The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-07-26

He'd probably never forgive me,
said Harry dejectedly. "And then what
could | do, with wife brought up to
every luxury and only poor clerk
salary to support her on?"
Never forgive you? Trash and non
sense. They always do forgive. They
can't help it. Besides" with a conf
Dental wink, Il think l know your
man. It's that skinfint, Meadows. I've
heard of your being sweet on his
daughter. She's pretty mink, though
she is his child. Oh, you needn't deny
it. l saw how you hung about her at
our party the other night, and when
joked about it with my daughter the
next morning she as good as admitted
that it was true, saying it would be
very good match for you. Now, l owe
old Meadows a grudge. He tried to do
me in those railway shares last winter,
and / mean to pay him for it somehow.
/ tell you what I'll do. l must not ask,
mind you, who the girl is. Mum must
be the word l must not of course be
known in the affair, but I'll give you
leave of absence for a month and
check for $3.50 to pay for your wedding
trip if you'll make a runaway match.
Is it agreed? Well, there's my hand on
it. Here's the check. Egad! Won't
the old man howl when he hears how
we've done himp
Harry seemed to hesitate, however,
and it was not until Mr.. Sheldon, eager
to see his old commercial rival put at
disadvantage, had urged him again and
again and promised to stand by him
that he finally consented and took the
check which his employer persisted in
forcing upon him.
The next morning Mr.. Sheldon came
down to breakfast in high glee, for a
note had reached him just as he was
shaving which ran as follows
Dear Sir-I have, with much difficulty. persuad-
ed her to elope. 1t was not, however, till l
showed her your check that she would consent to
do so. She said that she sure you would not
recommend anything that wrong; that you
would advise her as if you her own father,
and she hopes you will stand by u.s. We shall be
married tomorrow, before Mr. Meadows is up.
Very thankfully, HARRY CONRAD.
The old gentleman brought the note
with him to the table, opened it out be-
fore him, adjusted his spectacles and
read it over and over again.
I'D give $780, he said, chuckling,
ito see the old fellows face when he
hears how Harry has done him."
1t was the custom of Ny. Sheldon to
read his newspaper at breakfast while
waiting for his only child and daugh-
ter, who, little spoiled by overindul-
gence, was generally late.
But this morning Matty was later
than ever.
The banker had read all the foreign
as well as the home news and even pc
rused Harry's note, and still she had
not made her appearance.
''The lazy puss!" he said at last Then
he looked up at the clock. Half an
hour late! Now, this is really too bad.
john" he cried, addressing the man.
servant ut the sideboard, send and see
why Miss Sheldon doesn't come down.
Tell her" with a severe air, I'm tired
of waiting"
John came back in about five min
utes, looking very much Austered.
eff you please, sir" he stammered,
Miss Sheldon's not in her room, and
the maid says that the bed looks as if
it hadn't been slept in all night"
The rich merchants jaw fell.
He started up, with a cry of agony, to
go and see, but he was prevented by
the footman appearing at the door with
a telegram.
"a telegram" cried the merchant,
unfolding it with trembling hands.
'What can it mean? Has she been
found dead anywhere"
This was the telegram:
Dear Father-Harry and I were married at 8
O'Clock this morning, l would not consent to an
elopement till Harry assured me you had advised
it and had shown me your check as proof He
says you promised to stand by us, and | know
you pride yourself on never breaking a promise.
We wait for your blessing. MATTY.
"Well, neverw calculated Mr.. Shell
den when he had recovered his breath.
'"The impudent dlsobe'-
But here he stopped-stopped and
mopped his bald head, which, in his
excitement, had broken out into great
drops of perspiration. He remembered
that he had himself advised Harry to
elope and that if the story got wind
he would be the laughing stock of the
town, including-the hardest cut of all
Mr.. Meadows. He remembered, too,
that he had but one child and that she
was all in all to him.
SO he accepted the inevitable and
telegraphed back:
You may come home. and the sooner the better
to keep the $3.50 for pin money Tell Harry
he's too sharp to remain clerk and that take
him today into partnership; only he must re-
member that partners never tell tales out OF
school. God bless you! H. SHELDON
The runaways returned by the next
train. The marriage proved too, an
eminently happy one. The story never
got out We only tell it now in conf
dence -WOman'S 7 life