Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-10-19
JACK BROWNS MISTAKE

I chance Of getting a little ready money.
! Had he anticipated that his aunt
would have manifested genuine emo
ton when he went to bid her farewell
he would probably have abandoned his
scheme.
But by that time 1t was too late, for
he had paid away the two hundred
pounds among his hungry creditors,
and the date OF his supposed departure
was fixed for the next day.
Jack applied for three months leave
of absence from his regiment to obvi-
ate the risk Of his presence in Eng
land coming to his aunt's ears.
The colonel, knowing nothing of his
plans, but sympathiZing with his Pc
cuniary troubles, granted his request
without asking inconvenient questions.
Jacks brother officers We're pledged
to secrecy, and n OF them-the incor-
rigible Charlie Bashford-wrote the old
lady pathetic account of his friends
departure. Jack, on his part, retired
to a remote village in North Wales,
where he could solace himself with
trout fishing while awaiting the issue
of his ~equivocal u
He was not without hope that his
aunt would speedily recall him from
Egypt with a promise to pay his debts.
He had authorized his namesake to
open the old lady's letters, and to tele-
graph to him Immediately in case his
anticipations should be realized.
Meanwhile he had furnished his fell
low conspirator with a number of let
ters to be posted in West Africa from
time to time, and these contained such
narrowing details of the of
cholera that his aunt could scarcely
fail to become seriously alarmed and
uneasy.
Jack remained a month or six weeks
In Wales, during which his scheme
worked without a hitch.
His aunt was completely deceived,
and even forwarded his first letter from
Africa to his friend, Charlie Bashford,
to read.
The note In which she inclosed the
letter plainly showed that her heart
was softening toward him, and Jack
began to feel a good deal ashamed Of
himself.
During his solitary walks and ram
bles he had fits of penitence which con-
slderably damped his satisfaction at
the success of his experiment.
He even felt tempted at times to
abandon the deception he was prac-
ticing, but before he had arrived at
any determination to do SO he was
surprised at receiving a visit from his
friend, Charlie Bashford.
Hello! What brings you here ?" de-
manded Jack apprehensively as they
shook handc.
"You've heard the news, haven't
you?" said Charlie.
What about?" said Jack.
Haven't you seen the papers late
ly?" asked Charlie, opening his eyes.
Not for a week or ten days. What
is it?"
Then you don't know poor Browne
Is dead" said Charlie. I'VE all of us
thought you knew of it, or l should
have written. 1t was in all the papers
a week ago. He died of cholera"
What! You don't mean the man
who went to Egypt the other day?"
gasped Jack.
Yes" said Charlie, grinning at his
friends dismay.
well, but that is fearfulIy awkward
for me! MY aunt must be under the
impression that l am dead. What the
dickens shall 1 COZ" exclaimed Jack.
Il wrote the poor old lady a letter of
coincidence to keep up the deception"
said Charlie.
What an Internal fool you were,
then!" exclaimed Jack vigorously.
What on earth did you al to do
that for?"
We'll, l did it for a joke, but 1 was
sorry for it afterward. In fact, as far
as the poor Ola laQy was concerned,
I've repented it ever since. However,
there is no harm done as far as you
are concerned added Charlie cheer
fully.
Tn not by any means sure of that"
groWled ack Il can't be lost forever,
and the matter must come to my aunt's
ears. If you had written and limited
that there might be a mistake you
would have don me a good turn. AS
it is, you've only made matters worse"
w thought o would be in a
furious stew when you heard the news,
and wondered at your keeping so
quiet" said Charlie. Il came down out
of pure charity to ase your mind.
You have had a lucky escape.
THE poor old lady is dead, so, as I
said before, there is no harm done to
your prospects"
Under the circumstances, it is per-
haps excusable that Jacks first SEN
sation was a feeling of intense relief.
A moment ago he was fairly Mortified
at learning the awkward position i'm
which he was placed by the death Of
his nameSake.
Considering that his future prospects
Mo - or 0nl r