The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-03
alf-EAour Portraits of Dicens's Greatest Characte

ais vary smile, that hope waa gono
udoed.
Then, one morning. a boat came
Hannng UP the river, and a letter was
delivered 10 Mark. who had been wait
'ng since it's smoke hrst smudged tho
Sky far away. He ran to ChuzzlewIt
.ith it. They feared to open 1t at
jrst but Chuzzlewit faltered that It
seemed heavy.
y roll of bani1notes fell out when
as vontured 10 cut it open. Neither
eoald remember aftcrward what he
said Or did. They came to rnelr senses
oniy when they reached tho landing,
- which they had raced with ono ac-
ord. they could hardly catch enough
1rcath to ask the captain of the boat
'nen II would pass again on its jour
ney.
not return before ten or twelve days.
thcr packed their goods that very
night. When this stage OF excitement
was passed, each of them believed
t;hey found this out in talking OF 1t
a:;erwards> that he would surely die
before the boat returned
They lived, however. Tho boat re-
turned after the lapse OF three crawl
ing weeks. At SUNRISE on autumn
day they stood upon her deck. waving
their hands to thin figures on tho
bank.
"Ccurage." cried Martin to them
I'VE shall meat again"
"In the next world.' muttersd Mark,
below his brath. "'ro see EN- stand
ing there so quiet, is almost the worst
Of air.
They looked at one another as the
:cssel moved away, and then looked
backward at tho spot from which 1t
hurried fast The log house with tho
open door and dropping trees asound
1t; the stagnant morning mist and rad
sun, dimly seen beyond; the vapor
rising from land and river; how often
they returned TO It In dreams How
often il was happiness to wake and
find them Shadows that had vanishedi
Even Mark Taplcy was satisfied at
last. though he was not convinced, by
any means. that he could maintain his
joliity under really adverse circum-
stances. He was willing. however, to
resign himself. having had quite
enough of adventure. When the shores
Of England rose before them, his
greatest delight was that behind those
shores there was certain dear. sweot
creature who. as he ventured to sug-
Sest to his friend, looked on him with
n eye of-of-with what you may cnu
favorable sort of a eye. In fact"
"Bein swlndled." continued no. with
a beaming face, "beln' swlnd,ed all
dIOulu' uppaih <h'hci tSo W
my master, l abandons myself now til
despair. and 7 says: Let me do that
as has the least credit of all In II.
Let mo marry dear. swcot cre.ur az
is very fend o ne. me helm at the
same time very fond O. her. Lot mo
lead Il happy life"
So one stormy night, when Mrs. Li-
pin sat by harself In the Blue Dragon,
looking thoughtful, not to say sorrow-
full (probably on account OF the wealth.
err, traveller came In and said
srufly:
"A pint O. the best old beer here!"
He had some reason for belng gruff.
II he had walked through waterfall
OF ar uncommon kind that walked with
him and fell OH him for n whole day
he could not have been wetter than he
| was, though he was wrapped up to
| the ayes In coats and cloaks and had
| an oil-skin hat pulled down almost to
his nose Without removing his wrap
pings, he Erowled:
What do you cali this houso7 Not
| the Dragon. do your" S
Mrs. Lupin answered complaccntly
that II was that very beast
Then you've got n sort OF relation
o. mine here" said the concealed
traveller. a young man by tho name
o. Tapley." III
Mrs. Lupin found that the candle
iceueu GIG nHQ To TURN neg
back, before she could reply:
Nobody should bs made more well.
come a the Dragon. master. than any
one who brought me news of Mark.
But it's many and many long day
and month since he LEFT here" her
voice trembled. Her hand must have
done go. too. for she seemed unable to
trim the candle at all satisfactorily.
Where did he so. mn'am?" asked
the traveller In a softer
He went to America. How could
he ever go to American" she sobbed.
suddenly and quite openly. and moved
toward a chair.
The traveller stepped forward with
ono great stride and caught her in his
arms. and she cried out, gladly; tos
she knew him then!
Yes, l WIFI cried Mark "Anoth-
err one more twenty moro! You
didn't know me In that hat and ooatt
thought YOU would have known mo
anywhere! Ten more!''
so ] should havo known you, ff L
could have seen you!" cried Mrs. Lu-
pin, hreathlessiy. But l couldn't, and
you spoke so sruff! | didn't think yoM
could speak grnm to me. Mark. at
hrst coming hack."
Fifteen moro" said Mark TapIoy,
promptly. How handsome and how
young you look! six more! The last
half dozen warrt fair one and muss
be done over again! Lord bless you.
what treat it is to sac you! Ono
more! Well, ] never was 80 Jolly.
Just few more, on account O. there
not being any credit in III"
When Mr. Tapley stopped th.se cal
culations In simple addition, 10 I'D
II not because he was at all tired of
the exercise. but becaus> he was out
OF breath.