Weekly commercial herald., November 27, 1885, Image 2

About Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??

Image provided by: Mississippi Department of Archives and History

                
LUCK AT UST.
BY WALT Ell BES.VXT.
Cuotinaed rm Sunday, October is
"A prosecution," said tb Hindoo, "will
sot bur: him, but it might hurt you. For it
would show bow you lent bim filty pounds
five yean ago; how you niado hitn give you
a bill for a hundred; how you did not pre
him to pay that bill, but you continually ot
tered to renew It for bim, increasing the
amount on each lima of renewal; and at
last you made huu give you a bill of sale
for tares hundred and fifty. ThH is, I "op
pose, one of the many ways in which Eng
lisbme.i grow rick There are also usurers
In India, but they do not, In my country,
call themselves lawyer. A prosecution!
My friend, it is for us to prosecute. Shall
we ahow that you have done the ami thing
with many others? You are, by this time,
well known in the neighborhood, Mr.
Chalker, and you are so much beloved that
there are many who would be delighted to
relate their experiences and dealings with
to clever a man. Have you ever studied,
one asks with wonder, the precepts of the
great Sage who founded your religior.1"
"Oh, come, don't let us have any religious
nonsente!"
. "I assure you they are worth studying. I
m, myself, an humble follower of Gau
tama, but I have read thosa precepts with
profit. In the kingdom imagined by that
preacher, there is no room for usurers, Mr.
Chalker. Where, then, will be your king
dom? Every man mutt be somewhere. You
must have a kingdom and a king."
"This is tomfoolery 1" Mr. Chalker turned
red, and looked very uncomfortable. "Stick
to business. Payment .in full. Those are
my terms."
"You think, then, that the precepts of
your sage are only intended for men while
they sit in the church? Many Englishmen
think so, I have observed."
"Payment in full, mistar. That's what I
want"
t He banged hii fist on the table.
"No abatement! No mercy shown to an
old man on the edge of the grave! Think,
Mr. Chalker. You will soon be as old as
Mr. Emblem, your hair as white, your rea
son as unsteady"
"Payment in full, and no more words."
"It is well. Then, Mr. Chalker, I nave
another proposal to make to you."
"I thought we should come to something
more. Out with it"
"I believe you are a friend of Mr. Em
blem's grandson?"
"Joe! Oh, yes, I know Joe."
"You know bim intimately!"
. "Yes, I may say so."
"You know that ha forged his grand
father's name; that he is a profligate and a
spendthrilt and that he has taken o.' bor
rowed from his grandfather whatever money
he cculd get, and that in short, he is a
friend of your own?"
It was not until after bis visitor bad gona
that Mr. Chalker understood, and began to
resent this last observation.
f"Go on," be sail. "I know all about
Joe."
"Good. Then if you can toll me anything
about bim which may be of usa to me I will
do this. I will pay you double the valua
tion of Mr. Emblem's shop, in return for a
receipt in full If you cannot, you may
proceed to sell everything by auctioa"
Mr. Chalker hesitated. A valuation would
certainly give a higher figure than a forced
sale, and then that valuation doubled!
"Well," he said, "I don't know. It's a
cruel, hard case to be done out of my money.
How am I to find out whether anything I
tell you would be of use to you or not!
What kind of thing do you want! How do
I know that if you get what you want you
won't swear it is ot no use to you!"
"You have tiie word of one who never
broke bis word."
Mr. Chalker luuglied derisively.
"Why," be said, "I wouldn't take the
word of an English bishop no, nor of an
archbishop where money is concerned.
"What is it what is the kind of thing you
want to know!"
"It is concerned with a certain woman."
"Oh, well, if it is only a woman. I thought
'It might be something about money. Joe,
you see, like a good many other peoplo, has
got his own ideas about money, end perhaps
he isn't so strict in his dealings as he might
be few men are and I should not like to
let out one or two things that only him and
me know." In fact, Mr. Chalker saw, in
imagination, the burly form of Joe in his
office, braudishing a stick and accusing him
of friendship's trust betrayod. "But as it is
only a woman which of 'em is it!"
" This is a young woman, said to be hand
some, tall, and finely-made; she has, I am
told, light brown hair and large eyes. That
is the description of her given to me."
" I know the girl you mean. Splendid
figure, and goes well in tights !"
" I have not been informed on that sub
ject. Can you tell me any more about
her!"
"I suspect, mister," said Joe's friend,
with cunning eyes, "that you've made the
acquaintance of a certain widow that was
married woman that is. I remember now,
I've seen Hindoos about her lodgings, down
Shadwell way."
' Perhaps," said ILala, " and perhaps
not" His face showed not the least ign
which conld be read. ' You can tell me
afterwards what you know of, the woman at
Shadwell."
" Well, then, Joe thinks know nothing
about it Else I wouldn't tell you. Be
cause I don't want a fight with Joe. Is this
any uw to you? He is married to the girl
-as well as to the widow."
"He is married to tin girl as well as to the
widow. He has, then, two wives. It is
against the English custom, and breaks the
English .aw. The young wife who is beau
tiful, and the old wile who has the lodging
house. Very good. What is the address of
this woman?"
Mr. Chalker looked puzzled.
"Don't you know it, then? What are you
driving at?"
"Wliat is the nap. e and address of this
Shadwell woman?"
'Well, then" he vrote an address and
banded it over "jn maybe as close as
you like. 1 don't care. It isn't my business.
But you won't make me believe you don't
know all about her. Look here, whatever
happens, don't say I told you."
"It shall be a secret," said Lala, taking
out the bag of notes. "Let us complete the
business at once, Mr. Chalker. Here is an
other offer. I will give you two hundred
pounds in discharge of your whole claim, or
you shall have a valuation mado, if you pre
fer it, and I will double the amount"
Mr. Chalker chose the former promptly,
and in a few moments handed over the ne
cessary receipts, and sent his clerk to recall
the man in possession.
"What are you going to do with Joe?" he
asked. "No good turn, I'll swear. And a
more unforgiving face than yours I never
get eyes on.. It isn't my business, but III
give you one warning. If you make Joe
desperate he'll turn on you; and Lord help
your slender ribs if Joe once begins. Don t
make him desperate. And now I'll tell you
another thing. First, the woman at Shad
well is horribly jealous. She'll make a row.
Next, the young one, who sings at a musio
bail, she's desperate! In lore with nr nu.
I"!
Iii
and more than he is with her and if a
wmian's in love with a man, there's one
hin; she never forgives. You understand
wimtthatjs! Between the pair Joe's likely
to have a rough time."
"1 do. I have had many wives my-
elf." I
1 "Oh, Lord, he says he has bad many j
wives! How manyT
Lala Roy read the receipt and put it in
his pocket Then he rose and remarked, -with
a smile of supreinj superiority ;
; "It is a pleasure to give money to you, j
! and to such as you, Mr. Chalker." j
! "Is ilf" he replied, with a grin. "Give me ;
I seme more, then." I
"You ire one nf those who. the richer they ;
become, the less harm they da Many Eiij
lishmenaraof this disposition. When they j
are poor they are jackals, hyenas, wly ;
and man-eating tigers; when they are rich ;
they are benevolent and charitable, and ;
show mercy unto the wretched and the poor, j
So that, in their case, the words ot the Wi i
Man are naujht, when be says that the
earth is barren of good thinics where, sh
hoardeth treasure; and that where gold ia i
hr bowels no herb groweto. Pray, Mr.
Chalker, pray earnestly for gold ut ..rdor ,
that you may become virtuous."- i
Mr. Chalker grinned, but looked umcouk j
fortabls. j
'! will, mister," he said: "I will pray with j
all my might." I
Nevertheless, he remain! for the space of
the whole moruing in uneasiness. Tho-words
of the Philosopher troubled him. I do uot ;
go so far as to say that his mind went back i
to the davs when he was voting and innocent. I
because he wasstill young. and he uever had
been innocent; nor do 1 say that a tear rosa
to his eyes and trickled down his cheek, be
causa nothing brought tears into his eyes
except a speck of dust; or that he resolved
to confine himself for the future to legiti
mate lawyer's work, because he w iuld then
have starved. I only say that hi felt un
comfortable and humiliated, and chiefly so
because an old man with white flair and a
brown skin hang it! a commoa Nigger
had been able to bring discord t-ito the sweet
harmony of his thoughts.
Lala Roy then betook himself to Joe's for
mer lodgings, and asked for that gentle
man's present address.
The landlady professed to know nothing.
"You do know, however," he persisted,
reading knowledge in her eyes.
"Is it trouble you mean for him?" asked
the woman, "and him such a fine, well set
up young man, tool Is it trouble? Oh,
dear, 1 always thought he got his money on
the cross. Look here, I ain't going to
round on him, though he has gone away and
loft a comfortable room. So there I And
you may go."
Lala Roy opened bis hand. There were
at least five golden sovereigns glorifying his
dingy palm.
"Can gold," the moralist asked, "ever in
crease the virtue of man! Woman, how
much?"
"Is it trouble!" she repeated, looking
greedily at the money. "Will the young
man get copped?"
Lala understood no London slang. But
he showed his hand again.
" How much ! W hoso is covetous let
him know that bis heart is poor. How
much?"
" Poor young man! I'll take them all,
please, sir. What's he done!"
" Where does he live?'
" I know where he lives," she said, " be
cause our Bill rode away with him at the
back of his cab, and saw where he got
out He's married now, and his wife sings
at the Musio Hall, and he lives on her
oarnings. Quite the gentleman he is now,
and smokes cigars all day long. There's
his address, and thank you for the money.
Oh," she said with a gasp. " To think that
psople can earn five pounds so easy."
" May the gold procure you happiness
such happiness as you desire!" said Lala
Roy.
"It will nearly pay the quarter's rent.
And that's about happiness enough for one
morning."
Joe was sitting in his room alone, half
asleep. I fact, he had a head upon him.
He spram to his feet, however, whon he
iw Lp.la Roy.
"Hallo!" he cried. "You here, Nig!
How the devil did you find out my address?"
There was not only astonishment, but
some alarm upon his countenance.
"Never mind. I want a little conversa
tion with you, Mr. Joseph."
"Well, sit down and let us have it out I
say, have you come to tell me that you did
sneak thosa papers, after all! What did you
get for them?"
"I have not come to tell you that. I dare
say, l:o arever, we shall be able, some day, to
toil you who did steal the papers if any
were stolen, that is."
'Quite so, my jolly mariner. If any wore
stolen. Ho, ho! you've got to prove that
first, haven't you? How's the old man?"
"He is ill; he is feeble with ago; he is
weighed down with misfortune. I am come,
Mr. Joseph, to ask your help for him."
"My help for mm! Why, can t he help
himielf?"
"Four or five years ago he incurred a debt
for one who forged his name. He needed
not to have paid that money, but he saved a
man from prison."
"Who was that! Who forged his name?"
"I do not name that man, whose end will
be confusion, unless he repent and make
amends. This debt has grown until it is too
large fir bim to pay it Unless it is paid,
his whole property, his very means of living,
will be sold by the creditor."
"How can I pay him back? It is three
hundred and fifty pounds now," said Jo
seph. "Man, thou hast named thyself."
Joseph stammered but blustered still
"Well then what the devil do you
mean you and your forgery?"
"Forgery is one prime; you have since
committed, perhaps, others. Think. You
have been saved once from prison. Will
anyone save you a second time? How have
you shown your gratitude? Will you now
do something for your benefactor?"
"What do you mean, I say? What do you
mean with your forgery and prison? Hang
me, if I oughtn't to kick you out of the room.
I would, too, if you were ten years younser.'
Do you know, sir, that you are addressing
an officer and a gentleman r
"There is sometimes, even at the very end,
a door opened for repentance. The door is
open now. Young man, once moro, consider.
Your grandfather is old and destitute. Will
you help him?"
Joseph hesitated.
"I don't believe he is poor. He has saved
up all his money for the girl; let her help
him."
"You are wrong. He has saved nothing.
His granddaughter maintains hersalf by
teaching. Ho has not a penny. You have
got from him and you have spent all the
money he had."
"He ought to have saved."
"He could, at least, have lived by his call
ing but for you and for this debt which was
incurred for you. He is ruined by it What
will you do for him?"
"I am not going to do anything for him,"
said Joseph. "Is it likaly? Did he ever
have anything but a scowl for me?"
"He who injures another is always in th
'wroug. You will, then, do nothing? Think.
It is the open door. He is your grandfather;
he bas kept you from starvation when you
were turned out of office for drink and dis
honesty. I bear that you now have money.
I have been told that you have been seen to
show a large sum of money. Will you give
him some?"
As a matter of fact Joe had been the night
before having a festive evening at the Musio
Hall, from which his wife was absent, owing
to temporary indisposition. While there he
took so much Scotch whisky and water that
his tongue was loosened, and he became
boastful, and that to so foolish an extent
that he actually brandished In the eyesof the
multitude a whole handful of bank notes,
He now remembered this, and was greatly
strut k by the curious fact that Lala Roy
should seem to know it
"I haven't got any money. It was all
brag last night I couldn't help my grand
father if 1 wanted to."
"You have what is left of three hundred
pounds," said Lala Roy.
"If I said that last night" replied Joe,
"I must have been drunker than I thought
"If I said that last night." replied Joe, "1
must have been drunker than I thought."
You old fool I the flimsies were duffers.
Where do you think I could raise three hun
dred pounds? No, no I'm sorry for the old
man, but I can't help him. I'm going to sea
again in a day or two. We jolly sailors
don't make much money, tut if a pound or
two, when I come home, will be of any use
to him, he's only got to say the word. After
all, I believe it's a kid got up between you.
The old man must havesaved something."
"You will suffer him, then, even to be
taken to the workhouse?"
"Why, I can't help it, and I supposa you'll
have to go there too. Ho, ho! I say, Nig!"
He began to laugh. "Ho, hoi They won't
let you wear that old fez of yours at the
workhouse. How beautiful you'll look in
the workhouse uniform, won'tyou? I'll come
home and bring you some baccy. Now you
can cheese it, old 'u.L "
"I will go, if that is what you mean. It
is the last time that you will be asked to
help your grandfather. The door is closed.
You have had one more chance, and you
have thrown it away."
So he departed, and Joe. who was of a
self-reliant and sanguine disposition, thought
nothing of the warning, which was there
fore thrown away and wasted.
As for Lala ba called a cab and drove to
Shadwell. Anil if any man ever felt that
he was an instrument set apart to carry out
a scheme of vengeance that Hindoo philoso
pher felt like one. Tlio Count of Monte
Cristo hinise.'f was not more filled with
the faith and conviction of his divine ob
ligation. In the afternoon he returned to Chelsea,
and parhaj.s one who knew him might
have remarked upon his face something like
a gleam of satisfaction. Ho had done his
duty.
It was bow five day3 since the fatal dis
covery. Mr. Emblem still remained up
stairs in his choir; but he was slowly recov
ering. He clearly remembered that he
had been robbed, and the principal sign
of the shock was his firm conviction that
by his own exercise of memory Iris had
been enabled to enter into possession of her
own.
As regards the bill of sale, he had clean
forgotten it. Now, in the morning, there
happened a thing which surprised James
very much. The man in possession was
reca'led. He went away. So that the money
must have been paid. James was so aston
ished that he ran up stairs to tell Iris.
"Then," said the girl, "we shall not be I
turned out after olL But who has paid the j
money?" '
It could have been no othor tnan Arnold.
Yet when, later in the day, life was taxed
with having committed the good action
Arnold stoutly denied it He bad not so
much money in the world, he said; in fact
be had no money at all.
"The good man," said the philosopher,
"has friends of whom he knoweth not As
the river returns its waters to the sea, so
the heart re joiceth in returning benefits re .
celved."
"Oh, Lala," said iris. "But on whomhave
we conferred benefits?"
"The moon shines upon all alike," said
Lala, "and knows not what she illumines."
"Lala Roy," said Arnold, suddenly getting
a gleam of intelligence, "it is you who have
paid this money."
"Yon, Lala?"
"No one else could have paid it," said
Arnold.
"But I thought I thought " said Iris.
"You thought I bad no money at all.
Children, I have some. One may live with
out money in Hindostan, but in England
even the philosopher cannot meditate unless !
he can pay for food and shelter, i nave
money, Iris, and I have paid the usurer
enough to satisfy him. Let us say no more."
"Oh, Lalal" The tears came to iris' eyes.
"And now we shall go on living as before."
"I think not." he replied. "In the genera
tions of man the seasons continue side by
side; but spring does not always continue
with winter."
" I know, now," interrupted Mr. Emblem,
suddenly waking into life and recollection;
" I could not remember at first. Now I
know very well, but 1 cannot tell how, that
the man who stole my papers is my own
grandson. James would not steal. James
is curious; he wants to read over my
shoulders what I am writing. He wonld
pry and find out But he would not steal.
It doesn't matter much does it? since I
was able to repair the loss I always had
a most excellent memory and Iris has
now received her inheritance; but it s my
grandson Joe who has stolen the papers.
My daughter's son came home from
Australia when but this I learned after
wards be bad already disgraced himself
there. He ran into debt, and I paid his
debts; he forged my name and I accepted
the bill; he took all the money I could let
him have, and still he asked for more. There
is no one in the world who would rob me of
those papers except Joseph,"
Now, the door was open to the staircaso,
and the door of communication between the
shop and the house-passage was also open.
This seems a detail hardly worth noting;
yet it proved of the greatest Important
From such small 1 rifle.. Tw great events.
Observe that as yet no positive proof was in
thehnnilsof the troconspirators which would
actually connect Iris with Claude Des'ret
The proofs were in the stolen papers, and
though Clara had those papers, who was to
sliow'that these papers were actually those
in the s?a!e.i packet?
When Mr. Emblem finished speaking no
one replied, becauw Arnold and Lala knew
the facts already, but did not wish to spread
them abroad: and iwr.t. liecausa to Iris it
was nothing new that her con -in was a bad
man, anil because she thought, now that the
man in possession was gone, tujy might just
as well forget the papers an I go on as if nil
this fu had not happened.
In the silence that followed this speech
they heard the voico ot James down stairs,
savin.-:
"1 am sorry to say, sir, that Mr. Emblem
is ill up stairs, and you can't see him to
day." "Ill, is he? I am vry sorry. Take him
my compliments, James. Mr. Frank Fur
rar's compliments, and tell him "
And :hen Mr. Emblem sprang to bis feot,
crying:
"Stop him! stop him! Go down stairs
someone and stop him ! I don't know where
be lives. Stop him! Stop bim!"
Arnold rushed down the stairs. He found
in the shop an elderly gentleman, carrying
a bundle of books. It was. in fact, Mr. Far
rar come to negotiate tho sale of another
work from his library.
"I beg your pardon, sir," said Arnold;
"Mr. Emblem is most anxious to see you.
Would vou step up stairs?"
"Quick, Mr. Fa rrar quick." The old man
held him tight by the hand. "Tell ma be
fore my memory runs away with me again
tell me. Listen, Iris. Yet it doesn't mat
ter, because you have alrjady Tell me
" Ho seemed nl.out to wander again,
but he pulled himself together with a great
effort. "You knew my son-in-law beforo
his marriage."
"Surely, Mr. Emblem; I knew your son-in-law,
and his father, and all his people."
"And his name was not Aglen, at aill"
osked Arnold.
"No; ho to k the name of Aglen from a
fancied fooline of nride when he quarrelled
with his father about well, it was about hia
marriage, as you know, Mr. Emblem; he
came to London, and tried to make his way
by writing, and thought to do it, and either
to hide a failure or brighten a success by
using a pseudonym. People were more
jealous about their names in those days. He
had better," added the unsuccessful veteran
of letters, "he had far bettor have nntde his
living as a as a" he looked about him for
a fitting simile "as a bookseller."
"Then, sir," said Arnold, "what was his
real name?"
"His name was Claude Deseret, of
course."
"Iris," said Arnold, taking her hand,
"this is tho last proof. We have known it
for four or five days, but wo wanted the
final proof, and now we have it. My dear,
you are the cousin of Clara Holland, and all
her fortune, by her grandfather's will, is
yours. This is the secret of the safe. This
was what the stolen papers told you."
CHAPTER XIV.
THE HAND OF FATE.
At the flrststroke of noon next day Arnold
arrived at his cousin's house in Chester
Square. He was accompanied by Iris, by
Lala Roy and by Mr. Frank Farrar.
"Pray, Arnold, what is meant by all this
mystery?" asked Clara, receiving him and
bis party with considerable surprise.
"I will explain all in a few minutes, my
dear Clara. Meanwhile, have you done what
you promised?"
"Yes. I wrote to Dr. Washington. He wil
be here, I expect, in a fow minutes."
"You wrote exactly in the form of words
you promised me?"
"Yes, exactly. I asked him to meet me
here this morning at a quarter past twelve,
in order to discuss a few points connected
with Iris's future arrangements, liofoio he
left for America, nnd I wroto on the enve
lope, 'lmmodiato and important.'"
"Very well. Hn w ill be sure to com", 1
think. Perhaps your cousin will insist upon
another chock for fifty pounds being given
to him."
"Arnold, you are extremely suspicious
and most ungenerous about Dr. Washington,
on whose truth nnd disinterested honesty 1
thoroughly rely."
"We shall see. Meanwhile, Clara, I desire
to present to you a young ladj of whom wt
have already spoken. This is Miss Aglen,
who is, I need hardly say, deeply anxious tc
win your good opinion. And this is Laic
Roy, an Indian gentleman who knew hei
father, and has lived in the same house with
her for twenty years. Our dobt I shall
soon be able to say your debt of gratitude
to this gentleman for his long kindness tc
Miss Aglen is one which can never be re
paid." Clara gave the most frigid bow to both
L'is and Lala Roy.
"Really, Arnold, you are talking ir.
snigmas this morning. What am I to under
stand? What has this gentleman to do with
my appointment with Dr. Washington?"
"My dear cousin, I am so happy thii
morning that I wonder I do not talk ic
conundrums, or rondeaux, or terza rima. II
is a mere chance, I assure you. Perhaps 1
may break out in rhymes presently. Thii
evening we will have fireworks in the square,
roast a whole ox, invite the neighbors, and
danoe about a maypole. You shall lead of)
the dance, Clara."
"Pray go on, Arnold. All this is very in
explicable." "This gentlemnn, however, is n very old
friend of yours, Clara. Do you noli recog
nize Mr. Frank Farrar, who used to stay al
the Hall in the old day?"
"I remember Mr. Farrar very well,'
Clara gave him her hand. "But I should
not have know n him. Why have we nevei
met in society during all these years, Mr.
FarrarP
"I suppose because I have been out of so
ciety, Miss Holland," said 'the scholar.
"When a man marries, nnd has a large
family, and a small income, and grows old,
and has to see tho young fellows shoving
him out at every point, ho doesn't car
much about society. I hope you are we
and happy."
"I am very well, aud I ought to bo happy,
because I have recovered Claude's lost heir
ess, my cousin, Iris Deseret, and she is the
best and most delightful of girls, with the
warmest heart and the sweetest instincts ol
a lady by descent and birth."
J 8he looked severely at Arnold, who said
nothing, but smiled incredulously.
Mr. Farrar looked from Iris to Miss Hol
land, bewildered.
" And why do yon come to seo mo to-day
Mr. Farrar and with Arnold?"
" Becauso I have undertaken to answci
ono question presently, which Mr. Arbuth
not is to nsl; mo. That Is why I nm here,
Not but what it gives me the greatest pleas
ure to see you again, Miss Holland, after
many years."
" Our poor Claude died In America, yot
know, Mr. Farrar."
" So I havo recently heard."
" And left one daughter."
H"That also I have learned." Ho lookeO
at Iris.
" She is with mo, hero in this house, anc
has been with me for a week. You ma;
understand, Mr. Farrar, the happiness 1 fed
in having with me Claude's only daughter.'
Mr. Farrar looked from bof tv Arno
with increasing amazemant But ho said
aothi .
"I have tppointed this morning at Ar
nold's request" Clara went on, "to have an
interview, perhaps the last, with the gentle
man who brought mv dear Iris from Amer
ica. I say at Arnold's request, because be
asked me to do this, and 1 have always
trusted him implicitly, and I hope he is not
ioiv to bring trouble upon us now, although
I do not I c nfess, understand tha presence
of his friends or their connection with my
cousin." . . T
"My dw Clssn, bA: Arnold again, I
sk for notbinjt bat pattoa Ar-d tbat only
for a fowmomau s As f a: the papers, you
have them all in your possession?"
"Yes; they are locked up in my strong
"Do not, on any account, give them to
inybody. However, after this morning you
will not be asked. Have you taken as yet
any steps at all for the transferenca of your
property to to the rightful heir!"
"Not yet"
"Thank goodness! And now, Clara, I
will ask you, as soon as Dr. Washington
Hid your cousin are in the drawing-room,
to ring the bell. You need not explain why.
We will answer the summons, and we will
;ive all the explanations that may bo re
auired." "I will not have my cousin vexed, Ar
nold." "You shall not Your cousin shaUnevei
be vexed by me as long as I live."
"And Dr. Washington must not be in any
way offended. Consider the feelings of un
American gentleman, Arnold. Ha is my
;uest."
"You may thoroughly rely upon my con-lidei-ation
for the feolings of an American
gentleman. Gol there is a knock at the
door. Go to receive him, and, when both
ire in the room, rins the bell."
Joe was in excellent spirits that morning.
His interview with Lala Roy convinced him
that nothing whatever was known of the
papers, therefore nothing could be suspected.
What a fool, he thought, must be his grand
father, to have had these papors in his hands
for eighteen years and never to have opened
the packet, in obedience to the injunction of
a dead man I Had it been his own case, he
would have opened the papers without the
least delay, mastered the contents and in
stantly claimed the property. He would
have gone on to nse it for his own purposes
and private gain, and with an uninterrupted
run of eighteen years, he would most cer
tainly have made a very pretty thing out of
it
However, everything works well for him
who greatly dares. His wife would manage
for him better than he could do it for him
self. Yet a few weeks and the great for
tune would fall into his hands. He walked
all the way to Chester Square, considering
how he should spend the money. There are
some forms of foolishness, such as, say, thoe
connected with art, literature, charicy and
work for others, which attract some rich
men, but which he was not at nil tempted to
commit There were others, nowevor, con
nected with horses, races, betting nnd gam
bling, which tempted him strongly. In fact,
Joseph contemplated spending this money
wholly on his own pleasures. Probably it
would bo a part of his pleasure to toss a few
crumbs to his wifo.
It is sad to record that Lotty, finding her
self received with so much enthusiasm, had
already begun to fall off in her behavior.
Even Clara, who thought she discovered
every hour some new point of resemblance
in the girl to her father, was fain to admit
that the "Amcrieamsms were much too
pronounced for general society.
Her laugh was louder and more frequent;
her jests were rough and common; she used
slang words freely ; her gestures were ex
travagant, and she walked in tho street as
if she wished everyone to notice her. It is
the walk of the music hall stage, and the
trick of it consists chiefly in giving, so to
speak, prominenco to tho shoulders and os
cillation to the skirts. In fact, sho was one
of those ladies who ardently desire that all
the world should notice them.
F'jrther, in tho conversation, she showed
an acquaintance with certain phases of tho
English lower life which was astonishing in
an American girl. JJut Clara had no sus
picion none whatever.
Ono thing the girl did which pleased her
mightily.
She w as never tired'of hearing about her
father, and his way of looking, standing,
walking, folding his hands, and holding
himself. And constantly more and more
Clara detected these little tricks in his
daughter. Perhaps she learned them.
" My dear," she said, " to think that I
ever thought you unlike your dear father!"
So that it made her extremely uncom
fortable to detect a certain reserve in
Arnold towards the girl, and then a dis
like of Arnold in the girl herself. How
fiver, she was accustomed to act by Arnold's
dvice, and consanted, whon he asked her,
to arrange so that Arnold might meet Dr.
Washington. As if anything that so much
as looked like suspicion could be thought of
for a moment!
But the bell rang, and Arnold, folio wed by
his party, led the way from the morning
room to the drawiag-room. Dr. Josoph
Washington was standing with his back to
the door. The girl was dressed as if she had
just come from a walk, and was holding
Clara's hand.
"Yes, madam," he was saying softly, "I
return to-morrow to America and my wife
and my children. I leave our dear girl in
the greatost confidence in your hands. I
only venture to advise that to avoid law
yer's expenses, you should simply instruct
somebody the right person to transfer the
property from your name to the name of
Iris. Then you will be saved troubles and
formalities of every kind. As for me, my
home is in America"
"No, Joseph," said Lala Roy, gently; "it
is in Shadwell."
"It is a lie!" he cried, starting; "it is an
infernal lie!"
"Iris," said Arnold, "lift your veil, my
dear. Mr. Farrar, wno is this young lady!
Look upon this face, Clara."
"This is the daughter of Claude Deseret,"
said Mr. Farrar, "if she is the daughter of
the man who married Alice Emblem, and
went by tho name of Aglen."
Clara turned a terrified face to Arnold.
"Arnold, help me!"
"Whoso face is this?" ho repented.
"It is good heavens! it is the face of
your portrait It is Claude's face again.
Thoy are his very eyes " She covered
her face with her hands. "Oh, Arnold,
what is it? Who is this other?"
"This other lady, Clara, is a music hall
singer, who calls herself Carlotta Claridane,
w ife of this man, who is not an American at
all, but the grandson of Mr. Emblem, the
bookseller, and therefore cousin of Iris. It
is he who robbed his grandfather of the
papers which you have in your possession,
Clara. And this is an audacious conspir
acy, which we have been so fortunate as to
unearth and detect, step by step."
"Oh, can such wickedness be?" said Clara;
"and in my house, tool"
"Joe," said Lotty, "the game'is up. I
knew it wouldn't last." -
"Let thorn prove it," said Joe; "let them
prove it. I defy you to prove it."
"Don't bo a fool, Joe," said his wife.
"Remember," she whispered, "you've got
a pocketful of money. Let us go peace
ably." "As for you, Nigger, " said Joe, "I'll break
ery boue in your body."
'.As for you, nigger," taid Joe.
"Not here," said Arnold; "there will bene
areaking of bones in this house."
Lotty began to laugh.
"The gentle blood always shows itself,
loesn't it?" she said. "I've got fie real in
itincts of a lady, haven't I? Oh, it was
jeautiful whiie it lasted. And every day
nore and more like my father."
"Arnold," cried poor Clara, crushed,
help mo!"
"Como," said Arnold, "you bad better go
it once."
"I won't laugh at you," said Lotty. "It's
i shame, and you're a good old thing. But
it did me good, it really did, to hear all
ibout the gentle blood. Come, Joe. Let us
50 away quietly."
She took her husband's arm. Joe was
itanding sullen and desperate. Mr. Chalker
was -right. It wanted very little more to
make him fall upon the whole party, nnd go
aff with a fight
"Young woman," oaid Lala Roy, "you had
bettor not go outside tho housa with the man
t will be well for you to wait until he has
gone."
"Why? Ho is my husband, whatever wo
have done, and I'm not ashamed of him."
"Is ho your husband? Ask him what I
meant when I said his home was at Shad
well." "Come, Lotty," said Joa, with a cu
rious change of manner. "Let us go at
once."
"Wait," Lala repeated. "Wait, young
woman, lot him go first Pray pray let him
go first."
"Why should I wait? I go with my hus
band." "I thought to save you from shame. But
if you will go with him, ask him again why
his home is at Shadwell, and why be left bis
wife."
Lotty sprang upon her husband, and
caught his wrists with both hands.
"Joe, what does he mean! Tell me he is a
liar."
'That would be useless," said Lala Roy.
"Boeausea very few minutes will prove tho
contrary. Better, however, that he should
go to prison for marrying two wives than
for robbing his grandfather's safe."
"It's a lie!" Joe repeated, looking as dan
gerous as a wild boar brought to bay.
"There was a Josaph Gallop, formerly as
sistant purser in the service of the Peninsu
lar nnd Oriental Steam Navigation Compa
ny," continued the man of fata, "who mar
ried, nine months ago, a certain widow at
Shad well. He was turned out of the service,
and he married her because she had a pros
perous lodging house."
"Oh h!" cried Lotty. "You villain! You
thought to live upon my earnings, did you!
You put me up to protend to be somebody
else. Miss Holland" 3he fell npon her
knees, literally and simply, and without any
theatrical pretence at ail "forgive met I
nm properly punished. Oh, he is made of
liesl Ho told me that the real Iris was dead
and buried, nnd he was the rightful heir;
and as for you" she sprang to her feet and
turned upon her husband "I know it is true
I know it is true I can see it within your
guilty eyes."
"If you have any ctoubt," said 'Lain,
"here is a copy of tho marriage certificate."
Sho took it, read it, and put it in her
pocket. Then she went out of the room
without another word, but with rago and
rovenge in her eyes.
Joseph tollowed her, saying no more. He
had lost more than he thought to lose. But
thero was still time to escape, and he had
most of tho money in his pocket.
But another surprise awaited him.
The lady from Shadwoll, in fact, was
waiting for him outside the door. With
her were a few Shadwell friends of the sea
faring profession, come to see fair play. It
was a disgraceful episode in the history 'of
Chester Square. After five minutes or so,
during which no welsher on a race-course
was ever moro hardly used, two policemen
interfered to rescue the man of two wives,
and there was a procession all tho way to
tho police-court, where, after several
charges of assault had been preferred and
proved against half a doz n mariners, Jo
soph was himself charged with bigamy,
both wives giving evidence, and committed
for trial.
His old friend, Mr. David Chalker, one is
sorry to add, refused to give bail, so that he
remained in custody, and will now endure
hardnoss for a somowhat lengthened
period.
"Clara," said Arnold, "Iris will stay with
you, if you ask her. YV e shall not marry,
my dear, without your permission. I have
promised tbat already, have I not!"
THE END.
A Parson's Conscience.
IHarper's Magazine.
Elder Phillips, who was a jovial soul, set
tled many years ago near the headwaters of
the Susquehanna. He was, in fact, a Pres
byterian dominie. He was full of humor,
and ready with his repartee on all occasions.
Jack Ricklit, a quasi-parishioner, who was
more punctual at the river than at church,
presented the elder one Monday morning
with a fine sfting of pickerel. Elder Phillips
thanked him iraciously for the gift "But,
Elder," suggested Jack, still retaining the
fish, "those were caught yesterday" (Sun
day). "Perhaps yer conscience won't let ye
eat 'em."H;"Jack," replied the elder, stretch
ing out his hand toward the string, "there's
one thing I know; the pickerel was not to
blame."
1
The Philosophical Side.
Dr. Piatt in Rochester Chronicle.
Loner animals, as the horse, the dog, the
elephant, the beaver, and such insects as the
bee, have intelligence and memory, but we
have no knowledge that they are conscious.
Those who affirm their consciousness must
prove it If tho horse is conscious we are
not conscious of it, nor can the horse assort
it. Nature hr.s not yet been so unmerciful
to the horse as to make him conscious of his
lot. The difference between these two kinds
of mind force is this: the man thicks, and
he thinks about his thoughts he knows that
he knows he is conscious of his own con
sciousness. The hor e thinks, but he does
not think abofit his thoughts. He may know,
but he does not know that he knows.
The New Law-Pill's Explosion,
New Orleans Picayune.
A young lawyer has made himsolf round
shouldered carrying a bundle of law books
to the courts and bringing them back regu
larly to his desk in another lawyer's office.
He has no cases in court, but if he appears
to be busy he will some day get the manage
ment of a damage suit on Bhares, and tbt
bar will ring with his eloquence. ;