Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-01-26

married the man she loved. disregard
ing her brothers wishes"
81 knew your mother" said the law.
yer. going to the window and looking
out and beyond all that met his gaze.
ITO think" | went on. cooling none,
that my mothers brother should die
in this manner nouriShlng so small and
petty a spite! When he did this, be
knew that | should understand his mo-
tive. In the first place. | never dream
ed that he would remember me in his
will-never, entertained the least Idea
Of it. am independent; am earning
a livelihood. small. but enough and to
spare. III bid you good morning. ]
took step toward the door.
Young man. sit down." said the old
man, coming back to his chair. II
want to talk to you for a few minutes.
Your uncle was peculiarly vindictive
man. What he considered wrong he
neither forgot nor forgave. His son
pleaded with him not to put in that
final clause. He offered even to share
with you. Your uncle swore he would
leave 1t all to the stablemen first This
Journey was forced upon me. or |
should not have taken 1t. This Is my
advice to you: Accept the check and in
the privacy of your room tear 1t up or
light q cigar with it; that's about all
it's worth. You will feel no little satis-
faction in lighting cigar with it-that
is, if you are anything like me. Think
Of it-a thousand dollars to light your
cigar! 1t Is an opportunity not to be
missed. When you grow old. you will
say to your grandchildren. Once | lit
cigar with a thousand dollar check.
The oldest inhabitant will be silenced
forever. 1t may become history. And
then. too. II there are spirits. as Scrip
ture says there are. your uncle will
writhe at the performance. trust
that you will forgive me my part In the
matter. | have taken fancy to you.
and If you will accept my friendship |
shall be happy to accept yours. Your
uncle's revenge will not he marker to
the restitution his son will make"
Restitution! His son"
YES TO my sincere regret be Is an
invalid who may or may not live the
year out. He has already made will
In which he leaves all to you. The will
is in my safe at home. return to-
night. so may not see you again In
this world Of sin and tribulation." The
merry twinkle had returned to his eyes.
81 am very old"
ut Is worth all the trouble to have
met you," said l. You should have
made the jolt very easy"
So we shook hands. and he gave me
cigar, around which was wrapped the
check. He winked; then be laughed,
and l Joined him, though my laughter
resembled mirth less than it did the
cackle Of q hen which was disturbed
over the future of her brood. left
! him and went down into the wineroom
and ordered a stiff brandy and soda.
When that disappeared. | ordered an
other. | ratified the ice In the glass
"Ha, ha, har' roared as the events Of
the past "a hours required to me-
There must have been suicidal accent
to my laughter, for the bartender look
ed at me with some concern. called
for another brandy and shot the soda
into 1t myself. watched the foam
evaporate. "Ha. "a. ha!'
Hard luck?" the bartender asked
sympathetically.
Eyes" said |. l seemed to be speak
ing to several bartenders who looked at
me with several varieties Of compass.
sion.
"FIave another on me-" said the bar
tender.
had another and went out into the
street. walked down Broadway,
chuckling to myself. What a glorious
farce 1t all was. My fortune! Phyllis
my wife! What if she had accepted
me? laughed aloud and people turn.
ed and stared at me. Oh. yes! was
to travel and write novels and have
my pictures in book reviews and all
that! When | arrived at the office. |
was on the verge of total insanity. |
was obliged to ask the paragrapher to
write my next days leader. 1t was
night before ! became rational. and
once that. the whole world donned cap
and bells and began capering for my
express benefit The more | thought
of it the more laughed. What a
whimsical world 1t was! And was
there anything in 1t SO groteSque as
my part? | took the check from my
pocket and cracked 1t between my fin
gers. A cigar was in my mouth. Should
l light it with the check? 1t was for
$1,000. After all it was more than |
had ever before held in my hand at
once. But what was paltry thousand,
aye, q paltry ten thousand, to a mans
pride? bit off the end Of my cigar,
creased the check into a taper and
struck match watched 1t burn and
burn. struck another. | held II
within an inch of the check. but FOR
the life Of me could not light 1t.
THE devil take itr' cried. | flung
the cigar out Of the window and laid
the check on my desk. Courage? Why,
It needed the courage Of millionaire
to light cigar with $1,000 check!
The office boy. who came in then,
was salvation. The managing editor
wanted to see ME. sprnng up with
alacrity. Anything but the sight of
that figure and the three demon eyes
of that $1,000 check!
"Winthrop" said the managing ed
itor to me as | entered his office
you've got to 60 to London. Hillars
has gone UNDER
Not dead | cried.
"No, no. He has had to give up