The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-06-09
| MODERN DELILAH.
BY JAMES PAYN.

a NCsSrS. MoonStone u Co. jewellers, his
q employers. in whose establishment. at
the time we became acquainted with
him. lie occupied the post of foreman.
Fe was not Il "seli-maue' man as yet
bW lie was on the road to it. John
never drank. except s.asS of beer
with his early dinner, he never smoked
nor of course took snuff: he never
handled anything in the shape of a
billiard cue, unless it was his neatly
and tightly rOlled-up umbrella; he new
Mel-l was going 10 add, he had no
weakness as regards the ladies; but
this | hardly dare TO write, because of
#tht extreme attention he paid to his
merry fine head of hair. He was not
Don Juan, nor even gay Lothario.
#Still he cultivated that fine head of
#lair. narrowed it with a tortoise
shell comb, drove a furrow straight
across it from his brow to the nape of
#his neck. and "tUp-dressed" it with
*nacaSSar oil and unguent.
s& There were other assistants in the
Shop and with them, l am sorry to
BAY Mr.. John Riddel was not popular
-y0nng men rarely appreciate in their
associates so much virtue as resided
H. our hero, especially if that virtue
has not been its own reward, but has
Enabled its posSesSor to walk over
Heir heads and stop there. There was
hardly one among them but at some
time during his sci vitude with MeSsrs.
Nioonstone had miSlaid ring or a
trinket for a few hours, or had even
caused some loss to the firm, not
30 much from c8relessness as from
not being quite as wide awake as
weasel
One of them had taken jewelry to
newly married couple at a fashion
able hotel ION approval" and had been
b. successful in his recommended tons
That they had ''collared'' the whole lot,
and given him such dose of chloro-
form in exchange for them that he
was unable to give any clear account
81 his adventures for hours afterward.
Z ArOther had been set upon by whole
gang of thieves, in such promiscuous
5 81 overwhelming fashion that he
&c | recall nothing of what had
Ia oened, except that he had been
e&E ok with an instrument like the ace
h9 spades, which the newspapers eX-
..es>eI a hope would afford some clue
Y to the police; they thought it showed
/ / suppose, that the perpetrators of the
outrage must he either gardeners or
gamblers: but nothing came of the
suggestion. Others. again, had been
Exposed to the seductions of the fair
Sex, and in losing their hearts had
eacrificed the diamonds of their en-
Meyers
In this last regard, Mr.. John Riddel
Being adamantine, was invaluable.
His youthful as well as handsome
books attracted these ladies of indus.
fy, who, on entering the shop, gravi.
hted toward him quite naturally. A
nan of that age, as they hattared
& themselves. and one so particular
about his hair, must surely fall an
easy victim to their destinations.
NN | do not say that Mr.. John Riddel
Aad not some admirers among the fail
eeX who loved him for his own sake
indeed, it was whispered among his
detractcrs that. like the first Duke of
Marlborough and other great men
FhO ought to have known better. he
derived pecuniary advantage from
ber devotion to him; that the sums
eNpended in macasSar oil. etc, for the
ddornment of his appearance, came
back to him twenty-fold in substantial
Dkens from duchesSes and countesses
md the like. Goodness knows
whether there was any truth in such
etories Perhaps it pleased his rivals
% invest the drudgery that was theiI
aaily lot with this halo of romance
But he was certainly as fascinating
q he was hard-hearted. When any
. ndy customer who was unknown tC
hm got out of her brougham-for nc
Z orc ever came in a cab to MesSrS
Aoonstone's establishment and
moved up the shop in his direction. he
\ could look at her through his half
nut eyes-fOr they were of the
Dreamy" order of beauty-and muir
Mur to himself. "Now. is this Il swind
~ or q bona-fide partyY And many
a bona fide party did he serve with
snch external politeness who little
Heamed of the suspicion which she
ekcite1 within him.
One afternoon, q brougham stopped
a Messrs MoonstOne's establishment
With widow in it: it was not pri
mte vehicle. but one of those which
was hired by the day or hour-the APP
variance of the driver, not to mention
tdat of the horse precluded the posi-
pnity Of its being the property of the
arson who employed it.
What reused suspicion in the watch
ri eye of Mr.. John Riddel was the
! Wldow herself. Like Mr.. Weller
Senior, he had prejudice against
Nidows-at least, in jewellers shops
rpp ! am bound to confess, was it al
iQgether without grounds; the gart
I'd the mien of sorrow being the
AalkinG horses under which as gooG
1eal of knavery is accomplished. Anc
Ten this widow was so bewitching te
IQok a., that he was naturally alarmed
rom cry neat blait of her beautiful
nair, and every fold of her modest suit
IS Of moulning. there seemed to him tc
nutter a danger-signal.
1H'I wish to see some rings" she said
N soft and gentle voice: mourning
ri1gs": and then she took off her glove
olzplaying the whitest little hand i'm
NEinal lie.
III. Riddel said, "Allow me, mad
ana IN his most hOneyed voice, anC
flInpel ring after ring upon the
N'dow's, inty finger. 81 hope I an
not hurting ydu" he murmured.
ON, no. she sighed: there was 0
fINe-hut that is PASSED now-when l.
Wppfd have giteI me pleasure.
uean," she added hastily, and with a
4QHest blush, "wl Ell the rings would
E4 done SO; but jewels and gew-
.HH have no longer any attractions
<vE ne Mr.. John Riddes by no
neNns felt certain OF this, but he had
~ we for number, and would have
.'ssed ring from the tray in an in
s''enf though he had been exhibiting a
M'vuaapd. AT last she made her
knQlee lit was the most expensive of
<At IQfj, and produced from the pretti.