The Opelousas courier., 1897-06-19

AO AbN oAOoGCA u
the train moved
~ away that he would
T write in the course
~ of a day or two.
MI remembered h n
~ well-a seedy look
ing figure in a we'll wor1A brown over
coat, o rather dirty coear round hit
throat, and an old topper that hac
done duty for many a rainy day. an6
was past ironing. A merry.hearted,
good-natured fellow was Rudge; eve1
empty of pocket and open of heart
rather weak-minded, and easily i'm
posed upon.
He never kept his promise of writ.
ing, and for eight years I had heard
nothing of him, when, not long ago, q
rap came at my door, and in came
Charlie Ridge, exclaiming:
"Hullo, old chap, how are you"
"Rudge! Why, who on earth would
have thought of seeing you?"
didn't know you were in town,
old boy, or I'd have come before. Saw
your name in some paper the other
day and your address. So here I am
AS we talked over old times I OBJ.
served him curiously. Just the same
old Ridge, with the addition Of a
heavy moustache. His hat was exactly
like the same old topper, very napless
his collar might have been the iden-
tical n he had on when I last saw
him, while his shirt front and frock
coat were rivaling each other in de-
crepit old age. I asked him to lunch.
At first he could not stay, having a
most important engagement in the
city, where he was about, it appeared,
to preside over a board of directors.
The same old liar! Afterward he re-
Tented and did stay, saying the meet
ing could wait.
We talked of many things. He had
apparently tried most occupations and
mastered none. Now he was on GER
tain company promoting schemes,
which, he said, was risky work, as he
had to chance losing large sums of
money. I glanced at his shabby coat /!
Where was he living? At Brixton,
and I must 60 over and dine with him
on Thursday evening. I really must.
"Got bachelor dlggings, don't you
know, old chap, and we'll have a rare
old time Of it,"
So I accepted. Then he told me he
was engaged to a Sine girl, old chap.
Awfully lucky fellow to get her. When
am I going to be married? Not quite
sure, but between you and me, I fancy
I shall make a stroke of luck soon, and
then-oh, I say, you shall be best
man you must. Amy'l be delighted.
She's a splendid girl. Money? Oh,
she's a bit down on her luck now.
Clever girl, though. Does typewrit-
ing-well, l must say good bye now.
Don't forget Thursday, old chap"
On Thursday I went over to Brixton,
and after considerable wandering
reached a small back street and
knocked at a dingy door, which was
opened by a slatternly looking woman,
who showed me into a room where
mine host awaited me. A curtain
hung across this room, barely conceal
ing a bed and washstand.
elbow are you, old chap? Hope
you don't mind small diggings, but
they're awfully comfortable. just one
room, you see; I find it handler than
having a separate bedroom-no fag
going from n room to the other.
Well have supper in a trice. Hope
you don't mind a cold collation."
The "cold collation." shortly revealed
itself upon a grimy table cloth, and
consisted of small meager slices of
cold beef, o bottle OF mixed pickles,
some bread and about three ounces of
cheese.
"Mrs. Wilkins" cried Rudge, as
that inestimable parsonage was leaving
the room after having laid the above
banquet and scattering some knives
and forks promiscuously upon the
table, "we shall want some coffee,
please, Would you kindly get us
some. You'll have some, won't you.
old chap?"
nodded. Mrs. Wilkins stood wr5
her arms akimbo and scowled. II
"Where's the money Misterludgey"
"Oh, certainly, certainly, Mrs.
Wilkins. Why, dear me, pom my soul
I haven't got anything less than a
sovereign"-Mrs. Wilkins shifted.
"Eh? Well, if you don't mind lend
ing me a shilling, old boy. Thanks
awfully."
Ridge did the honors of the meal
in truly aristocratic style. He became
exceedingly %confding:
Snow, old chap, I'm going to tell
You a secret and put you on to a good
thing in the bargain. I've chummed
up lately with a fellow named Mars.
worth, who's an awfully clever chap
and up to all sorts of tips. Well, he's
got one-or two of US to go shares with
him in q grand scheme. I'm not at
to tell you exactly what it is,
but it's a big affair. He knows more
about the ms and outs of company
than I do, and he's just
a syndicate for booming the
thing, and if you want a good invest.
ment, 1 think | can say it will pay you
nearly cent for cent; at any rate,
Marsworth says it ought to. I Wouldn't
ell any one else, but for the sake of
Did times I've given you the tip"
Somehow my soul did not yearn for
his tip, andI gave Ridge distinctly
10 understand. and nroed this nnint