The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-04

l4 Inv their grandeurs of logic. We know il em not only as being magnleenly aOsurd. but as living through long inter- vais of commonplace and very dull san ity.
 X NRs NICKLEBY s greatest regret MI af.er her husband died ruined, lV1 was that he never would take
 her advice, and that, in fact his thoughts invariably wandered whenever sic spoke to him.
 "I think I see him now!" Mrs. Nick l,by used to say, wiping her eyes. Look. ing at me while l was talking to nm of his affairs. as if his ideas were m a state of perfect congomeration! Any hcdy might have supposed that l. was eonfusing and misdirecting him. instead of making things plainer! Upon my word. they would! Poor poor dear! He never knew, until It was too late, what would have had him dol"
 This was very true. Indeed, the de- ceased gentleman had not arrived at the >nowledgo when he died Mrs. Nickleby remained to him, to his end, what she !, as to all her friends lady of ama2- ing poweff for giving advice that nobody could comprehend.
 Only in one unfortunate case did MT, NIekleby understand her advice and acf on it. It was when she counseled him to speculate a little. because so many people got wealthy on speculation, or, It any rate If they failed, it was clear how oasily they might have become rich.
 When ur. Nicltlebys speculations failed anl ruined hm, Mrs Nicklehy pointed sorrowfully, but ineXorably, to inc failure as the best possible proof that he hadn't taken her advice about t, for her al ice certainly had not been ta lose money. but to gain it. Mrs. NiclI'e- bv's remorseless logic gave MT. Nickleby d headache, from which Judging by the way he held his head whenever Mrs Nlckleby spoke 10 him, even to the hoGi of his dea;e) he never recovered.
 After MT. Nickleby gave life and Mrs Nickleby up together the good lady gathered the triaing sum that remained to hor after her creditors got through and travelled to London with her 19-year- cid son Nicholas and his sister Kate, td throw herself into the loving arms oi her husbands rich brother. MT. Ralph Nckleby.
 1nasmucll as Mrs. Nlckleby had never laid eyes on Mir. Ralph Nickleby in her life, and inasmuch as that gentleman never. had lndulged in any communica- ton with his brother since boyhood, Mrs Nickleby's intuition was her only war. rant for assuming that Mir. Ralph Nick leby had such an expensive possession as a pair of loving arms.
 As matter of fact, Mir Ralph Nickle- by's arms were loving only when they were exteaded to gather in money. As to his hearI there is every reason to be licve (with only the theories of anatomy 10 deny n that it was a cash box ol extra solid on.
 The cash box throbbed with stormy lage when his beloved kindred tumbed in on him. His first emotion was tc bundle them back again. His second vas 10 give Mrs. Nicltleby a residence it. a gen,col almshouse where he had in huence. Prudence restrained him. MT Nickleby was a mouey lender. dealing with aristocratie clients, and he decided with unwilling wrath, that it would tC wiser to provide for his relatives as promptly and economically as possible.
 He used his influence (AIr. Niel.leby had a great deal of secret influence wit! curious people) to obtain for Nicholas q position as tutor with Mir. Waekford Squeers, proprietor and principle ol Dotheboys Hall a seminary of refined learning together with elevated homo influences in Yorkshire. AIr. Squeer. contracted to pay his new assistant five pounds salary a year. besides endowing him with board and lodging and tn, society of lis family
 The Nicklebys were little inclined to cavil at the amount of the salary: lut MT. Nickleby appealed to Mrs Nickleby as woman of the world, a polite measure which set Mrs. Nickleby at once 70 reviewing all the affairs in her life and the life of her friends and remote dccuaintanoes that had gone wrong because her advice was not taken. Having concluded this retrospect, she pronounced herself as being of Mr Ralph Nicklebys opinion that the situs- ton presented a magnificent opening. whose possibilities could hardly be esti- mated.
 Her worldly shrewdness survived even her sight of MT. Squeers. MT. Squeers had only one eye, but it made up for its