Evening journal., 1905-05-11
HIS ONE VIRTUE
IorIglnall

ed to make one beloved kIauy sue I
cessful man who has by energy, intcg- /
rity and steady application acquired ,
the whercwithal 10 give him promi- /
nence and 20 benefit his follow beings +
has been cordially hated. while some
scapegrace has been Winning hearts.
Bob F'lelaming belonged 10 the latter I
class Judged by the standard Of util-
fly. he was q failure; by the standard |
OF morals he was not q success; by the /
standard OF literal truth he was a most
incorrigble liar Nevertheless he was /
universally beloved. lie possessed an |
open, honest countenapce which by
| good rights should have belonged to
the aforesaid man who produces re- /
suits with which 10 make people hap
py. His smile was TINT Of innocence. |
/ His pocketbooll was open to all, though
unfortunately al the time he came of
age the luxurics in which he had been
/ brought up took wings and aew away,
leaving him little or nothing TO give.
When Flemming went home from
college to sind that his father bad fail
ed IN business the young mans cronics
agreed that there was but one hope for
him-a marriage with q wealthy girl.
Nevertheless he paid attention only to
such girls as struck his fancy, or, rath-
er, all girls, for all girls pleased him.
rich aud poor alike. AS for the girls,
they swarmed about him as flies about
honey
Several years passed, during which
Bob Flemming sank deeper ana deeper
In debt. Nevertheless at the sight Of
distress down would go his hand into
his pocket. and If there was anything
at the bottom the sufferer was sure to
3 get It. But suddenly his friends were
pleased TO see that there was every
prospect Of q marriage between him
and Miss Josephine Gridley. young
woman possessed of $4,000 year in
her own right How a person Of as
much principle, sense Of justice and
rigid piety should accept a young man
whose only guides were his heart and
his fancy no one could explain. Nor
was 1t to be expected that such a male
butterfly should be pleased with a
steady going girl. Nevertheless the
= two were very much In love with each
other and though Miss Gridley was
In doubt about the propriety Of the
: match she became the promised bride
, OF Bob Flemming
During the engagement the young
: mans inventive genius was constantly
n required TO explain away sundry little
matters pertaining to his financial af-
fairs. Finally he made a blunder that
broke of the match He became in
fatuated with typewritlng. What he
proposed to do with the requirement
Of an ability 10 use a typewriter no
one knew, but he bought one-on the
installment plan-and as soon as he
could hammer out words with one fin
y ger he thought Il would he a fine thing
to write typewrltten letter to his
iancee. While engaged in the work a
:, letter from his tailor was handed him
= in which the knight Of the shears
y threatened him IN case of his not at
81 once remitting an Indebtedness incur
a red two years before to sue the ac-
"A count and publish him as a dead
ti beat" Bob was called away from the
% typewriter and when he returned, in
tending TO place his letter TO Miss Grid
ley in an envelope for her, put in by
mistake the letter from his tailor.
- The first he knew Of his mistake was
receiving a note from his fiancee an
nounclng that she had reconsidered the
n matter Of his acceptance, and her re
ply was mo" Bob went posthaste tC
e see her She handed him the tailor's
e letter. lie was staggered, but only fol
It a moment
l. THAT'S the most rascally piece OF
" business I ever heard Of" he said
o "But it Is not the ingratitude Of this
Y man, whom / have befriended. that
Ir makes me sad IL is that you should
have listened TO as wicked a scheme t
Is lnlure me-"
+ "NYhat do you mean?" asked Miss
n Grldley.
le "Meanl Why. it's as plain as the SUI
IN heaven. The man has sent this infa
l. nous demand to you to stab me-"
v "He sent It? l thought you mus
10 have sent It by mistake"
r do you suppose | would address
10 note on a typewriter TO the girl
T. lover"
,e Are you telling the truthT
In "Do you doubt me2 Very well. BE
Il fore we part forever I will show yo
a how unjust you have been. II the ras
O. cal don't send you an apology at one
a. I'll withdraw my patronage and expos
IN the transaction 20 the many customer
have recommended to give hir
theirs"
Miss Gridley was deeply moveC
o. though sufficiently practical to defe
an Judgment. The next morning a hun
A. BILE apology came from the tailor, wh
he threw the blame on one of his clerk
be who had a grudge against Mr.. Fieu
\ ming and sought TO injure him by senC
lie ing his fancee a dunning letter for n
NJ account which had long ago been Sc
re tied The poor girl was much di
s- tressed at having lent ear 10 so base
%. calumny and begged the dear, pers'
no cuted boys forgiveness. He promise
M 70 take the matter into considerable
ed ane after keeping her anxious for
Il week forgave her
re Backed by a comfortable incom
~ Mr. Flemming continued 20 be prom
rn rent In that circle OF society whiC
To- considers one Of its own members be
he ter than those, however prominent, WI
no are outside-of it, lie led cotillons, n
he ranged dinners, managed private thea