream Of such a thing
watched her narrowly after that. but could
see no difference in her treatment Of me; and !
had written TO Charley telling him OF his good
fortune. and that was going to stay on down
here for few days but beyond oriel note EEK ex,
messing wonder at whatever attraction could
see here at that time Of the year, he had said
nothing and written no further; not word OF
thanks or OF reference 10 his $1,000 legacy.
Another week slipped by, and stu stayed on
At the end Of that time was in such state OF
mind that one day, finding myself alone WITH
Wtllv ! blurted out my hopeless love for ner, and
said l should go away at once; for felt that
could not possibly stay on there any longer ,g
unnt a while and then said looking down:
~ think You had better speak TO papa"
What rapturously exclaimed "d9 you , r, real
To- hid me hone Milly? DO you really think there
a. a. ~ nnss,huitv Of your father stopped
and shook nv head ALAS, no. said such
thing could not happen to me- 1t would be Char
ley's luck. that-nOt mine. . , - $40,
@Well - said Mlly composedly. they say yot
never know your luck till you try; but II you are