Middletown transcript., 1908-02-08

burdens lald pon ma 2 : : : = -
nnd he only a poor Struggling
0opng lawyer. There we're four
Or i've little sisters and brothers
to feed, clothe and educate, and 2
widowed mother in a feeble state
ofhealtll to care for; a chronic
fault. finder, by the way who
never saw a ray of sunshine II
she could help it, and persistent.
10 tnrned away from any bright
spot which poor Fred, with all
the audacity pf youth ana mex
perience, would occasionally oe.
tect amid the gloom OF their sur
roundings.
Then the girl he .oVeu 'lau
loved. I should say; and Fred
was extremely thankful that ne
could speak Pf her now IN the
past tense) hfd coldly lilted nun
because of lis poverty, after
having led him on into me ses
onth heavenbf bliss. And alto.
gether this dark, gloomy morn
;no seated In his dingy Office,
H tz- n
Fred felt dndeniably blue and
Respondent. Life was a failure,
There's nd use in q man living
if be has mol money burst forth
the Young man lmpatiently. One
might bettef be dead aud buried
than impechnious. Lam Wiling
to work, bit the briefs DO not
come in and the bills 40;
and mother is so gloomy ana
despoudent, and the youngsters
such trials, and Fanny hay is
going to marry old Boggs. the
millionaire-Fanny who only a
month ago all but told me that
she loved me, and-Pshaw! iifse'
a burden. 4 believe I'll shuttle of
Hhis mortal coil. All! no, | won't.
I'll marry some rich woman, II |
GIN lind 6ne foolish enough TO
try the experiment Of matrlmony
with me. I'm not half a bad look
ing fellow, ne went on, rising
slowing and saunSering over to
the tiny square Of glass which
adorned the inner Office wall,
and-wh6 in the world can that
be?
For the ere was the sound OF IN
mistakable footsteps in the Office
Quite excited by the unusual
event of a visitor-a possible
client Fred stepped hastily
forth.
! A lady stepped before him-a
Ill, gauut lady Of uncertain age,
h it was certain that she was
not very young. She vas richly
attired; there were solitaire dla-
monds in her ears, and one hand
from which she had drawn the
glove was loaded with sparkling
rings. Fred executed his mosl
profound salute.
Can serve you IN any way
madam ? he began.
She simpered d litt e, trying
hard 10 achieve a blush, but gave
it up at last. She sank ianguidl,
intp the cane-seated cilaii
which Fred produced, and began
| an Miss Stuart, Miss Ara
bella Stuart. You know the
place called the Elms? she added
abruptly
Fred bowed again.
The Elms! Who in that yicin.
lily did not know tie fines
htry seat in the whole com
lnity?
Z do, he returned dramatically
ld beginning to feel quite likt
le hero Of a romancethe ro
ence Of poor young man.
He had heard only a few days
efore that the Elms had beer
urchased BY a Miss Stuart
Tho was immensely wealthy
Iere was the heroine Of his no
panceal ready. She had delib
rately chosen him as her Law
er:: had walked into his Office
nd even Tow, sitting therequitl
Comfortable in his best chair
was going on with her story
the business which bad brough
!. -ker to Fred Darrow. atturliel
and counselor at law, as th
big black and gold sign swing
ing in front Of the office plainf.
indicated. Her business refer
red to some minor point in th
preparation Of the deed 10 th
Efms, a small affair which Sd
Wished ad diusted.
he was a stranger III t,.w,
bad selected his Office, sh
TENT on to say. with a snil
3ance into bis handsome fac
son bey small, gEeenisll gra
eyes. hecause She thought Ditl
row such aEetty ilaufe.
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