The Newark journal., 1909-02-12

] Of Investment But he did not permit the cares of business to interfere with | the remunerative labor of writing | checks His literary labors suffered somewhat from these encroachments. but still he contrived, with the invalu- | able aid of his pretty amanuensis, to get out his third novel by the end of the second year. Upon the day that it was finished, after signing the usual batch of checks made ready for him by her careful hand, he signed an ad- dftional one in blank-a most unwise thing to do-requesting her to make 1t out for specified sum to her own or der.
 Pray accept this, my dear" said he with an engaging smile "as a slight testimonial of my regard and appreci- ation"
 It may have been due to the fact that two very striking books by other | authors appeared at about the same time, or there may really have been, as the critical press insisted, falling off in his work from the old standard which had made him famous; but it is certain that his third novel fell rather flat, barely reaching a second edition in the first year. This, how ever, he accepted philosophically, say ing, Better luck next time" and went on writing checks with the same reck- less hand
 n-A ht iGn ha received a polite notice from the bank calling his attention to an overdraft which he was requested to make good. He went down to see about 1t, and found that six or eight hundred of his recent checks had been unprecedent- edly presented for payment quite ex- hausting the comfortable balance which he had left after his last pur- chase of bonds. This disconnected him a little. but he sold a few securi- ties and made the loss good. At the end of the month the balance which he had thus restored was again ex- hausted by an influx of cheeks which made a package so large that they had to be returned to him by express.
 On looking them over the same evening he discovered with dismay that among those of recent date were a good many earlier ones which bore upon their backs stains of the mucil- age by means of which they had been attached to the pages of autograph albums. Still he did not grasp the full consequences of his fall from popular ity. but met what he regarded as temnorary reverse with the nonchal- ance of a man of large resources.
 He began to notice, however, 2 change in the manner of the people at the bank which disconnected him, and the notices of oyerdrafts became at the same time more frequent and more peremptory. In response to these he sold by degrees all his seeuri- ties and finally his real estate and per sonal belongings, but still the flood of checks returned upon and absorbed the proceeds of his sales.
 The crisis came quickly. In answer to an ureent demand for funds he had sold his last remaining assets 10 the amount of some sS9,009, and had intrusted this sum to his typewriter to deposit it. She had hardly time to reach the bank when the cashier tele- phoned for more money.
 "But have just paid in nearly S90,- 000," gasped Ticklemore.
 "All checked out, came over the unsympathetic phone.
 Ticklemore fell back stunned in his office chair, where his typewriter found him ten minutes later.
 Well, Mary" he said feebly, "it'a all up"
 Not on your life" said Mary who though gifted in practical way, still lacked the higher culture.
 "Eh!" said Ticklemore, sitting up Was 1t false report, them"
 "No, she replied You're broke right enough; but after I had banked that ninety thou I filled out that blank check you gave ne, an put it in at the other window. So I'm it."
 Ticklemore gazed upon her with ad miratfon.
 Mary, will you marry me?' said he
 "Iu a minute!" she replied.