Year: 1875

In the summer Of 1916, or tHer'


about, wealthy merchant Of New Yor


took charge Of little boy who ha
been left an orphan. The parents |


the little boy bad been actors Of som
slight celebrity in the theatres Of th


United States; but dying within


short period Of each other. they left b.
hind them. in a state Of the complete.


destitutiou. three yeung children. Th


oldest of these was called Edgar Fl


was handsome boy about six years Q


age. with quick eye and an activ


spirit. and remarkably intelligsn


conntenance The merchant Of whom


we speak had known the parents of th'
child and out Of pity for its helpless.
ness be and his wife, who had beer
blessed with no children, adopted it as
their own,


How happily the ardent boy passed
his days in the house Of his benefactor
how be was beloved by those two child
ish people; how he became the fayorite
Of large circle; how. in the strength
Of his great affection. the merchant and
bis wife brought him to England. so
that noshipg might be wanted TO- make
him : gentleman as well in mind as in
person how he spent some four or FIVE
pleasant years under the care and teach
ing Of reverend gentleman near Lon
don; how he came back to the city Of
his birth to finish his education !; and
how he was generally looked upon As
the rich merchants heir. it would take
long to tell


But we would linger on this portion
of our story; fain dwell upon his pre-
eocious wit and aptness for learning; !;
fain would make much of his feats of
strength and agility-his ease and grace
on horseback, his dexterity in fence and
race and stream. and his success in all
that seemed to promise for him a bril-
liant career But the truth must Be
told, no matter how unwilling to the
teller. He was sent to the college Of |
amply provided with
money. In those days, dissipation |
among the stadents Of colleges was, nm
happily, but too common; and among
he most dissolute and extravsgant, the
Widest rufiers Of the town, the hardest
drinkers and most daring gamblers,
here was ever to be found one more
Wild and desperate than them all-and
hat one was Edgar. now good look
ng, free-hearted young fellow iof
eighteen. Friends advised with him,
md he made fair promises in plenty
utors demonstrated, and be declared
hat he would amend and win the high
'st honors yet; companions tempted
ind wine allured. and be embraced the
ilthy siren, and SO fell. Instead Of
omiDg home from the university With
lonors. he was summarily expelled
One would think that disgrace so
ublic would have broken his proud
pirit; but it did not. Because his
enefsctor refused to pay his gambling
ebts be contracted at college, the will i
Al young man wrote him o violent and I
busive letter, quilted his house. and j
BON after left his country with the .
vowed intention Of joining the Greeks, 2
ho were at that time in the midst of t
leir troubles with the Turks. He
ever reached his destination, and moth 8
q was known or heard Of him for





ore than a year. At last, however, b
was found, and in circumstances n
hieh left no doubt as to the manner in o
hich bis European experience had
zen bought One morning the Amer t,
IN minister ct st. Petersburg va, Fl
mmcned to save ceuntryman Of bis D
W from the penalties incurred through q
drunken debaueh. he came in time D
rescue the prodigal Edgar from Al
ison. and through his influence be p
is set at liberty and enabled to return Ii
the United States. nj
The first to greet him on bis landing T
g his old patron. the merchant, who "
. now alone in the world, for bis II
fe had died while Edgar was away. nc
It he took the wanderer to bis arms On
led him back to the quiet home he hi
Quilted SO ungraciously The on
estioD then arose as to what should We
dnna ,rxskk Al