Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-11-04
CHAPTER /.
Ruined.

knew it from a thousand signs, and to-
kens beside the remarkably distinct
utimOtion Of the calendar with its
twenty-ffth Of December in red let
.ers and its Christmas Day" in old
English Type.
Old men knew it, for they shook
their heads and grumbled at the cold
and the weather. Young men knew
it, and they smiled at forthcoming
evening parties and friendly suDDeTs.
Young women knew it, and Joined
the young men in anticipation Of balls
and other opportunities Of lOVe-mak-
ing; and the schoolbOys knew it, and
smacked their lips as dreams Of plum
pudding, pantomimes and Christmas
boxes disturbed the last few remain
ing days Of their school term.
Others knew it, to whom the aD-
preaching time Of merrymaking, Of
peace on earth and good will toward
men brought no visions Of happiness
and Joy to come. The poor shiVered
at the approach Of the jolly king and
remembered that for them there were
no plum-puddings, very little peace
and but the mockery Of good will.
Some others, high up in the social
scale, were as little pleased at the
proximity Of the season Of rejoicing.
For instance, let US avail ourselves
of the noyelist's precious privilege,
and, taking you, kind reader, with us,
enter unseen the library Of a grand
r09ugigT In Tln1oroViq
Though we had entered in the or
thOdOX and ordinary way, we should
have scarcely been heard, for wealth
had spurred luxury to it's utmost, and
the feet Of the happy mortaIs who
PASS the threshold of Sir Richard
Wildfangs town house, if they do not
tread on roses, Persian fashion, make
as little noise traversing the thickly
carpeted hall and stiIl more IuxurI-
Ously covered staircase.
FOOtmen, as silent as the statuary
which flank the painted walls, hover
to and fro, ready to do Sir Richard 8
will. GrOOms and cOachmen Iinger
with hands in their pockets, all on the
alert to saddle or harness for him, Sir
Richard WiIdfang's high-bred cattle.
The very air seems forced into this
special service, for it is perfJlmed by
the faintest eGIuVia or a Persian
scented lamp, which burns day and
night-its small flame shut from view
in the upper corridor.
From this and a hundred other signs
forced upon the notice Of the least OBJ
servant it might be presumed that
the owner Of all this wealth was
modern Sybarite, a vOluptuary, and a
lotus eater of the latest approved
fashion.
Let us look at him. We find that Sir
Richard is young, handsome-stay, is
there much of the beautiful in his
compact head, dark, thick hair and
expressive eyes? Is not the beard a |
tri1le too sleek, the hair a little too |
dark and the eyes somewhat more
restless and eyading than those feat,
ures should be to reach the standard
Of beauty?
1t is a mooted question. Some of
his friends said that Sir Richard was
others declared that his
face lacked frankness, and his ewes
especially, that bold, open look which
and English women prize :,
Sir Richard himself thought-ah!
there again, was there any man living
who knew exactly what Sir Richard
thought on the subject?
On many he said a great deal. In.
deed, Sir Richard, for a young man.
was wonderfully fluent and wordv.
bad fine phrases and a veneered elo-
luence ready on the shortest notice.
but perhaps those cynics were not far
wrong who declared that all Sir Rich
ards words were but decoy-ducks or
lest-sharers, used either to learn
other peoples thoughts or conceal his
own
Sir Richard came of an old family
Nildfang, the Merciless, came over
With William, the robber-and Sir
Richard added to his lineage a large
mount Of wealth-at least. so report
ays, and everybody knows that re-
'ort never preVaricates. He was the I
'Wner OF great merchantmen, the pro I
1cter OF gigantic monetary schemes,
he proprietor Of several snug things.
ach, so it was believed, worth for .
une in itself. His name was well
nown and respected On Change. and +
us mercantile honor irreproachable. {
u the honor which characterized his
TlVate life and pleasure, people never
roubled themselves to inquire. :
Sir Richard was young man. and
'ealthy, and that was enough for the
elgarvia mammas and their mar, '
lageable daughters also. Had they ,
inquired into Sir Richards life ten
to one they would have found s
blameless-rumOr seldom settled ,
aven or i'll luck as it is, on the head
" q prosperous man.
Sir Richard was an eminentlv Iib-
raj, benevolent, rtght-thinking gentle
nam said the world; and who, upon
Examining his bankers book, would ,
lave said otherwise?
Man has two characters" saws
Fallyrand, "the one he shows to his
friends and the other which he re-
serves for himself
Let US see Sir Richard in both
In the library, Or Sir Richards own
'Oon, as it was called, he himself was
always writing and reading There
was a goodly supply of books; there
we're maps on elaborate stands; there
we're screens to shut out the draught
and to shade the light. A fire burned