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

II
I was playing. at last 1 sought out
Milly one day, alone, and confessed
the truth to her.
!, 81 am not surprised" she said; 81
thought you were not much like the
Charley I used to know. But l am
sorry for you-aorry to think your
cousin should have got that $4,000,
while you were not even SO much men
toned"
"Ahl" said, with sigh, "that ia
Charley's luck-and mine. 1t always
the samc-always has been, and always
will be, I suppose"
| I was thinking what I dared not say
that. if that $4,000 had but been
mine, I could have asked her to be
mine, too; whereas now, with my poor
prospects-well, of course, it was folly
even to dream of such athing.
Iwatched her narrowly after that,
but could see no difference In her
treatment of me.
I had writer to Charley, telling him
of his good fortune, and that l was
going to stay on down here for few
days; but beyond brief note express
ing wonder at whatever attraction l
could see there at that time of the year,
he had said nothing and written no
further; not word of thanks, or OF
reference to his $4,000 legacy. -
: Another week slipped by, and I still
stayed on. At the end of that time /
was in such state of mind that, one
day, finding myself alone with Mill,
I blurted out my hopeless love for her,
and said I should go away at once, for
felt that could not possibly stay on
there any longer. Milly, always quiet
aud self-possessed, remained silent q
while, and then said, looking down !:
81 think you had better speak to
papa" :.
ssWhat!" I rapturously exclaimed,
edo you really bid me hope, Mllly {
"Do you really think there is posssi-
bility of your father"-I stopped and
shook my head. "Alas, mol" said,
"such thing could not happen to
me. 1t would be Charley's luck, that
not mine"
"Well," said Milly, composedly,
"they say you never know your luck
till you try; but if you are too faint
hearted to try, why, of course"
stI'n go off and find the Major, and
have it out at once" burst out.
And saw him accordingly, and told
him the whole story, humbly apologize
ing for daring to ask for his daugh-
ter's hand, when, as I was bound to
tell him, was not Charley, but Jack
Wiburn, and had no $4,000 legacy,
and no prospects in particular, and
"no luck !"
"H'm," said the Major, chow is it
Master Charley comes in for all tie
''luck in this way?"
'I don't know, sir" I answered
dolefully. HE goes about more, and
makes himself more liked, [ think,
while l"-I hesitated.
"While you stick at home and work.
Is that it?" he said.
"Well," I returned, 81 try my best.
You see, I have nothing else to rely
on-or hope for-like Charley. It's
his luck-and mine!"
"However," said the Major" 81
have been told you get your pictures
hung, and sell them, which is more
than he does. Is that luck, too?n.
To this made NO reply; conldn't
see its relevancy.
"Now, look here, Mr.. Jack Wiburn,"
the Major went on, 81 knew you were
not Charley Wiburn" II looked up in
surprise). "Milly told me: and L
have made certain inquiries of my
own, and 1 have something to tell you.
The late Alexander Stephen Wiburn
was a very old and intimate friend Of
mine, and had long ago set his heart
upon Milly's marrying Charley"
(Here jumped up excitedly, but he
! waved his hand to me as sign to be
quiet.) "But he was determined that,
if it came about at all, it should be
spontaneous, and not through any
compulsion or unworthy motive. But
in that will you heard read the other
day there was something you did not
hear-it was mixed up in another
matter; but 1t comes to this, inst If
Milly married his nephew ne and
she were to have a certain sum be-
tween them to commence housekeep-
ing with. I have consulted Mr..
ParchlY upon this matter, as 'Charley's'
name is not expressly mentioned, and
as he would not take the trouble to
come down himself, even to the
funeral of his poor old uncle, who had
been SO kindly disposed to him, if
Milly likes you we'll enough to have
you, you and she will be just as much
entitled to the sum set aside as if
Master Charley had married her; and
1 am sure I shall not object to the
substitution. In the will the only con.
dition is that Milly shall marry 'his
nephew and of course you are as
much his nephew as Charley is. There
fore, I leave it with Milly; if she says
'Yes,' I say the same, and you will
both have something to set up house.
keeping with"
No need to tell the Joy with which
heard this unexpected news, or the
heartincss with which thanked the
kind-hearted Major.
cpl go off and tell Milly at once, !"
I said; but I had not gone far when
he called me back.
"You don't ask how much you will
have to start housekeeping upon" he
said.
"What matter, sir, since you think
it enough?" answered.
"H'p1; but you may as well know.
You may not think it enough"
GLOW much is it, then?" asked.
'Fifty thousand pounds!" said the
Major. st !
And this is what Charley lost and I
gained by that journey-Milly (worth
more than ally and s5O,0OOl
And now Charley won't speak to me