The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-08-11
WAYS OF THE WORLD.

WAYS OF THE WORLD.
Merest Trifes Often Change Per-
sons Destiny.
1t is more than aggravating-it is
agonizing-to know that one future de-
Ponds upon the merest trifes; that a
chance word, a chance meeting, some
little done or undone, may make or mar
ones life.
Il feel that 1 owe all my happiness
to reconsidered invitation" remarked
man who is particularly fortunate
both in his marriage and in his sue
cess in affairs. "One summer day,
when I was rather in low spirits, I re-
ceived a note from Mrs. x. asking me
to spend Sunday at her country place
with quite a large party of young peo-
pie. My first impulse was to refuse,
and wrote a conventional note re-
GREETING that I would be unable to ac-
cept, etc. This I directed and sealed,
and even placed in the post box on my
desk. Returning home later in the even
ing, l found the letter still there and
thought, why not accept Mrs ks in
vitation? Even though I am good for
nothing and out of sorts, perhaps it
may cheer me up Again acting on i'm
pulse, l tore up my first missive and
wrote another accepting.
We'll, to make my story short, there
1 was introduced to my wife, who was
leaving the following week for her
home in the West. She made a great
impression on me, and as I had bust
in he vic init Of how r. oh
time after, called upon her. Our &C.
quaintance progressed rapidly, and the
result you know. However, 1 was young
and poor, and our engagement babe fair
to be a long one, when, six months
later, another chance befriended me.
Walking through Wall street one day
l saw, lying in the shadow close to a
step, wallet which had evidently just
been dropped. I picked it up and car
ried it to my Office, where 1 examined
its contents. AS it appeared to contain
personal papers of value, and the name
of a prominent lawyer was printed on
the inside of the pocketbook, l took it
to him myself.
He appeared to be greatly pleased to
recover his property, and was most
genial The next week I was agreeably
surprised by a referee appointment
from my new-found friend, and that
proved only the beginning of favors
He constantly threw business in my
way, finally took me into his office and
ended by making me one of the part
ners of the concern"
Speaking of such chances" said a
woman who had listened to the above
q
happened to cousin of mine once that
might have changed her destiny had
the fates so willed it. At the Hot
Springs, in Virginia, one year she was
thrown great deal with several prom
lnent Southern families, one of the sons
of which began to show her devoted at
tention. The affair progressed with
spirit, as the Southerners are wont to
make short work of their wooing. An
engagement would have undoubtedly
been the result if my cousin had not
received one night a telegram SAYING
that her father was dangerously i'll, and
she and her married sister, in whose
care she was, left hurriedly the next
morning at dawn. In her grief and ex-
element all else was forgotten, and it
was not until the danger was passed
that her mind reverted to her own af-
fairs. She then realized that her pos
sible lover did not even know her adj
dress or the name of her father. How
ever, he thought that she would not be
and as time passed on and she heard
nothing further from or about him he
gradually passed out of her mind.
1at ~
liner, bound for Europe, and at the ex-
citing cry Of ship ahoy,' like the rest Of
the passengers she fastened on deck.
large steam yacht was close upon
them. Signals We're exchanged; the
stranger begged to have some import
ant mail taken to England, and ap-
preached near enough to toss the packet
on the steamer. AS the passengers on
both boats eagerly scanned one an
other with the frank curiosity permits
sible on such an occasion, what was nv
cousins surprise to see familiar face
among the yachtsmen. AS she hest
tated, hardly believing her eyes. her
quandam Southern friend snatched a
straw hat like one he was wont to wear
from the head of one of his compap-
ions and put it on his own instead of
the yachting cap, which gave him an
unfamiliar expression. Then, hastily
taking out his pocketbook. scribbeld a
few lines, and drawing ring from his
finger for weight, wrapped the paper
around it and threw it over the fast
widening distance between the steam
ers. The throw was we'll aimed. but
it just missed, and fell into the water.
BY this time the vessels were far apart
and, waving their hands in a mute
farewell they again parted-this time
forever"
But what a stupid man, laughed
one of the party. He surely could
have found her if he had been in earn.
est
But that is just where the theory of
accidents comes in returned the mar
rator, the affair needed a little more
propinqufty to develop itY-New York
Tribune
s Fifty thousand tons Of oysters are
consumed in London during the season.