The record-union., 1896-02-22

He wasn't bad fellow" answered
Dick meditatively. "His name was
Johnson-at least, that was the name
he bore-and we were pretty good
/ friends up at the mines he and l. OF
course, one comes across some queer
fish in those parts, and one doesn't in
quire too closely into their history; but
l thought he was more or less all right,
so l was glad enough of his company
when we started to travel down the
coast together with my pockets full
of money, and he without a brass
farthing, poor beggar! He had had the
worst kind of luck while / Aad had
the very best. you see.'
And you thought he was more or less
right, and you considered it prudent
| TO inform him that your kit contained
a cash box full of notes and goldI Then,
as might have been anticipated, he
Knocked you on the head and levanted
with your property Oh Dick, when
will you learn that there aren't any hon
est men, except you and me. and per-
haps a score or so of others, scattered
| here and there over the surface of a
good-sized world?"
| Dick had TO confess that he had been
knocked on the head. He pushed aside
his tightly curling hair to show the
mark of the blow which had caused him
to miss his passage and keep his bed for
matter of ten days
'As for teIegraphing to Madeira he
| said, Il did think of doing that, and OF
course I should have done so if could
have foreseen that should be reported
il England as drowned. But I didn't
know that anybody had been drowned
or that anything had been reported.
The first news l had of it reached me
from the slavey who opened your door
for me just now. And though it was a
horrid bore to lose my money and my
clothes, I felt that l could afford it.
shouldn't have liked the idea of sending
poor Johnson to prison, for he really
wasn't a bad sort of fellow-confound
hint"
Mr.. Morgan shook his head. PRO
eeed upon those principles and you will
soon be left without a coat to your
back" he remarked dryIy. But on the
present occasion Providence seems to
have intervened, and your cash box
is all safe in the next room. I have
heard, too. from your bankers, who
tell me that you have become quite a
capitalist. You'll hardly care to hear
now that at last I have paid off the
mortgages on Ridge End and that you
can take up your residence there as
soon as you please.
Ridge End" exclaimed the young
man, witk wide-open eyes MY dear
father, you don't mean to say
"Oh. yes, I do; why not? Every man
is entitled to his hobby, you know, and
that was mine. Besides which, it was
n Iv NV f1I1ty tho Yo,o,,a,.4Vr
would have come to you unencumbered
if 1 hadn't been a far greater fool than
you are when 1 was your age. AS it is,
you have had to suffer for my folly
quite as much as have done. But these
are mattelf which we can discuss at
our leisure May l ask whether you
have seen Miss Leighton yet?"
Il haven't seen soul since I reached
London, except some porters and a
cabman and your maid servant. OF
course [ drove straight here"
Mr.. Morgans eyes glistened. $50 you
came here first as a matter of course.
did your" said he, laying his hand upon
his sons broad shoulder. ''Welll-weIii
she is "a good girl, and 1 hope she will
forgive you; but you mustn't keep her
waiting a moment longer than is neces-
sary. Be off with you to Bayswater,
and when you are there you might just
ask her what she would like man of
moderate means to give her for we'd
ding present"
You consent. then?" cried the young
man joyfully.
Come now, Dick! you don't expect
me to believe that you would throw that
poor girl over if I withheld my consent.
dc you? To speak honestly, 1 did think
at one time that you might have looked
a little higher with advantage; but I'm
not sure that / haven't changed my
opinion. and when alls said, it's your
affair not mine. I'm only too thank
full, God knows, to have you back on any
terms! If you proposed to marry a
Hottentot, instead of a very charming
young lady l should be ready to give
her my blessing
So there were great rejoicings in
lBayswater that evening; and some
three months later a quiet marriage
was solemnized between Richard Nor
gan of Ridge End. Surrey, Esquire. and
Florence. daughter OF Mr.. Charles
Leighton. The ceremony was perforce
a quiet one. owing to the recent death
of the brldegroom's father, who sue
cunbed to a sudden fit Of syncope a few
weeks after his sons return from South
Africa. He had accomplished his life's
work his last days were happy. and he
was perhaps fortunate in the moment of
his exit. Epilogues are so often apt to
be tedious and disappointing.
.eWeu might they call him Miser Nor
CANT, exclaime Lord st. Roman, when
| he per1sed the deceased's will, as re-
| ported in the newspapers. There
doesn't seem to have been much per-
sonalty: but no doubt he cheated the
Chaneellor of the Exchequer by max
ing over the great part of his fortune as
well as his real property to his son. He
must have saved any amount Of money
in all these years-and not one penny
beoueathed to charities, / see! All.
weir + cot f10 out of him once. and
suppose that is more than any other
man living can say."-W e. Norris in
Longman's Magazine
Catarrh is a constitutional disease
and cannot be cured by local appiiea-
| tions Hoods Sarsaparilla is a consti.
/ tutional remedy; it cures catarrh ha-
/ cause II purifies the blood
Hoods Pills are purely vegetable ana
do not purge, pain or grippe Sold hv
all druggists.