Year: 1871




ward the wharf and to keep straight on
from the end of the pier, but for the sight
OF couple slowly walking up the street.
One was my solitary female au spectator,
and the other demon in velvet coat and
wideawake.


When I reached my room again, the
volume was gone, and must be paid for if
not recovered; it was one of a set, but that
was trifle compared with the fact that
my bill, my counterfeit, was deposit.


My friend the crier was good-natured,
however, and agreed to call in the morn
ing. Moreover, it served me as an excuse
for not settling that night, that must re-
turn the book or know what it would cost
me. Besides, he was secure that / could
no more leave this island than Robinson
Crusoe could leave his.


sat down on the hotel balcony, in utter
despair. From the parlor came murmur
of low voiced conversation, and / fancied
that the tones were those of a woman and
serpent, that is, a painter, but | cared
not. What was l to do? My bill at the
hotel; my afternoons bad luck, twenty
three dollars; my evenings failure, say
twenty more; my fare to Boston, where l
must be by the next evening. 1t may seem
a light matter, but to an inexperienced lad
Of nineteen it was no joke.


While sat there, absorbed in my trou-
Bile, hand was laid upon my shoulder
which made me look up. 1t was Fred.
P. "See here, my boy, I've been
looking for you all the evening. Here's
Minnie says she must go tomorrow,
and-I don't like to trouble you,
but she wants enough for her fare
to Boston, and I've lost my wallet to-day,
believe; can't find it anywhere. Let
me have that twenty paid for the boat
j - &z ely f,N-
it, as I supposed it might not be convent
ent till you got home, but can't help
myself" Here was a new complication.
We had gone on fishing party together,
and Fred had paid the bill; but | had
undertaken to get the other fellows
shares and had done so. / had handed it
all to Fred's room mate and college chum,
who had since left the island. 1t was evil
dent that Cunningham had forgotten to
pay Fred. They were of course intimate
| friends, and was comparatively stranger,
who had been kindly taken up by them.
I felt awfully, for l hardly knew how to
make the truth appear. Suppose Gun
ningham a rich and careless young fellow,
of sorts too over something, for he was
usually very even tempered. When l
said, II must have paid it," I could not
for the moment remember that | had done
SO. He said roughly, 90 bother, no;
could not have had the money; besides,
Cunningham would have told me, and he
never said word, only that I'd better get
it before you spent all your money"


"Mr. P" said 1, az will go up to
your room and arrange with you; we will
not dispute here on the steps"


Fred led the way, muttering something
about "snobs picked up at water-places,"
which made me furious. When we got to
his chamber was so angry that / forgot
all about my bill deposited at the library,
and pulled out my porte na0nnoae; and by
the time he got the gas lit l was opening
it, and feeling in the secret pocket. There
was the bill, twenty dollars, and slapped
it down on the table, saying, GAS am to
pay this twice over, I'll trouble you 10
! leave a receipt at the Office for me to-
morrow morning. Idon't wish to pay the
third time? And then l went off to my
room raging. When cooled off little,
it came to me that had passed off bad
bill on Fred P, but to that l answered
nv conscience that it was for an unjust
claim. at any rate l was quite ready to
go to Jail or anywhere else, and went to
sleep thinking of an odd story had heard,
in consequence of which dreamed that
was sent to the Nantucket prison for pass
ing counterfeit money, and that every
night was in the habit of slipping out of
my cell and prowling round the streets.
Then was giving reading to crowded
house, but the books were all wrong.
Whatever took up turned to dictionary
or spelling book. Then / woke up and
thought over two plans, one of which was
to go off to sea in a whaler from New Bed
ford, the other was to get Fred to have
me arrested for passing the counterfeit bill
on him and sent to Boston for trial. Once
there, l could get some one to help me.
In the midst of working out these plans to
a grand and triumphant tableau | got to
sleep again, and this time dreamed that l
was being marched up State street in
chains, and that / was stopped at each cor
ner and rearrested on new charge, when
was really awakened by strange man
in my room, who was shaking me oy the
shoulder. My first thought was, at has
come now, and I'm glad of it." 1t was the
matchmaker. "Ive come round to see
thee" he began, "to look at thy watch
once more. I've thought thee might be
wanting money good deal, and l don't
mind letting thee have twenty dollars, if
thee thinks thee can pay me in week or
so. I guess thee's pretty honest as folks
CO."


Twas Just putting the watch into his
hands, when the door opened again, and
in came Apollyon, mean the artist.


"My dear young friend," he began,
"what is all this about broken buggy ?
I've Just seen the stable fellow hanging
round here, and of course you are not to
pay sixpence for the team or for the dam
age. / am afraid / was little careless in
letting your horse get away-in fact,
II-well-I wanted-it was of the ut
most importance for me to have an un-
interrupted talk with Miss-with Miss
p. Two years ago we were engaged.
1t was broken off by a most unlucky
chance. and I have never had 1t In my
power to explain matters till yesterday.
S,the stable bill, which shall cut down
considerably, is my business. For the
other matter, | owe you an apology,which
tender now"


but the artist, noticing my Quaker friend
for the first time drew himself up with
mock solemn ty, and added, eff you de-
mand further satisfaction, there will be
coffee for two down stairs in about ten
minutes, and friend of mine will be glad
to see YOU" And out he went


l hsd Just exchanged my watch for the
good Ouakers bill, and he had departed,
when Fred bounced in, blushing up to his
eyes.


az say, old fellow" was his greeting, i
behaved abominably last nlgnt- Inns
morning found my money, you know
left it in my pantaloons pocket when l
changed to go sharking. There was more
than l cared to lose; and then was
awfully mad about Minnie, seeing that
artist fellow with her; but he came up 10
my room last night and it is all right
tell you some day. And l found letter
on my table from Cunningham, when l
; ought to have had three days ago, telling
f me about that boat money; you dta pay
twice, and here it is back, the Dill you
gave me. And beg your pardon, heaps:
don't know what 1 said as we shook
, hands, but l certainly felt on good terms
, with all creation, and all the more as FREQ
i added, "Here's book, by the way,
found in your room when went 10 IooS =,
? for you-where were you, by the way, al
the evening ?-and took up to my room IG
/ read. luckily saw it this morning, ano
.,,x,ro-o ,,o,,d 1;La to carry IL hack 10 the