Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-02-04

Algernon, l am forced to admire your honesty in at once
apprising my poor girl of your changed position and the
correct and sensible view you take of the situation. To
marry upon nothing a year would be absurd and 1t would
take you years to retrieve your fortune. My daughter
quite agrees with me in believing that when poverty
walks in at the door love flies out at the window. You
must not imagine from this that Lucy is not deeply
moved and ~dreadfully upset. She extends to you all her
heartfelt sympathy! She would write to you herself but
she is on the very verge of a breakdown and the neces-
sity to entertain her guests forces her to present a brave
front to the world!-and since the engagement has to be
broken off it is better to do it now and at once, rather
than to prolong the suffering by senseless shilly-shallying.
Judging by your own most sensible letter, l have every
reason to believe that you will coincide with me in this.
With sincere regard from us both and every expression Of
good will and sympathy, believe me to be, dear Sir Alger-
non, Yours faithfully,
Anita Turnival Newman"
"P. ST. think it would be better for us not to come
to your dinner this evening, so will you please accept our
thanks and regrets?'
l don't believe i'll can't believe it-Lucy-to throw
me over like that! Lucy, a heartless woman Of
the world! Lucy to love,-to pretend to love me
for my income! No, I'll not believe it! If my faith in
her is lost there is indeed nothing left.
oh, one from B~obbie-(opens letter.:
lawfully sorry, old chappie, it's a damned shame!
Wish I could help you! Was just coming over to ask
you for a pony. I'm stony broke. Can't come to dinner
Wish I ~could!-Governor stormy! Swore like a trooper!'
Says he disowns you. The Newmans have corralled me
for dinner. If you want to get rid of your nags | think l
can make a trade. Keep your hair on-youre not the
first codger that has come to grief. Speculation's the
devil, but I never thought you were a p~lunger?-Heres
how! Bobbie."
Speculation! Plunger! Very soon they'll accuse me
of robbing a bank! And shortly they'll have me arrested
for murder! What was that game we used to play?
You place a lot of people in a line and you say something
innocent to the party at one end, and by the time it's
been passed to the other end it isn't fit for publication.
So that's what they've told Lucy. Plunger! No wonder
she doesn't want to marry an idiot. (Sits down. Writes):
my Dear Mr.. Poynter-Bad news travels fast and
therefore no doubt you have heard by now Of the serious
financial loss | have sustained. I am In immediate need
of q won't ask for a thou this time, only enough to save
Harry, Of 2600, and l venture to ask you if you will
assist me? If yes, will you please send me your cheque
by bearer? l should not write If l had not known you
all my life as an old and valued friend of my father and
OF, yours very truly, and with many thinks in advance,
Algernon Alwyn.'
Reply from DR.. Penryck? Reads):
"The Rectory, Tuesday.
This is no time, my poor boy, to preach a homily or to
point a lesson. BY now, l imagine, your spirit is sufficient
ly chastened not to need from my lips any word of re-
proof, reproach, criticism or condemnation. Your money
was your own, but | must say that If my beloved friends
fortune was to be scattered to the four winds in SO brief
a space of time, l would have prayed heaven to direct
its flow into a course more worthy of his hallowed mem
ory! Think, too, what suffering you entail on him who
has known and loved you since you were an infant; who
held you in these old arms and whose now palsied fingers
first guided your baby eyes across the animal alphabet!
I can not feel that I am to blame. Had you listened to
my precepts early in life and later benefited by my coun-
oSl, d you dhS III GNVdHldBe VI my sui more recent
after-dinner talks, when, with a light and playful touch
| none the less earnestly endeavored to SOW in your mind
the seeds of wisdom, you would not now be seated upon
the stool Of repentance, contemplating the crumbling
ruins of an erstwh1e regal fortune!77Alas, your life at
Oxford was but the prelude to your present fall:-Let
him that Is without sin cast the first stone, but still I
must decline to become particeps criminis by lending you
money. No, it may be that what appears to be now a
great afliction may become the cornerstone of your sal
walton! Perhaps, my dear Algernon, the loss of your
wealth may make a man of you. Take your knapsack
and your wanderstaff and sail for America!-Would
| were young enough to accompany you! Heaven forbid
that l should deny you consolation or advice, and | will
come at eight and take a parting glass with you and wish
you godspeed and a better life!
"Your true friend,
Parsifal Penryck."
"a knock at the door. He goes to door-comes down
with letter.:
Wait a minute, Fraser "opens the letter.. To be sure:
Dear Sir: l am in receipt Of your favor of this
date. I shall be happy to advance the amount named
providing the collateral or security you propose to offer
is frst-class. / regret to say an important business en-
-gagement will prevent me from accepting your invita-.
tion to dinner this evening. Yours faithfully,
Guillaume Perseverance POINTER"
Wait a minute, ~Fraser,-(writes rapidly:
Dear Hahn sending William with the dog cart
for you. Leave a note for Messrs. Rock and Sharper to
come en- here after dinner and I'll satisfy them. / en-.
close a line for them. Don't fail to be here by eight
O'Clock for dinner.
"Your Algie."
So! And
"Sir Algernon Alwyn presents his compliments to Lord
Rock and Sir Winslow Sharper, and he will be glad to
see them at Alwyn Hall this evening when he will satisfy
any claims against his brother to the full extent Of his,
Sir Algernons, fortune"
Things are about as black as they can be-and 1 don't