The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-04-11
: ,,;B,,5=.teeper and one servant.


Since / was not too well off. eitbs,
this would not have troubled me, but
for that legacy of C 5000 was am.
posed to have come In for. "Was thu,
the secret cause of this sudden friend
liness ?" / asked myself. But when 7
looked at MiIly, and saw the franz,
glance of her truthful, honest-lookin.
eyes, I felt ashamed of myself; nor
when regarded the major, and noted
the open, manly look the fine old sol.
der gave back to me, could | bring nv.
self to think of him as a scheming ola
| fortune-hunter.
Such good friends did we three no,
come that | fingered on in the place for
a week, during which time grew dailv
more uncomfortable at the part | was
playing. At last l sought out Miny
one day, alone, and confessed the truth
to her.
81 am not surprised" she said; eI
thought you were not much like the
Charley | used to know. But / am
sorry for you-sorry to think your
cousin should have got that 5000.
while you were not even SO much as
mentioned
"Ah!" 1 said, with sigh, that is
Charley's luck-and mine. It is al
ways the same-always has been, and
always will be, suppose
| was thinking what | dared not say
that, if that E 5000 had but been
mine, | could have asked her to be mine,
too; whereas, now, with my poor pros
pects-well, of course, it was folly even
to dream of such thing.
| watched her narrowly after that
but could see no difference in her treat
ment of me.
| had written to Charley, telling aim
of his good fortune, and that ! was CO.
ing to stay on down here for few days;
u but beyond a brief note expressing Won
der at whatever attraction | 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 5000 legacy
Another week slipped by, and still
stayed on. At the end OF that time T.
was in such a state of mind that, one
day, finding myself alone with Milly, |
blurted out my hopeless love for aer,
and said should go away at once, forI
felt that | could not possibly stay on
there any longer. Milly, always quiet
and self-possessed, remained silent
awhile. and then said, looking down:
81 think you had better speak to
papa
"Whatl" 1 rapturously exclaimed;
do you really bid me hope, MilIy? Do
you really think there is q possibility
of your father l stopped and SHOOK
my head. Alas, mol" said, such a
thing could not happen to me. ItwouId
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-heartet to
try, why, of course"
"rll go off and find the major and
have it out at once" burst out.
And l saw him accordingly, and told
him the whole story, humbling apoio-
giving for daring to ask tor his dadgh-
ter's hand, when, as | was bound to tell
him, I was not Charley, but Jack VIE
burn, and ! had no 5000 legacy, and
no prospects in particular, and mo
luck!"
Him." said the major. chow lG it
: Master Charley comes in for all the
luck in this way?"
81 don't know, sir" answered, dole
fully "fIc goes about more and makes
= himself more liked, think, while -"
| hestated.
"While you stick at home and work.
Is that it?" he asked.
"Well," I returned, 81 try my best.
You see, have nothing else to rely on
or hope for-lille Charley. It's his luck
and mine!"
However" said the major, 81 have
been told you get yorr pictures hung.
and sell them, which is more than he
does. Is that luck, too?"
To this / made no reply. l could not
see its relevancy.
> "Now, look here, Jack Wiburn," the
! major went on. 81 knew you were not
, Charley Wiburn."Q looked up in SUI
prise) "Milly told me, and have made
. certain inquiries of my own, and have
! something to tell you. The late Alex
! ander Stephen Wiburn was very old
and intimate friend of mine, and had
long ago set his heart upon AIilly's mar
, rying Charley" (here jumped up ex.
citedly, but he waved his hand to me, as
. a sign to be quietE but he was de-
termined that, if it came about at all
II it should be spontaneous, and not
: through any compulsion or unworthy
!, motive. But in that will you heard
4 read the other day there was something
you did not heart was mixed up IN
. another matter; but it comes to this:
That if Milly married his nephew. he
7 and she were to have certain sum
1 between them to begin housekeeping
l have consulted Mr.. Parchly upon this
matter, and he agrees with me that. as
Charley's name is not expressly men
4, lloned, and as he would not take the
= trouble to come down himself, even to
s the funeral of his poor old uncle. who
+ had been so kindly disposed to him, il
Milly likes you well enough to have you
5 You ands she viii be Just as much en-
@ tltled to the sum set aside as If Master
$ Charley' had married her, and J am
. sure / shall not object to the situation
e IN the will the only condition is that
q Mlly shall marry his nephew, and of
4 course, you are as much his nephew as