Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-28
WINNING HIS WIFE.
She Shortened His Two Years Proba-
ton.


WYE"
The man in the shabby raiment nod
ded.
"WWhy, old chap, haven't seen you
since we came down from Oxford. l
am glad run across you again"
Your lordship is very good
30. hang the title! What's the use
of being stiff and stuck-up like that?
Why, / believe you were actually going
to cut me just now if I hadn't nearly
ridden you down"
The shabby man laughed rather
hard laugh.
Il certainly was gong TO recognize
you first When man gets seedy he's
rather sensitive about making ad-
vances to the high and mighty once Of
the land
Where are you making for?'
"Wellminster.'
How are you going?"
I'm tramping it," said the other,
dryly. His lordship handed his cigar
case to the tramp, who helped himself,
and then relit his own pipe, which had
gone out.
Now I'll just thank you, Mister Ire
tnewy," said he, ito drop that surly,
you-be-blowed kind of air, and tell me
l - Hon0 II
all, man, we're old chums, aren't we?
You might as well get down from your
stills, and not be so beastly stand
off"
Il don't see that sordid details can
help either you or me. AS you know,
had fortune, and during these inter-
Yening years I've managed to get
through every sixpence of it. I've been
most kinds of an ass during the time,
! and now I'm paying for it. That's all"
| I'm awfully sorry, old chappie.'
mo, stop, please I'm not one OF the
borrowing sort. OF course, it's very
good of you TO make the offer, and I'm
tremendously obliged to you; but,
thanks, no. To let you into a secret,
I'm coming in for big pot of money in
lMO gGdIo lllIS, anu until NuSll must
rub along on my own resources.
But why, in the name Of wonder,
not realize on your expectations?
But, then, l am peculiarly situated.
Don't laugh! I'm engaged
Il shouldn't think of laughing over
so serious a matter. May | ask the
lady's name?'
Not at present. You see!-er-I
don't do her any particular credit. To
be candid, she, like your noble self,
belongs to the high and mighty ones"
Really? l congratulate you, Old
chappie. But, still, you must let me
say it's a pity"
mo, shan't let you say anything of
the kind Look here, you good-natured,
persistent old woman, I'll tell you blunt
~ how it all lies. I've made a rank
fool of myself, and she-the girls
fully aware of the same. She says she
isn't going to marry me until l can
prove, in some degree, that l won't
carry on the same game again in the
future. Says she: Your next fortunes
two years on ahead. Very well; if you
promise not to mortgage it in advance,
but struggle through those two years
by. earning your own living, I'll marry
you. l fyou fail, won't I'm not shin
ing very brilliantly over it, Trethewy
concluded ruefully. I've seldom had
any jobs except stone-cracking and that
sort of thing, but l rub along some
| how"
But this Is awful" broke in the other
You can surely let some one give You
lift, old friend yknow, and OF course
take it as loan if you prefer"
"Confound you, no; what l want is j
job here in England. Let me once turn
into a hard-fsted British workman and
my characters saved. I'm so confounded-
~ useless at anything, except, perhaps
cracking stones"
Dye think said his little lordship,
beaming at the happy thought, you could
come to me as secretary?'
The tramp smiled with good natured
contempt.
Too thin You haven't got three let
tiers day to write. Your steward and
your agent 90 everything No, you're
anly Offering me d sinecure in polite
way"
You are beast)y Difficult; to fit
The tramp laughed.
Look here. don't let's beat about the
bush. Do you offer me the post OF stable
help?"
Yes"
And will you promise to treat me as
neither more nor less than a servant?
To forget, in fact, that we ever met he
fore?"
Yes" said his lordship. lugubriously.
Then I'm infinitely obliged 10 you, and
III do your work well. Horses are per-
haps the only thing I DO know anything
about So for couple of years-unless
I'm sacked-your lordship's humble SER
want" The tramp touched his battered
hat brin. Name of Brownson. your
lordship. please
The city OF Wellminster, being ca
thedral city that was small in population
aud blank in point of paying industries.
followed the lead of many other cathedral
cities. and excelled in the items OF gossip.
Everybody knew everything about
everybody else's affairs. and usually u
good deal more besides. For gossip, be it
known. is not the handing along of 4 SIM
pie tale. but the improving upon it in the
course of transmission il a manner that