The gold leaf., 1899-10-19
THE FORGER.

I00y were QlOUe GO8etOex, tD6 OtO MAN
and his son, the one who bad toiled for 50
many years and the one who had spoiled
his few years of manhood.
"If you can't find $500. shall be ar
rested for forgery. Now you know the
deavored to appear Indifferent and failed
to do SO.
"I've not ESQ left said John Cairn-
gate, Sr. "You know that, John. You We
had all my money, my poor boy" And
the old man stood up and opened the office
safe, and, taking from it his banker 8
passbook, be banded it to his son. The
latter looked at it and threw it down I'M
patiently.
"You wouldn't have shown this to me
II your money was at the bank. Perhaps
you do not quite understand my position
have forged my friends name to a bill
It becomes due tomorrow. l have seen the
man who discounted it and tried to get
the bill renewed. He won't do it, smells
rat, fear, and if 1 don't take it up to-
day 1t will be presented tomorrow, and
am ruined
"Will your friend help you If you CON
fess the truth and pay him back little by
little?"
II don t think so for moment put
parallel case to him In order to feel the
ground, and he said that he would have
no mercy on forger, even il 1t ere his
own BROTHER
"My poor boy, my poor boy, how could
you have done it?'
"It's no use discussing that. father. 1t g
done now. | thought you would help me
this once for l have an offer to join Frank
Pastor, in F3rt Elizabeth, and ! would
go there at orcc. 1t would he new life
for Ire, and l would try hard to make it u
better one. Tather"-nnd the face was
softened now and the voice pleading
"give me this chance Remember me As
l was to you when you first called me into
the world. Indeed l will strive to deserve
your love. "
The old man sat with his face hiddon in
his hands rocking quietly to and fro In
his chair.
81 will work to pay you back, father.
l shall be ont OF the way of temptation in
Africa even If l was inclined to forget
| this lesson. Tell me that my life Is not to
| be wasted"
Still the old man said nothing, but sat
rocking to and fro to and fro.
81 know that at your time Of life, fa-
| ther, $500 may mean a great deal to you,
| but every penny shall be paid back"
"Do you mean that, John3' And the
| senior looked up. the lines on his face
| deepered and he gray of it more pallid.
.Indeed do. ought to have come to
| you long ago and told you of this, but
hoped u.s:il almost the last moment that
| l could spare !ou the shame Of knowing
| how l had di=--:aced your name"
"If j lnau4:od this fer you, how soon
| coult. you ,,tu.t, John?"
"In I. week, father" ."
| ''It is not soon enough. 1t must be to-
| night"
81 VIII If ! can
Old .Jein Cairngate opened The Times
| and look ed at the shipping advertisements.
"Thu Union lire has steamer leaving
| Sout hampt E!v toinorrow morning's S tide.
| Go to their London Office. Ii they haven I
| berth left, ask for this gentleman" and
| he gave the young man Il card, on which
| he penciled a na,ue. Tell him favor
| l beg him to find you one, even if you
| have to mess with some of the crew"
Eyes father.
"Now, I only want one promise from
| you il return. You and part forever.
| You must not seek to communicate with
me in any way Moro than this, you must
| cut yourself off from England for a time
| and refuse to sec even an English newspa
per or to receive letter from an English
| friend You understand that you are
exiled.'
Yes sir" The voice was hard again,
GLOW much money have your"
"Just enough for second class passage
| no ,Ioro.'
Mr.. Cairngato broughta small box from
| tho safe and took IS from It,
"Take this, and now go and keep your
promise. -
"Goodby, father, and thank you. Think
less hardly of mo some day. And he offer.
ed his hand, BIZ: it was not seen, and the
| gray hoad was rocking between the with
| cred old hands again. And SO the young
man went quietly out.
1t was 12 months later, and young John
Cairngate was waiting to see tho passen.
gers from the Cape steamer. The new life
at Port Elizabeth was not altogether a
| pleasant one, but he was prospering. The
| worst of it was it was SO deadly dull, and,
true to his promise, he would not look at
an English newspaper. Then, as the few
passengers landed, a voice hailed him by
name. It was tho first time he had heard
1t for many a day. for here he was John
Dunkley.
"John Carngate, old fellow''-
It was an old friend whom be had last
seen in London shortly before he left.
"Who would have thought Of seeing you
here?' called out the newcomer, and then,
as he stepped ashore, he shook hands with
the exile.
"Of course I understand why you went
and did not leave your address," added
Barton, but none of the follows think
worse of you for what happened. It wasn't
your fault, old chap. Ono can't be Ne.
sponsible for ones relatives. You needn't
have left as you did"
John Cairngate's eyes asked for infor.
nation, and there was fear in them that
was evident to the other man.
"Good heaven5 Cairngate you don t
mean to say you don't know, and that
p
"Why do they say went away2" asked
Carngate
"Well, old chap, your father, of course
''What about him? Tell me at once"
II thought you knew, of course"
Il know nothing. Tell me at once"
Glow could they have kept 1t from youi
He forged a bill for $500; was convicted
on his own confession. There, old chap.
Don't give way. wish l had bitten my
cinnati Enquirer.
Some people hesitate to tell the
editor anything about themselves be-
cause they think it looks egotistical
to do 50. Not at all, you owe it tc
others that they should know when
you are absent from town and when
you return. This for both business
and social reasons which readily sug-
geSt themselves upon moments s
thought.
E*azs:4Hes K x5ess: