The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-05-01
HIS ONE VIRTUE
Ioriglnail

rity and steady application acquired
the whefevithal to give him prorni-
hence and to benefit his fellow beings
has been cordially hated. while some
scapegrace has been winning hearts.
Bob E'lemming belonged to the latter
class Judged by the STANDARD Of util-
Ity, he was a failure; by the standard
OF morals he was not a success; By the
standard of literal truth he was a most
incorrigible liar. Nevertheless he was
universally beloved, He possessed an
open, honest c0untenance which by
good rights should have belonged TO
the aforesaid man who produces re-
suits with which TO make people hap-
pv. His smile was that 81 innocence.
! HIS r3ekctbook was open to al, though
unfortunately at the time be came Of
age tie Iuxlries in which be had been
brought up took wings and few away,
leaving him little or nothing To give.
When Flemming Went home from
college to find that his father had fail
ed iii business the young mans cronies
agreed that there was but one hope for
him-a marriage with a wealthy girl.
| Nevertheless he paid attention only to
such girls as struck his fancy, Or, rath-
err, all girls, for all girls pleased him,
rich and poor alike. AS for the girls,
they swarmed about him as flies about
honey.
Several years passed, during which
Bob Fiemming sank deeper and deeper
in debt. Nevertheless at the sight Of
distress down would go his hand into
his pocket. and lie there was anything
Mt the bottom the sufferer was sure to
get 1t. But suddenly his friends were
pleased to see that there was every
prospect Of marriage between him
and Miss Josephine Gridley, a young
woman possessed Of $4,000 year In
her own right How q person Of as
much principle, sense of justice and
| rigid plety should accept q young man
whose only guides were his heart and
his fancy no one could explain. Nor
was 1t to be expected that such 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
Ia doubt about the pronriety Of the
match she became the promised bride
Of Bob Flemming.
During the engagement the young
mans inventive genius was constantly
required to explain away sundry little
matters pertaining to his financial aft
fairs. Finally he made a blunder that
broke Off the match. He became in
fatuated with typewriting What he
| proposed to do with the requirement
of an ability to use typewriter no
4 one knew, but he bought one-on the
i instalment plan-and as soon as he
1 could hammer out words with one fin
ger he thought it would be fine thing
to write d typewriter letter to his
Il faneee. While engaged In the work a
letter from his tailor was handed him
in which the knight Of the shears
i threatened him in case Of his not at
once RENTING an Indebtedness incur
red two years before to sue the ac-
count and publish him as dead
4 beat Bob was called away from the
typewriter and when he returned, In
tending to place his letter to Miss Grid
lev In ain envelope for her, put In by
mistake the letter from his tailor.
The first he knew OF bis mistake was
receiving a note from his aancee an
nouncing that she had reconsidered the
matter of his acceptance. and her re-
ply was No. Bob went posthaste to
see her. she handed him the tailor's
letter. He was staggered, but only for
moment.
aThat's the most rascaliy piece Of
business ever heard Of, he said.
aBut IT Is not the ingratitude Of this
man, whom | have befriended, that
makes me sad. 1t is that you should
have listened to as wicked q scheme TO
injure me-
what do you mean?' asked Miss
Gridley.
Mean! why, its as plain as the sun
In heaven. The man has sent this infa-
nous demand to you to stab me-"
HE sent IT? | thought you must
have sent 1t by mistake"
"Do you suppose | would address
note on typewriter to the girl
lover
Are you telling the TRUTH
do you doubt me? Very well. Be
fore we part forever | will show yot
how unjust You have been. II the ras
cal don't send you an apology at once
j I'll withdraw my patronage and expose
the transaction to the many customer:
II have recommended to give hin
! theirs"
Miss Gridley was deeply moved
though sufficiently practical to defel
Judgment. The next morning hum
BILE apology came from the tailor, VIII,
threw the blame on one Of his clerks
who had a grudge against Mr.. Elem
ming and sought to injure him by send
ing his fiancee a dunning letter for al
account which had long ago been set
tied. The poor girl was much dis
tressed at having lent ear to SO base
: calumny and begged the dear, perse
cuted boys forgiveness. He promises
to take the matter into consideration
and after keeping her anxious for
week forgave her
Backed by a comfortable income
Mr.. Flemming continued TO be promi
nent In that circle of society whicl