Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1922-12-28
LOVES NEW AND OLD
GO. 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.)
BY n. IRVING KING


Marietta, Dick had to give her birth
day present. That was manifest des-
tiny, and Dick did not seek to escape
destiny, but %to fulfill it. But how?
That was the question. For Richard
Jameson was about as near stone
broke as he could be and not be abso-
lutely so, and Marietta Davis was not
a young lady to whom one would want
to give any very cheap-lOOking pres
ent.
Nothing that Richard Jameson
tackled seemed to turn out a success.
And now he was twentyseyen years
old, out of job and practically broke,
while Marietta, to whom he had been
engaged for three years, was living in
luxury with her rich aunt. This aunt
had brought her up, having taken her
upon the death of her parents.
That the much-sought Marietta was
really in love with Dick was
proved by the fact that she was
content to wait till the clouds
rolled by. SO the approach Of
just five dollars in his pocket and
board bill due. Dick took account of
stock. In the course of his varied
career he had not been unacquainted
with the pawnbroker, and fate seemed
to point again to the three gilded pills,
those armorial bearings Of the De
Medici, which signify the same thing
today on the front of Uncle Simpsons
shop in Chatham Square that they did
when they blazed on the front of the
Florentine palace of Lorenzo the
Magnificent! Money to loan-if you've
got the collateral.
For collateral Dick selected an an
cient watch, very warming-pan of a
watch, with gold enough in it to salt
a mine. 1t had belonged to his grand
father. After some haggling Dick got
on the watch nearly half what it was
worth-enough to buy for Marietta a
modest but presentable souvenir Of
her natal day. Marietta, Of course, ex-
pressed delight at the beautiful pres
ent, which was just what she wanted"
kissed the present, also kissed Dick
and mildly reproved him for his sex
travagance."
Dick had gone directly from the
pawnshop to the purchase of his pres
ent, and from the purchase of his
present directly to Marietta's and
thence directly home. Arriving at his
lodgings he took off his overcoat and,
remembering, felt in the pockets for
his pawnticket. Horrors 1t was
gone!
He searched the pockets Of every
pocket-bearing garment he had on.
No use. 'Let her go!" exclaimed Dick,
but what's the odds! He savagely
caught up his mail, which his land
lady was accustomed to leave lying
on little table in his room One en-
velope, bearing in it's upper left-hand
corner firm name we'll known to him,
caught his eye. He tore it open eager
ly and read the inclOSed letter almost
at glance.
When Dick called at Marietta's the
next evening there appeared to him
not Marietta but her aunt, Miss Maria
Dawkins
Marietta will be down presently"
said Aunt Maria. Lets see; we will
give her just ten minutes" And to
Dicks horror and amazement the old
lady pulled from the belt of her black
silk dress Dicks grandfather's huge
gold watch and consulted it. AS the
young man sat petrified, with his gaze
fixed upon the golden warming-pan
Aunt Maria laughed.
eyes" she said, II found the pawn
ticket on the hall floor after you had
gone It must have dropped out Of
your pocket when you pulled out Mari
etta's present. I understood what had
happened. Oh, you faithful but i'm
pecunious swain! Then I got the
watch out Of pawn the first thing this
morning. And I recognized it as soon
as I set eyes on It, l should have
known that watch anywhere, even If
Josiah Westcott's name hadn't been
engraved On the inside Of the case.
Yes, this was your maternal grand
fathers watch, and If Josiah WestcOtt
hadn't seen fit to marry your grand
mother perhaps he might have mar
ried me. But 1t wasn't to be; and
here I am still single at-never mind
what age. It's none of your business
how old am. So I'll just keep this
watch and you can have Marietta in
stead. If you haven't got money
enough to take care of her I have
enough to take care of you both.
Come, speak up; is it trader
cts swap, Aunt Maria," cried
Dick joyfully, land here's my hand
on it. But just look here" and he
handed her the letter which had
caused him so much thought the night
before 1t was from a Western land
company, Of which Dick had once
been manager and in which ne held
some little stock-a company which
had got into litigation and into the
hands of receiver. But now, Dick
sx>fa h. -