Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-07-19
Mated by a Pawn.

When a man is about to entertain
a very charming girl whom he is anx-
ious to impress and suddenly finds that
with the exception of a few coppers
he has no money in his pocket, he
may surely be forgiven the use OF
a few strong calculations. Such was
the plight of Everard Hamlyn at 10
minutes to l on certain Saturday ar
ternOOn. He had been SO absorbed III
reading the brief of an important case
which was to be heard in the courts
on Monday that he had forgotten the
emptiness of his pocket. AT O'CLOCK
Alice Valentine, an American girl with
whom he had formed a deep frienc-
ship, was coming to see what a bar
rister's chambers in the Temple looked
like, and she was also to be taken out
to lunch.
The worst was that there were only
10 minutes to rectify the mistake. He
wrote out a check hurriedly, and then
remembered that time would not per-
init to go to the bank to cash it. His
clerk was gone and the Temple was
wrapped in its usual Saturday after
noon peacefulness.
Without hat he rushed over to Har-
court buildings to see if his friend
Anderson was in his chambers. He
could rely upon him for couple OF
pounds.
But the fates were against Hamlyn.
Anderson was out and the doors were
locked.
Realizing that there was nothing for it
but to go to the bank he hurried alonS
up the court into Fleet street, meaning
to hail hanson. But as he arrived
there the clock struck ! and he knew
that he could not get to the bank and
back under 20 minutes. Alice would
never forgive him if he was not at his
rooms to receive her.
Suddenly his eye was caught Oy the
three brass balls hanging over a shop
almost opposite. The sight suggested
a new idea to his mind, and he prompt
ly acted upon it. In another moment
he rushed across the road, and enter
ing the shop handed his So-guinea hun
ter over the counter.
How much?" said the clerk eyeing
the hatless and breathless Hamlyn
somewhat suspiciously.
"Oh, l only wanted q fiver," replied
Everard hurriedly.
Have you got card on you?" asked
the clerk, thinking he was on the track
of swell mobsman.
Unversed in the ways of pawnbrok-
ers, Hamlyn pulled out his case ana
handed him card.
''All right, SIR seeing the name
and address and noticing it CORE
sponded with the initials on the watch.
II beg your pardon, SIR" and he hastily
filed up a ticket and counted out five
pounds. "Have you a penny for the
ticket, please?"
Hamlyn impatiently threw down
copper and fairly bolted out of the
shop. The people in Fleet street stared
at him with amazement, and a gutter
arab with whom he had collided,
shouted, who are yer shown Of"
as he crossed the road.
Now it happened that Alice Valen-
tine was Just at that moment passing
down Fleet street on her way to the
Temple. She had arrived somewhat
earlier than she had intended, for she
upheld the traditions of womanhood
with regard to unpunctuality.
1T would never do" she said to her
self, Ito be quite punctual. He would
think ] was too impatient"
So timing herself to arrive at the
Temple about 1.15 o'clock, she was
strolling leisurely along when she
caught sight of Hamlyn rushing wild
ly out of a pawnbroker's shop. For q
moment the ludicrous side of the situ-
alton struck her very forcibly, and
she laughed softly to herself. But
gradually as she realized the full sig
nificance of the action, her amusement
gave place to pity.
Poor boy" she murmured II had
not the faintest idea that he was hard
up And to think that have let him
spend such a lot of money in taking
me about.
/ must get even with him somehow"
There was a very tender spot in her
heart for the tall, clever young barris-
ter who had shown so plainly his pref
erence for her above all other women.
Alice Valentine and her aunt. Miss
Stafford, We're making a tour of Eu-
rope, and had met Hamlyn first of all
at a hotel in Geneva. He had ren.
eered them number Of civilities, and
as he happened to be doing the same
round of Switzerland as they, for q
month he was their almost daily COM
paniOn. With the frankness of Ameri-
can women. they accepted his atten-
tons graciously, and, finding him a
pleasant attendant enrolled him In
their services without further ado.
Miss Stafford generally accompanied
Alice wherever she went, and showed
quite as much eagerness to do" every
place thoroughly as her niece. 1t was
only on rare occasions, when the elder
ly lady was obliged to admit that she
was too tired for anything" that
Hamlyn had q chance of taking Miss