The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-01-15
HAROLD CASE
MATES WINDFALL


Harold Casemate sat in his dingy
lodging in a back street off Euston
road smoking what he intended to be
the last pipe he should ever smoke.
Bankrupt in purse, broken in health,
abandoned by his friends, in snort, at
the end of his tether, he had made up
his mind to get quit of it all that very
night. small bottle of laudanu1n,
on which he had invested his last
shilling, reposed in his pocket, ready,
at any moment, to give him easy and
effectual release.
The young man hal begun, indeed,
fairly well, having got on to good
weekly paper But the private life
into which his moral instability be-
trayed him was not of character
conducive to regularity, punctuality
or sustained industry. He fell into
the hands of the wrong men, and
worse than that-of the wrong
women Worries financial and other,
Isupervened. He became more and
more distracted from his work. Con-
tribution after contribution was re-
turned to him as useless. His health
was getting rocky, his nerves out Of
order. He lost heart. No money, no
energy, no heart for anything. He
owed his landlady some SIS; she had
tr1H IN, npnHlaCClU
impolite, that unless his account was
settled Saturday next out he must go.
This was Friday evening. Tomorrow
would see him homeless and destitute.
1t must either be the workhouse or
the laudanum. He preferred the lau-
danum.
He laid down his pipe, which was
| just smoked out, and, taking the little
! dark-blue bottle from his pocket,
slowly extracted the cork. While he
was in the act of doing so, there came
a knock at the door, and Polly, the
| lodging house slavey, entered, with a
registered letter and it's accompany
| ing slip of green paper in her hand.
Casemate hastily thrust the bottle
back into his pocket, and taking the
\ green slip of paper, signed it as re-
quested.
The registered letter he threw care
lessly aside, scarcely glancing at it.
Polly fingered moment, staring at
him in unfeigned surprise. She was
an honest, simple sort of girl-not
bad-!ooking, either, when her face was
clean-to whom registered letter
conveyed no other ideas tnan those of
cash or jewelry-a thing, therefore,
that the recipient should naturally be
eager to open with all possible dis
patch. "-
Happening to look up at the girl he
read her >astonishment, and was
rather amused by It.
You were wondering why l didn't
open the letter at once-eh?" he re-
marked, with spiritless sort of smile
We'll, yuss, sir! l was a-wonder.
ing that" confessed Polly puzzled to
know how he had guessed hel
thoughts.
Now, l dare say" he went on
you are under the impression, Polly
that the registered post is only made
use of by obliging persons when they
want to send you cash, or checks, OF
bank notes, or diamonds--eh? But
if you had lived as long as / have and
had an equal experience of the ways
of creditors, you would know that
they have playful little habit OF
registering their dunning letters and
other such agreeable missives II
order to satisfy you that%I am right in
my surmise about this confounded
thing" went on Casemate, taking uI
the registered letter, II will oper
it in your presence, Polly, and show
you"
He suited the action to the word
tore the end off the envelope, anG
shook the contents on to the table
as though they had been something
poisonous. There fell out
letter. and from the letter fell ou
what loked uncommonly like a banl
note. Casemate unfolded and ex
amined it. 1t was bank note fol
ESQ. At the moment ne was toe
much astonished to speak.
'Lor, sir!" calculated Polly, he
eyes fixed on the note. tits money
amt it?"
Casemate nodded. Then he tool
] up the letter. 1t was from firm OF
solicitors--the most agreeable solicit
ors' letters he had ever received-ant
read as follows:
S00s Lincoln's Inn Fields,
Feb. 3, 19-
Dear Sir-We have been instructed
by a client or ours, constant reader
| ,.tinlas. zI.hc hac.