The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-08-06
Sel&et Storp.
KLONDIKE CAXTON
From the London Truth.

SOOu SIdIt Ill lie, duu lie WIS Ihdhhlul
enough when the interest of certain friends
secured clerkship in one Of the local
banks. Young Charlie Caxton, as he was
then called, remained in the bank for nine
or ten years until he had achieved the age
of 2S and salary Of ESQ per annum.
Now, taking into account the conditions
of the bank clerk labor market, this was
by no means bad.
But Charlie Caxton was shrewd tel-
low and had done even better for himself
in the time than he might have expected.
He was already assistant cashier, with the
prospect of soon becoming chief cashier at
an increased salary, and, in fact, so well
were his business abilities thought OF by his
chiefs that he had very fair hope OF be-
ing appointed manager of one Of the cou-
try branches before many years were over.
But circumstances occurred just at TINS
time which caused him to throw up his
situation and leave the neighborhood.
These circumstances were connected with
an affair of the heart.
The young lady was Miss Miriam Wake
field only daughter of the vicar OF N
She was a pretty and charming If some
what superficial girl, then barely IS years
of age, and her maiden fancy was soon
caught by Charlie Caxtons handsome
face and agreeable manners.
On his side, Charles was deeply in love
with Miriam and made no secret OF his
attachment. but the relatives Of both
young people naturally viewed the attall
with disapproval for Charles had nothing
but his meager salary, and Miriam had
not a penny However, the enamorec
Charles was deaf to all reasoning, ano
Miriam, being spoiled daughter and ae
customed to have her way, at length
coaxed her father into giving reluctant
consent to the engagement.
''But it will be siege Of Troy, my
darling he pointed out. "Charles vii
not be in position to marry Tor tel
years. 90
Il would wait for him if it were 20
father" she cried, with sparkling eyes
and flushing cheeks.
The vicar smiled to himself, but sai(
no more. He was a man wise IN his gen
Grafton. He thought he could gaug'
Miriam's disposition, and-well, ten year
was long time.
Everything went smoothly with the low
ers for about a twelvemonth. Then
cloud began to appear upon the horizon o
Charles Caxton's happiness. lie noticed
some slight change in Miriam 5 demeano
toward himself. At first it was yer.
slight, but gradually it became NOR
marked Poor Charles was terribly upset
He felt that he was not mistaken, and tha
Miriam love for him was cooling daily
In this conviction, as u matter of fact, hi
was quite correct. Miriam, if the trutl
must be told, was young lady incapable
of any real intensity of love. She wa
emphatically not the stuff out of whicl
heroines are made, and that degree o
heroism in love which required her to wal
an indefinite time for marriage while tn
best of her youth was slipping away AM
which offered her no better reward at tn
end than the position of a very poor man
wife was Gas she thought on mature re
fection) just a spot beyond her.
In this idea she was sedulously encour
aged and supported by all her friends an
relatives. ''You are throwing yourseI
away on Charles Caxton,' they said
when with your pretty face, my dear
you might marry fortune. ether
are many rich men quite as handsome a
Charles was the tenor of others re
marks. ''There is young Silkstone, fo
instance, He has just come into 93, 90
year. Miriam blushed at this. Their
was young Silkstone, and he was quite a
handsome as Charles, and he had G3, 90
year or rather more, for his father, tn
retired coal merchant, had died only 81
months ago; and his personally, almost tn
whole of which came to his son, had bee
sworn at 91OO, 900 net. Also the latte
had begun to be very polite and attentiv
to herself, and-and-and-
New reflections of this kind often begi
by ending with an land, but they sci
dom end by ending so. Miriam's reHec
tions ended with letter-a very nice
proper, prettily worded letter to Charlie
Caxton. Young Silkstone' $ name was nc
mentioned in the letter, but only he
Miriam 81 struggles between love an
duty, in which heaven had given her tn
strength to range herself on the latter
side. Heaven also Git appeared from Oh
letter. had given her not onl ly strength
but conviction conviction that she ha
no right-nay, that it would be selfish i
her to the point of criminality-to MARI
him (Charles) and to foist herself as
burden upon his slender means. No, sh
would not hamper him. She would nc
ruin his prospects. She cared for him ia
too much. 1t was because she cared 70
him so much that she was giving him hi
freedom, and when in future years he
married perchance to some rich wife an
become county magnate, should meet
dowdy, faded little old maid yclept Miriar
Wakefield he would surely breathe praye
of thankfulness to heaven at the mercifr
escape that he had had of being tied fo
life to such an incubus. And, in conclu
sion, she was always his sincere friend an
true well wisher-Miriam.
That was very artful little touch abou
the ''old maid,'' wasn't it? 1t contra
dicted the truth of any rumors that Charlie
might have heard in reference to youn
Silkstone and herself in the most delicatel
insinuating manner Charles read thi
letter without any external display of emo
ton; though, to be sure, his face was har
and set, and bitter smile curled his lip
The blow did not fall unexpectedly. H
had been studying the signs of the time
in Miriam's demeanor now for months pas
and had felt sure that, sooner or later,
would come to this. OF course he rea
between the lines of the letter. He sa,
that Miriam merely wanted to be rid c
him, and he had too much pride and sell