The age-herald., 1898-10-16

had left me in p ace until then, must needs die. Nobody had ever asked him to do any, thing for me, and he never did. l had gone on in my own steady fashion, earning my living, getting on little better every year and looking only to myself for my own ad- vancements. Well, when this old English uncle died his will was found to contain a provision that I was to receive a life apnu- ity of fifty pounds. 1 ask you what early good could I get out of an annuity of fifty pounds-two hundred and forty-two dollars or thereabouts? The first half-yearly pay ment of one hundred and twenty-one dol lars made me feel as if I had picked up just that much money. It was so strange and new that 1t upset all my methodical, pro- fessional ways of looking al money matters. All I could do was lowell, l gave din- ner to a lot of the boys" And do you mean to say that you-a lawyer-a young man of character-Were so unstable as to be thrown off your balance by this sudden accession of wealth-one hundred and twenty-one dollars? Mrs. Carmay asked in surprise
 "It was the way of it," Foster insisted. of had made it myself, it would have been a different thing. But this ridiculous sum that had never had any idea Of get ting I didn't seem to see where it came in"
 And then?'
 "Well, and then-it became a habit"
 ''What did?"
 "Having these half-yearly dividend sprees-dinners, mean. The payment al ways seems to take my by surprise, and l never seem to have anything to do with it but go and-go with the boys"
 There was a silence for some minutes, and then Fosters ssterly adviser said, Its a very sad case. I don't know how to help you.'
 But I want you to understand that my habits are-not like that"
 "In general I understand"
 "I believe you're laughing at me. Mrs. Carmay," said Foster. wishing that his hos tess would turn her face so that the light of the lamp might fall on it.
 "No, MT. Foster. I think I understand what this weakness of yours is-what a doctor would call, periodic. It comes once every six months"
 "Yes And it wouldn't come at all if I were only rid of this absurb legacy. Did you ever hear of such thing? Every six months, in the spring and in the fall the agents of this English company send me the equivalent of twenty-five pounds ster- ling in American currency. This time it came to $120.43.'
 And it will have to go on all the same until your dying day.
 "Of course. It's life annuity
 You must really learn to accommodate yourself to the conditions"
 "Oh, I will, Mrs. Carmay. I'll do any thing, if you will only persuade Miss Pel- ham to overlook-what has happened-once more."
 "Yes," said Miss Pelhams sister, 'I think something of the kind did happen before. I'll do my best for you, MT. Foster"
 That evening, as the young man went back to his boarding house, his heart "beat high with hope" He had not seen his lady love- and he more than half suspected that the ssterly matron had got good deal of quiet fun out of him. But he was sure that she would be his intercessor. Somehow he came away with the impression that noth- ing remained to be done to win the hand of Mabel Pelham but go through the trial of his next half-year payment with propriety. He had no sooner got into the cold air out side where the seet was no longer falling than he realized how true and salutary had been his inspiration to Ego ahead" Then he realized that, with an understanding such as he had-or assumed-in the matter of Mabel, the next half-yearly payment would not take him, as others had, un- awares. He would make plan to provide for that next payment so that the dreaded day should find him without the price of a single cold bottle. And as soon as that oc- cured to him another thought followed and made him laugh aloud.
 It was a fine spring evening when next