The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-02

Y
 and for pocket money"
 But Jack said that henceforth any
 money that might lie in his pockets
 mhst be earned by himself.
 Don't do 1t, Jack. It will be SO
 dashed humiliating to me. As pal--
 you'll be making me so confoundly un- comfortable. With that hedgehog Of
 fellow, too! Oh. it really would be in fernal." s
 Jack, in the most friendly, genial way, explained that the hour had come when he must think and act for him self. He very mdch regretted that ne could not now be guided by his fath- CTS advice. He saw nothing deroga- tory in honest labor.
 Lady Vincent for her part regarded
 Jack and his ideas with the greatest admiration. She shed tears or pride and love when she listened to his noble arguments. In principle, she agreed with every word he said. Nothing could be grander or finer than work, yes, real work. But not here. Jack. Anywhere else, but not here. And. my dearest boy, not that sort of work 1 and. Jack. above all, not with that dreadful man. 1t would be too dis dressing to your father"
 But if Jack cared to go up to London and take some small post under gov ernment, or be private secretary 10 some rising politician, then Lady Vim i cent would be the happiest of mothers. She and Sir John could well provide ample funds for an indefinite period while Jack was looking about him. and seeking an avenue likely to lead to ul- timate greatness.
 .No," said Jack, with terrible deter
 imitation. I'm not going to sponge on you any longer. Besides, know what
 it would mean-it would all end In talk. T ak. a cfo ri york a all r He would take nothing from them not penny. He would be self-support- ing: now, this minute. and ever after
 For his immediate needs he had al ready, as he said. begun to raise the
 wind He had summoned from water Lane that well known citizen MT. Greg
 ory the secondhand clothes dealer, and
 was selling the superfiuities~ of his
 wardrobe. Some other personal prop
 erty--his old gun, service revolver,
 sword. etc, and some small trinkets,
 such as tie pins and sleeve links-he
 could o put up the spout" if nec-
 essary.
 q shall have plenty of cash to start with. Don't you worry yourself, moth-
 CT: I shall be all right"
 Lady Vincent however. continued to worry herself.
 Hack. I shall never reconcile myself to 1t. don't fret about your father s misfortunes. I don't mind our losing all our money, but if we are to lose you shall never set over 1t.
 You won't lose me-" said Jack cheer.
 fully. "I'll often come to d!nner-H you and the Governor will ask me. l don't intend to pop my dress suits, you know" and, as he took his mothers hand, he in his turn became the peti- tioner. "Mother dear, don't think me
 unkind-or selfishly obstinate. But you know how often you've said tito rouse myself. Do you remember what told yor?-the whisper in the wind how we all had heard it; but I shouldn't
 hear it again! We'll. heard it directly that afternoon. Not a whisper:
 shout-a trumpet call-some one with a megaphone believing into my ear: sJohn Vincent. Wake. Put on your
 boots, Don't try to baulk me now, mother. It's my last chance-my very last chance.
 Then, in the most undignified fashion
 with Mr.. Gregory. etc-Jack raised the wind; went about the town paying little debts-Mr. Rudd, the tobacconist;
 MT. Drake of the White Hart, etc; fetched a man with a hand-cart from | the station to remove his luggage; and firmly established himself in Mrs | Gates's cottage hard by MT. Crundens l yard. Of the cash obtained from the sale or costumes anu OhhdAhChIos OeS's there was a sufficient rasiduum to en-
 able him to hand Mir. Crunden two pounds on account of the fifty pounds
 loan. The balance of the debt he
 hoped, if he kept his situation, to work off without avoidable delay.
 He was worth thirty-flve shillings week. His energy was so abnormal
 that at first he was subject to fits Of
 complete exhaustion. and thus it seem
 CT that his working power was of ftful or intermittent character. But
 soon it became apparent to. his em- ployer that whatever his capacity for
 work might be, the purpose bel khd 1t
 was strong and unwavering, His de-
 sire was to do good work; if he failed,
 it was never from voluntary stacking.
 He did not achieve anything at all in
 the way of ameliorating the relations
 between MT. Crunden and the town. But in all other ways he became more and more useful to Mir. Crunden. So use- | ful, in fact. that it was impossible to keep him, like a good watch-dog, most | Iy in the yard" He was continually l wanted at Kings Cottage, where he l gave really valuable assistance in the | composition of letters replying to in- | uuires, etc.. he was of value also du-
 ring interminable parleys with build | CTS, house agents, etc., who were con- | sidering the purchase or lease of the l grounds plots; and he was. as MT. | Bowling often said, almost invaluable
 as a patient, goodtempered snowman when visitors were going over the | ground itself. After a time place
 was allotted to him in the big work ing room at the Cottage; the table and desk between the lobby door and the window were known as MT. Vincents l place." He was in his place for so
 many hours of the day that soon 1t be-
 came convenient to permit Mfr. Vincent | to take share in the two family meals
 of dinner and tea. There had been awkwardness and embarrassment for | all when at the sight of Mrs. Price or
 Mary entering with dishes and plates 1 the perhaps hungry clerk was com pelled to take his hat from the peg,
 and slink away from the appetizing
 odor of hot meats or the cheering frag-
 rance of new-made tea. Mir. Vincent
 thankfully accepted the invitation to
 leave lis hat oR the wall and bring his | chair to the table.
 But, sir" he said to his host, 'if
 you're kind enough to give me my | grub. you must knock something sub
 stantial off my weekly screw. 1t wasn't l in the bargain"
 |