Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-04-01

zAM " at all. We had nc
ENN q end of relations, and
W he was o general
fayorite with all. even some he had
never seen, for they would die and
leave him legacies. He was constant
" getting some little 'twindfall" ot
this kind, till at length "Charley
Wiburn's luck" became general
catchword among us-a syDonyme fos
all that was lucky and fortunate.
One morning at breakfast-we were
artists, and shared the same rooms
and studio-he received black edged
letter, which, upon opening and read.
ing, he cast down with discontented
look. S.:.ssNe !; -. ~: N:'staits.:
"Another funeral to go to-" he
grun bled, "and here are my pictures
unfinished, and next week is sending
in.day!"
"Who is it now?" I asked. can
other legacy, suppose, eh?"
every likely" he returned, indif,
ferently-he was SO used to these
things he scarcely took any notice OF
them. sIt's Uncle Alexander Stephen.
Did you know him?"
I shook my head. "Haye heard OF
him; never saw him." I said.
s'I hardly knew him myself" Char.
ley explained-''at least, not since I
was boy. It's rare bother, this,
coming Just now. Such long Jour-
ney into the country. I say, Jack,
you have done your pictures and sent
them in. and have nothing to do for
spell-couldn't you go dowa for me?'
''"What, in your sname?" I ex-
claimed.
eyes; why. not? It's years since !
was among any of the set. This letter
is FROM Mr.. Parchly, the solicitor to
the will, 1 suppose; he doesn't know
me. You are Jack Wiburn-it's only
difference of Christian names; and
it's al. in the family, you know"
To out the matter short, l had to
consent, as generally did where
Charley was concerned.
I took tie lawyers letter, as sort
of crelential, and set out, grumbling
o good deal at what ] considered Char
ley's 'scheek" ia thus making use OF
me. # I had finished up my work
before he had, If was only because /
had worked at it more constantly; and
now, instead of reaping the advantage
in the shape of a few days rest, he
made it On excuse for cending me of
on lugubrious mission like this; and
Charley would, no doubt, have @ good
Legacy, too, out of it.
"I don't suppose it's much" he said
to me. 'Perhaps hundred or two
hardly worth going down for, you
know!"
So I had to go-with no legacy in
view at all, small or large.
However, as I have said, set out
for tie place-it was in Devonshire-
and in due course I 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 so to
was cnly short distance away.
Ths next day, therefore, saw me
among the assembled guests. I found
out Mr.. ParchlY, and silently showed
him his own letter. "Ah," said he,
"you are Mr.. Wiburn. Very good.
Glad to see you" did not reply, SO
he concluded that I was Charley Wi
burn, without my having said any
thing one way or the other.
But, when, after the funeral, the
will came to be read, I found Charley
was down for s5000l This made me
think it harder lines than ever that J.
should have had to come down in his
place. The weather was atrociously
cold, the March winds strong and
clustering, with showers OF s!eet and
snow; and I felt cold and miserable.
At the end of the reading of the will
I was making my way out to get back
to the hotel, when some one said /:
"Mr. Wiburp, I believer" J. looked
around, and saw stiff, military-look-
ing old boy regarding me with smile
through his spectacles. "Charley," +"
said he, "don't you remember me?"
I thought to myself, sob, now I'm in
for it. Here's nice mess-all through
trying to serve Charley. Just my bad
luck" This feeling did not grow less
when he said: emily wants to speak
to you. She has been looking at you,
and says she can hardly recognize you
for her old playfellow." ("No won
der" I thought. 'Gt would be
strange if she didro
She came up and shook hands; and
the moment l looked at her 1 simply
fell helplessly over head and ears in
love then and there. She seemed to
me the loveliest, most adorable Great.
ure 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 "Char-
ley," let the consequence be what
they might.
''Don't you remember your little
playmate, Milly?" said she, with a
blush and an enhancing look of her
beautiful eyer. "Well, it's not SO
surprising, for should never have
known you, either, if Mr.. Parchly had