The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-08-29
HIS CONFIDENCE
CAME LATE.



N, retired. sixty-three years old, mar
tinet. bachelor, woman hater and va
rious other titles, sat at his breakfast |
! in the Army and Navy club. He was
| thinking of a large sum Of money he
had won the night before of young I
Lester sheldon and that he would use
| 1t to run across the big pond" and
see Paris in June. As he was rinslng
his fingers in cut glass bowl, prepar-
atory to leaving the table, waiter
stepped up to him and announced that
lady wished to see him in the recep-
ton room"
"a lady! To see mel In the recep-
/ ton room! Great Scottl Isn't man
safe even in his clubY'
1T isn't usual, sir, but it's an hour
S(hen few members are present. and.
/ she begged SO hard that the steward
4 told the doorkeeper to admit her."
The admiral had just enough curios-
fly to go to the reception room and
learn the reason for the call. He found |
very pretty young woman In widows
cap. whose eyes were dimmed with
tears.
j "Oh, admiral" she gasped, tell me,
have you parted with the notes?'
"What notes :"
"That you won from my brother last
night"
"Your brotherr
eyes; Lester = my brother - Lester
Sheldon"
whats that to you, MADAME
"Oh, admiral, I've heard Of your
honorable nature and kind heart"
"Bosh! Speak out"
my brother IL In great distress.
have Just prevented him taking his
life. He is cashier at his place Of busi-
ness Lately he has been gambling.
The notes you won he took from his
I cash at the Office. After leaving you
} he had one note left and this morning
noticed that It was marked"
For heavens sake. this Is a pretty
9 mess for me to be mixed up in!''
: "Oh. it's all right II you still have
! the notes."
II have Them"
How fortunatey And relieved
smile came over the sad face like q
e food Of sunlight from behind cloud.
J. II viii take them and give you my
check for them"
"But, my dear lady, l didn't win the
money from you. can't take your
check. But will give you the notes :
- "Now, don't spoil everything. can
only handle Lester by assuring him
!. that the notes have been taken up
y with my check and only you and
= and he know of the transaction. It's
- nothing to me. assure you. l have m
income of $4,000 year. I've helped
!. Lester out of many scrape. l only
: hope I'll live to keep something dread
a full from happening to him."
" Meanwhile she had gone to tabl'
J. covered with writing materials. filed I
n n blank check she took from her card
8. case and at the last words handed l
to the admiral.
"But, my dear madam, consider m,
position. /, an admiral in the Unite,
States navy, to take money from
woman! Suppose it should get outP'
my dear admiral, how is 1t to &c
s. out? Will Lester tell? VIII I tell
Only you remain"
M "And you think it best for me to-
re the bills. Lester is suspected and ma
\" have to turn over his accounts as 500
as he Appears at the office. He is wal
es- ing for me. Do let me gov'
This was too much for the admira
re-, He took the notes from his pocketboo
and handed them to the lady. Sh
rg dropped the check into the same r.
ceptacle, rubbing her soft hand againl
= his as she did SO and looking up wit
90 an exuberance of gratitude out Of be
soft eyes. Then she ran away hu
re-, riedly.
"Well, now" remarked the admir-,
rty to himself, "if / could find a woma
like that / wouldn't be woman hate
ftv TO think what she's doing for tn,
scapegrace brother! Most women al
. sorb money instead of spending 1t
y that way"
= He was in no hurry to deposit IL
ISL check. Indeed, he was thinking OF
Isl bit Of self sacrifice he might mai
has that possibly would effect romano
its In his old age-a romance that woul
free him from depending on club II
- home. He fancied himself tearin
up the check or burning 1t, as the lea,
'er- ing gentleman In play would do, an
KY a certain lady falling into his ow
in arms.
So The same evening be was sitting
,ul his club looking over paper whe
nth who should saunter In but Lest
Sheldon.
Hello, admiral" he said cheeril
I'm going for you tonight. I'll tai
nay all you won from me last night ar
are more too"
Of The admiral looked at him, asto
ished.