Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-10-03
r L will not be the least use for
/ him to come, uncle, us have
| firmly resolved not TO marry

| him to come, uncle, us l have
firmly resolved not TO marry
II rich man! That Is, one
born such; II man get his wealth by
his own exertiOns, 1t Is quite another
thing"
my dear" said Mr.. Bagstock, rather
dryly, IF you had said that you had re
solved not TO marry man solely fol
his riches, should call it very SEN
sible decision; but. as it is, can't say
a great deal for its wisdom or justice
happen to know a number Of most
| excellent men who have the misfor
tune to be rich, as well as some OF
quite the contrary description, who
don't own q hundred dollars worth OF
property, and never WILL"
"True, uncle; and l don't deny that
there are many worthy people among
| our rich men. What l do say Is that
the sons of rich men are generally the
most useless and worthless portion OF
the community. Just look around our
| own circle, for instance, and tell me II
| you can find one, cursed with rich
| father, who is not utterly bankrupt in
truth, energy, self-reliance; in fact,
| everything that constitutes true manly
| WORTH
Kate Vernon's soft, dark eyes
| sparkled, and the rich color in her
cheeks grew brighter as she uttered
| these words.
Mr.. Bagstock smiled as he looked
upon her glowing countenance.
unfortunately, there is too much
truth in what you say, Kate. But
though right in theory, you are wrong
in fact. John Armstrong has been
brought up to work. His father put
him in his counting-room as soon as he
left school, giving him the duties and
salary of the lowest clerk in it; and
though he was only promoted accord.
ing merit, he worked himself up to the
position of head-boOkkeeper. Mr.. Arm
strong then took him into the firm Civ
ing him certain share of the profits.
He is young man of excellent prin-
ciples."
II certainly ought to know that,
uncle" said Kate, turning her head
away, with an impatient gesture; ~
have had John Armstrong; manifold
projections dinned into my ears ever
since can remember. am sorry that
you have to 60 away at this time; but
as Cousin Jane is with me, we shall
get along very well, I dare say"
II hope that you will not only receive
him kindly, Kate but do your best to
make his visit pleasant; if not for his
sake, out of respect to the memory of
the father that so loved him. You know
he has never seen you, and may regard
the idea with as little favor as you
seem to do"
On Tho e~onin.y of tho Same aoy o..
| place, John Armstrong sat alone in his
counting-room. There was not sound
in the warehouse, so busy and active
through the day; his clerks had all
gone home, but he still fingered,
though it was considerably past his
usual hour for leaving.
He held letter in his hand from Mr..
Bagstock, stating that his niece and
ward, Kate Vernon, had now reached
the age of eighteen, and, as it had been
| the wish of both his father and hers
that their meeting should not take
place before that time, he deemed II
advisable, as an act of justice to both
that it should not be delayed further. u
John Armstrong; brow wore a
thoughtful and perplexed expression
He had loved and revered his fathef
above all human beings, and felt how
sacred was his dying wish that he
would form the acquaintance of his
friends daughter before committing
himself elsewhere. And yet his heart
revolted at the thought of being thus
fettered in regard to a step upon which
his lifelong happiness depended.
Motherless and sisterless, his heart
had often yearned for the JOY, the sym
| pathy only to be found in the compan
ionship of loved and loving wife, but
he had been so often smiled upon by
scheming mammas and ambitious
daughters, whose only lure was the re
port of his great wealth, that he haL
grown little cynical in regard tt
women. He wanted to be loved fol
himself alOne-as what man does not
1.-THE rich merchant may be received
| gladly" he muttered, "but would Johr
Armstrong; self meet with SO mucl
favor in her sight? All, well! we shall
see."
|
"Mr. John Armstrong presume
Let me introduce you to my cousin
Miss Jane Dudley"
The stately stranger bowed pro
foundly, first to the fair speaker ant
then to her companion, whose Lowell!
countenance looked still lovelier from
the brighter bushes that mantlel it a
he fixed upon 1t his admiring gaze.
II am sorry to undeceive you" h
said, smiling, "but, unfortunately,
have no such claim upon your favor n
that name should give. Unfortunately
in more senses than one" he added
CALAMITY, with another bow to Kate.
"My name Is John Thomas" he con
tinued, handing her letter. II an
but an humble clerk in the establish
ment of which Mr.. Armstrong is tn
head. He gave me this letter of intro
ductiOn to you, and also commissions
me to express his regrets that the i'm
perative claims of business should OF
lige him to postpone few weeks tn
pleasure he has so long anticipated"
Miss Vernon seemed to take this m
nOuncement very coOlly; but not s
with her companion, whose eyes locke
still brighter from the scorn that sh
made no effort to conceal.
"Mr. Armstrong seems to be entirel
devoted to the art of money. getting,
she said, with curling lip.
"Mr. Armstrong is as devoted to hi
business as his father was before him,
was the rather grave response.
LET us hope" he added. with al
other bow and smile, that he will er
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