The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-06-26

was going to stay on down here for a
few days; but beyond brief note eX
| pressing wonder at whatever attrac-
ton could see there at that time of
the year, he had said nothing and
written no furthtr. not word OF
| thanks or of reference to his $1,000
| legacy.
Another week slipped by, and still
stayed on. At the end OF that time
was III such Il state of mind mat, one
| day, finding myself alone with Mill.
blurted out my hopeless love ioI her,
and said should go away at once, Tor
| L felt that L could not possibly stay on
there any longer. Milly. always qui,
and self-poSsessed, remained sI.,nt
awhile, and then said, looking down
II think you had better speak to
papa
What ~ | rapturously exclaimed;
do you really bid me hope, Milly :?
Do you really think there is a posi-
bIlity of your father | stopped
and shook my head. ALIAS, mol" l
I said, such 1t thing could not happen
to me. 1t would be Charley's luck,
that-not mine"
Well" said Mily, composedly.
they say you never know your luck
till you try but if you are too faint
hearted To try, why, of COURSE
I'll go off and find the major and
have it out at once,n burst out.
And saw him accordingly, and
told him the whole story, humbly
apologizing for daring to ask for his
daughters hand, when, us | was
bound to tell HIM, | was not Charley,
but Jack Wiburn, and had no 5000
legacy, and no prospects i'll particular
and no luck ~
Hm," said the major, chow is it
Master Charley comes i'll for all the
luck i'll this way"
Il don't know, SIR" l answered,
dolefully. He goes about more and
makes himself more liked, | think,
while /" hesitated
while you stick at home and work
Is that t?' he asked. However"
said the major, II have been told you
get your pictures hung, and sell them,
which is more than lie does. Is that
luck, too?''
To this | made no reply, l could not
see its relevancy.
Now, look here, Jack Wiburn,n
the major went Oh. Il knew you
were not Charley Wiburn. Milly
told me; and | have made certain in
quiries of my own, and ] have some
thing to tell you. The Late Alexander
Stephen Wiburn was very old and
intimate friend of mine, and had long
ago set his heart upon Mil.y's marry
ing Charley. But he was deternin-
ed that, il it came about ut all, it
should be spontaneous, and not
through any compulsion or unworthy
-, . l,.,,, a
read the other day there WIS some
thing you did not heart was mixed
up III another matter but it comes to
this: That if Milly married his he
phew,' he and she were to have II GER
tain sum between them to begin
housekeeping | have consulted Mr..
Parchly upon this matter and he
agrees with me that, as Charley's
name is not expressly mentioned, and
us he would not take the trouble to
come down himself, even to the fun
eral of his poor old uncle, who had
been so kindly disposed to him, if
Milly likes you well enough to have
you, you and she will be just as much
entitled to the sum set aside as il
Master Charley had married her, and
am sure | shall not object to the
situation. In the will the only con-
dition is that Milly shall marry hi.
nephew and, OF course, you are as
mnch his nephew as Charley is
Therefore, leave it with Milly; if she
says yes, say the same, and you
will both have something to set up |
with
No need to tell the JOY with which |
| heard the unexpected news, or the I!
heartiness with which | thanked the
kind hearted major.
Ill go off and tell Milly at once,n l
said; but 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
enough p | answered.
HIN; but you may as well know.
You might not think it enough"
How much is it, then ~ asked.
Fifty thousand pounds, " said the
major.
And this is what Charley lost and |
gained by that journey-Milly (worth
more than alD and 5000
And now Charley wont speak to me
or to my wife-for Milly and | are
married-and he says | merely took
of him; but say, as l used
to say before, it is all his luck-and
mine.-GeHtletcOmdH.