Oil? M DER.
By XT ALTER EESANT.
Ir want of the muster's 'presence, for
luck or pushing uud encouragement, the
yearly return of the shop grew loss and
less No one know this except my
mother It won useless to tell oiy fatlior. -
it she begged Uis attention to tho fact, ho
on!y said tiut business was. in the nature
of tunica. Uiietuutitig, that a bad year
would be succeeded by a pood yeur; that
large profits had recently been made by
traders to Calicut and Surinam, where he
had designs of employing his own capital,
anil that venture to Canton had of late
proved extremely successful Alas. poor
man! he had no capital left, for now H
was gone capital, credit and custom
Vet he still continued to believe that his
shop, the shop which came to him with
his wire. wabringing to him. every year,
a Treat and steady return, and tUut lie
was amassing u fortune
Oue day it was a Saturday evening In
May in the year 1TT0. alx years after the
Eight of Ralph Cmbletou. when I wo iu
my seventeenth year, and almost grown to
my full height. I taw coming slowly along
the narrow road which leads from the high
way to Wark worth a country cart, anil In
It two persons, the driver walking at the
horse's head I stood at the garden gate
watching this cart idly, ami the setting
sun behind it. without u much ait won
Uenng who these imthohs might lie. until
presently it came slowly down the road
wbi-'h here sloes gently to the river and
the bridge, and pulled up In trout of our
gate When the cart stop)ed a lady got
quickly down and seized my bauds
"You are my DruniilaT" she asked, and
without waiting for a reply, because she
was my mother and knew I could be no
other than her own daughter, she fell upon
my neck in a passion of weeping and sob
bing. say.'tig that she knew I wax her
daughter dear, and that she was my most
She kttew I eu hrr tlar.yh'er dear.
unhappy ruined mother It was my father
who descended after her lie advance!
with dignified step ami thecarriage of o r
in authority I observed that his huei.
and the lace of his ruffles were of the ver)
Guest, and lib coat, though dusty, of the
finen broadclo'b ie seened not to
perceive my niother"s -are. he kissed me
and gave me his blessing U bade the
carter. wb majestic air. 'lead the 'coat I.'
he called the coun'ry cart a ctMch anC
take great care of lie horse, whi -h he
said was worth forty gu.neas if a iny
but the horse was i U) year-old at. hors-j.
worth at most four guineas, oj I knew
very well, because I knew the carnei
Amazet.' ut this extraordinary beliavi'ir
I led my ii-etils to my grandmother, and
then .ivM.n:!y burned the truth My
father. ;i you please, wa.t ruined, he was
a bankrupt. Lis schemes of greatness had
eome I. nothing. Iii va.st fortune lay Hi
Ills imagination only; he had lost his wife s
money mid his own lie had returned to
his native county, his old friends having
rmuutu lugemcr uiui made a little purse
lor him. and Ins creilitoua having con
seuieu 10 accept wnut tney could got and
to give him a quittance in full, because he
was known to be a man of integrity
otherwise ho might have been lodged iu
jail, where many an unfortunate,
honest, man lieth in misery
The disaster was more than my father
Dram could bear Hrst. us soon as he
fairly understood whut had happened, be
fell into a lethargy, aitting in a chair all
day in silence, and desiring nothing but
to lie left alone After a while the lethargy
changed into a restlessness, and he must
needs be up and doing something it mat
tered not whut Then tho restlessness
disappeared and he became again his old
self, as cheerful, as sanguine, as confident,
with no other change than a more settled
dignity of hearing, caused by tne belief
the complete delusion, that now his for
tune was indeed made, that he possessed
boundless wealth, and that he was going
to leave Loudon and to retire into the
country, as many great merchants used iu
do, iu order to enjoy it
lie was fully possessed with the idea
that he ws as wealthy as he ever desireo
to i His poor brain was turned, indeed
ou this point, and after a while I thought
little of it. because we became accustomed
to it. and because it seemed a harmless
craze Vet it was tiot nannies, as you
will hear Indeed, even an Innocent babe
lu arms may be made the instrument ol
mischief in the hands of a wicked man.
Our first visitor was Mathew Humble
lie came first, he said, to pay his respects
to my father Then he began to come
with great regularity. Cut 1' perceived
soon, for 1 was no longer a child, but
already a woman, that bo had quite
another object In view, for be cast his
eyes upon me in such a vay as no woman
can mistake. , Even to look upon those
eyes of his made me turn sick with loath
lng. Why. if tiiis man Lad been another
Apollo for beauty I would not have re
mmmp
gurded him, and so far was he from an
Apollo that a fnt and loathsome satyi
mow nearly resembled him
lie was idmu'. three or (our and thirty
which i. i 'iiiic; i,. regarded as wry
great age indeed, and most Northumbrian
folk are ceridniv married and the fathers
of children already lull before that time
lie was a man who made no Irieuds. aim
lived alone with his sister unrhura No
girl at all. so far as I know, could boast
of having received any attentions from
liiin, he was supposed to care for nothing
e.vcopt money and strong drink F.vory
evening he sat by himself in the room
which overlooks the river, with account
books before him, and drunk usquebaugh
Out he loved brandy as well, or Hollands
or ruui. or indeed anything which was
strong. And being naturally short of
stature lie was grown fat and gross with
red hanging cheeks, which made his small
eyes look smaller and more ptg like.
double chin, and a nose which already told
a tale of deep potations, so red and swollen
wus it What girl of l? could regard
with favor even if there were no limine
of a brave and comely boy already liu
pressed upon her heart such a man as
this, a mere tosspot and a drinker? And
worst of all. a secret and solitary druiknr
a gloomy drinker
CHAPTER VI.
THE I.ETTEIt AT LAST.
It was stntngo that, about the time
when Ralphs disappearance was find
heard of. rumors ran about the town that
perhaps the mill would turnout. after alt
to lie the property of Mathew Humble
that these rumors wr revived at the up
preach of Ralph's 21st birthday, and that
again, when Mathew first began his ap
preaches to me. the rumor was again cir
enlated By the help of the fugleman I
traced these rumors to the barber, and
sfili with Ills help because every man
must shiived and while being shaved,
must talk I inu-ed Uime to none other
tliail Matliew hininelf fie hail then,
ouie ob. t lo gain I knew not what at
Hie Hum ller on I discovert! that his
lesign lo make ll appear should
tiaiph evi return that I had taken him
tot a UiiHlmud when I liiouglil he was the
tclnai master and ownei of all lot I be
leted he allowed himself no doubt as to
the lesull ut his orient lolb It not seem
as if l lie tu'lier the older the lew attract
iv a man is whether III person or in
mind the mure certain he becomes of con
qiierniK a woman s beartT
The riiiuiH on this occasion was more
certain and distinct than before It was
now staled thai Mr Kmblulun was dis
covered lu have made a later will, which
had Iimi proved and was ready to be
prodm-ed if iieceimary that tu this will
Lite texialor atlei deploring the badness
it lieart manifested by Ins nephew Ralph
levi.M-d the whole of bin property to his
nei.hew Malbew The barbr. for bl
lirt bad no doubt of the truth of this
r-mrt, out those whc asked Mathew
wliethei It was inie received mvslertous
iiiswers as Unit tlmo would show, that
.11 tins world no one should be certain of
tunning that many is the slip between
:H sod lip thai should ail occasion arie
the iruth of the story would b tested
Mich oracle as incline the hearers to he
leve al llial has been said and more
Httrbam his sisler lor her own part,
showed jfreai willingness lo answer any
piestious which uiuht be put lo her Hut
she knew little hoi brother, she said
"as a cbrne man. who sat much alone um'
lk nit in
nno men me ru(rieman loid me s very
irsm-e i..rv indee.t au) one which
teemed in ,ne no LnNl lo allV of IIS !v
.inn '.line I mi reanled .Mathew Ulrtl I
niild not u-lteve lie could do or design
iul'IiI imii evn Huh was wroiw hut he
iieml cortaltily a limn of very evil dis
tniHllloll
Ills- own pnvnle Iminiiiiis the fiiglemun
'old rue ilitit win. iintliiiii; In the world.
JK I Vei v We, KllHIV lull UlM Mllimilg (if
M l.lii lit iMien iriridueM and ol lief pume
III tile IHK Ol l.ie river led I J 1 1 II Home
'.iuie .ksi M.irwi, r Mill to the evening
i iau- ui muni I'heie wax nsim lu the
ulli tne nimie room 111 which Miitiieor
vim (tusi,-d mm Ueateii the window
l winch iKikeil out itHin the river, which
hi-ie s bruud and shallow brook The
isiiis rise sleep on the other iiiilo. And Is
slolhed with thick hanging wmMlsin which
no one ever walked except the fugleman.'
snd he lor those purHte I have just
mentioned always alone and after sun
ilowu Now Inn eyes were like unto the
eves of s hawk they knew nut distance,
they could see quite lar of), little things
is well as great tilings and the
fugleman saw night after night,
thai Malbew Humble was sitting locked
up lu bis room engaged In writing or
"opvuiK something I believe that if tho
fugleman hud known bow to read, he
would have read the writing even across
the nver Unhappily he had never
learned tbnt art Mathew was making a
'pv the fugleman said, of me other
iix'iinieut lint what Unit document was
he could not tell It was something on
largo shocks of paper, and in big hand
writing He wrote very slowly compar
ing word fur word with the papers which
he seemed copying Once when there was
noise as of some one at the door, he hud
died all the papers together, and bundled
them awuy In a comer quickly and with
an aflri(,'lileil an He was therefore doing
something secret, which means something
wicked V but could it be?
"Little be thinks, " suid the fugleman,
that Master lialph Is sure to come hoirie
tnd confound his knavish tricks, and trip
up his heels tor liirn Ab. I think I see
nun now in luce and ruffles and good
broadcloth walking up the street with a
fine city madam on his. arm ." 1
I should iisve Iwen very well contented
with the lace rulMesamliffHid broadcloth
indeed I wauled notliuiK better lint I
wauled no Hue eitv madam at the mill
iaitei on I learned what this thing was
winch lie took ho ioin lo copy and winch
gave bun so much suviety Out it was
.ikes tire Niiip driven hack by the wind
suioiik the vessels ol those who sent It
forth
One morning when I was busy In the
ttehen with hoiiMehold work, ami my
not her was engaged Umiii the futeily sew
nu Mathew came sud Is-gged to have
tune eoiivsrttiilioii wil h her He said Unit,
trst nf all tie was fully acquainted with
tu circumstances and Hie unhappy out
ok before her. when my grandmother
-lioiild die and leave in all without any
Ik-hub at all. that belli)) of a compas
tiouate heart, he was strouly minded to
netp them and that the Ih-hi way. as well
he ooirld )udgn would im lo make her
laughter Hrusilla his wife This done,
lie would then see that their later yours
voiild lie siieiided with couilort and the
Hind of all anxiety
At Hi-tt in v mothei did not reply She
mil no reamm iu love Muthew whose tin
(imliieKn to his ward was well known to
ei Akuiii she had still some remains
t Ismily prule left you do not destroy a
vniiiaii s pride tiv taking swsv her money
'oh thoiiKlil lieiuR the duiighter of a well
' do Uiiulon ril I .en that her child should
i'k tnirliei than a man wlio had nothing
n the world of his own but tinny acres
f laud aUlinncli he lived at the mill and
pretended to l lis owner And she very
truly ihoughi that the man was not in pur
ton likely lo si tract ho ytntllfj s girl an my
If Hut she spoke hill) fair She loid
linn that I was young as yet. loo young
lo know my own mind and that perhaps
lie had heller wall He replied that he
was not young for his own part and that
uw would not wail Then she loid him
'hat she should not. certainly lores the
inclination of her daughter but that she
would speak to me about him
She opened the suhject t me In the
veiling No sooner did I understand
that Mathew bad sHikcu for me than I
threw myself iiihiii my knees lo my moth
r, and implored her with many tears
slid pruleelations not lo urge me lo ac
ept bis suit I derlsred with vehe
mence that if there went no other man
in the world. I could not accept Malbew
Humble I reminded her of Ins behavior
toward Ralph I assured her thai I lie
ueved him to be one who sal drinking by
himself and a plotter of evil, a man wit h
a hardened heart and a dead conscience
Well, my mothei shed tears with me.
and said thai i should not be married
against my will tlmr. Mathew was nut a
giMsl man. and that she would bid him
not uiicoiirteoiisly go look elsewhere
This she did. thanking him for the honor
he had proponed
For some reason, perhaps hccsuite be did
not really wish to marry me. ism baps he
cause ho hail not thoroughly laid out the
scheme of marrying me to revenue hlliiHell
upon Ralph Mathew pive me a renpite lor
the time. ihoiiKb I went In preal terror lest
he might pester my mot liei or myself Per
barm which I thiui. more likely, he trusted
lo the influence of sverty and privation
and was contented lo wall till theae should
make me submissive lo his will
However that may be. he said nothing
more concerning love, and continued hi
visits to my father, in whime eon versa' eu-
he look so gr at a pleasure Oh villain'
Things were in this ssture. I being iu
he greatest anxiety and tear thut some
ibiug terrible was going before lon to
haps-n to us when a most joylul and nn
ps'ted event hupN'ued
It was lu the mouth of May. seven veers
,;tK'e ttnlph S lllghl lillt the lullowers ot
Mohammed I reckoned the years from the
tiiglit that this event hnpsriied
1 he event was this that the fugleman
uud l letter sent to him the Urst letter
lie ever received In his life
1 saw the post boy riding down the
'oiul early in the aflennsin, he passed bj
the house of Mr Carnuby. where he some
'itiies stopped, past our cottage, whore he
never slopped because there was nolssiv
who wrote letters to us. arid over the
bridge, his horse s uoofs clattering iindet
' he old gateway I thought he was going
lo the vicarage, but he left that on In
1ght and rode straight up the street
blowing bis horn as he went I ivondoie.l
hut bad no time lo waste in wonder who
was going to get a letter In that pari ol
the town The letter, in fact, was lot no
ilher than the fugleman
Half an hour later the fugleman, who
had been at work in the garden all the
morning came down the town again anc
asked me with retqieet to her ladyship
mv mother if I would givo bun five mm
utes talk With him was Sailor Nan
cause the thing was altogether so strauie
that he could not avoid telling her about
it. and she came with hint, curious as s
woman inougn uoiu anu urave as becomes
un old salt
Tis a strange thing. " said tho fugle
muu turning the unopened hitter ovet
and over in his hand "'tis a strange
thing, here is a letter which tels tne I
know not what comes from I know not
whore 1 have puid three shillings mid
eight pence for it A great sum 1 doubt
I was a fool It may menu money, and it
muy meun loss '
'Burn It, and ha' done.' suid Sailor
Nun " Tis fr.mi some lund shark. Durn
the Idler."
I am 00 or mayhap 70 years of Biro
Sixty. I must a bo Yes. sure sud certain.
(! Vet hover a letter in all mv rlav;
before "
Now. which Is very singular, not th-
leust suspicion in our minds us to the
writer of the letter -
b It" I asked, "from acouslu or a
J llll 'M
KtH
'Hm in a-lerttr
brother1?"
"Cousin?" he refuted with tho shadow
of s smile across his still lips " VVhy, I
uevet had a father or a mother to say
nothing of a brother or a cousin VVheu
I lirsi renieuilHir anything I was riiiiuiiiK
lu the streets with othei Isiys We stole
our breakfast, we stole our dinner and
we stole our supHr Where are they all
now i hi we little rogues and pickpocket
mv couipuiiiiinsf HiiiiL'i-d I doubt not
What but buiigtug cnu have come to.
themT Hut as for me by the blessing ol
the l.ord. I was enlistml lu Hie Fourteen! h
l.liie. and after a few hundreds taken
mistily by llireu (lo.en doses which now
are neither here nor there and art the
making of lad. I was Hogged into s
good soldier. Slid so roe ss was due to
merit A hearty three down, now and
then, laid on with a wll iu Ihe cool of ihe
morning, works nitrifies Not such s
regiment In t he service as the Fourteenth
And why? Ilocatlse the colonel knew hi
duty and did it without leur or favor, and
the men were proierly iron need Ootsl
comrades all. and brave boys And
where are theyT teed I take It. Is'ggars
some, fallen in actum some broke, hoiiic
In comfortable berths like me some I'
all were living who would there be lo
send me a letter, seeing there wasn t a
man In all the regiment who could wnteT'
Mlrunge that not one of us even then
guessed the truth
It was a great letter thick and rare
fully sealed, addressed to ' Fugleman Fur
long, at bis room iu ihe Castle of Wark
worth. Norlbuuilsirlaiid F.tiglaud " It
came from foreign putts and the pasr
was not only slcmed. but hud a curious
fragrance
I broke the seal and tore open the eov
I ering of the letter Wiihin was another
packet Oh, heavens It was addressed
to "llniKillu lletherington care of the
fugleman, tu be forwarded without deluy
Haste post haste'"
And then I knew without waiting to
open the letter that n would Im I nun none
other than Ralph ll must Is from Ralph
After all these years, we were lo hear one
mure fronj Ralph I sIimhI pale and i"mb
hug nor could 1 for soma moments even
tH-ak At last I said
'Fiiglomon Nan this letter Is ad
iressed to ma It is, I verily believe, from
llalpb Embleton. Wait a little, while I
read it "
"Read it read If" cried the old man
Could I ah' merciful heaven could I
ever forgot the rapture the atidied
yearning the blissful content the gruti
it ndo with which I read that sweet uud
precious letter? They wailed patiently
even the rude and ctsirse old woman re
framed truui sieeeh while I read puge
after puge They nsiiI nothing though
they sew the leurs falling down my lace
because t bey knew Uml they were leurs
of happiness
Aftei seven long veurs my I'.alpli was
tulking lo me as he umsl lo tulk I knew
his voice I recognized Ins old imperious
way I kiiw that he had not changed As
if he would ever change'
When I hud liuishetl and dried my tears
they Is-gged me to read Ins hitler to them
Mv I'KAIt liKAH li.ltl."-! Uild them
thnt I could not indeed read all hut thut
I would read them wmt I could and this
was the beautiful beginning in order that
I should know st the outset, so thought
fill he was sud for fear of my being aux
lous un the iiiil thut be loved me slill
ml hud never forgotten me "My dear
dear girl ll is now six years since I bade
you furewell at your garden gate and
started iism my Journey to London
Your father has doubtless told you bow I
presented myself and with what kindness
he received me I am very sura that you
'jave not forgotten me and I hope tlmi
you will rejoice lo hiar of my good for
lime " Hope indeed Guild he not be
dure? "I Inive no doubt, also that he
hiiih Informed yon of the strange good
fori line which Moll me after he left me
it the I'jist India com puny S house of
which I loid linn by toller and Steciul
meneiiger. to whom I guve to insure
iiH'cdy and sate delivery one shilling "
Hut it would appeal that this messenger
broke his word, and took the shilling but
did nothing tor s it a common thief, who
deserved lo he .hanged like many un
other un more wicked than himself Oh
what punishment loo' great for Llns brouch
of trust, small as it wemed Nee. iKiw
what s world ut trouble was caused hy
that little theft.) '"It was truly by hu:iI
prot'id -e thut, while Mr Silvertop
talked with uiu. the great captain who
won the Ball le ol Plaasy should luive
ween Hiuuoing near aim siiouid have over
heard whut passed Wheu I was bidden
;fo my ways for a foolish Uiy because I
did not wish to he s writer; and waste bis
lime no longer, I was much cast down foi
now I begun to tear that 1 must, like the
to me by providnuce rather than what I
hould like . 'And I could nlalnlv see that
there romulned only one choice for me.
namely, I must return to the bated rule
)f my eon hi n who would keep me as a
plowbny as long as he could, or I must be
take me tu the task ot sweeping out and
tei'Vlng a shop And yel. what shop? Out
who would employ me? Therefore I hung
Biy head and stood Irresolute without the
company's house Now presently the
jciitlouian whom I had seen within came
forth with another orlieer, brave In scar
let He saw me standing sadly beside the
posts, and Inspired by liist noble gener
osity which has always distinguished this
irruttt man, be cianisid his baud upon my
ihouldur
" 'So.' be suid. 'ymi are the lad who
loves a sword better than a ism? '
" 'If It please your honor,' I replied.
' 'A sword n mans siril to life and limb,'
he said sternly he who gisw a lighting In
India must exfsct hard tale, rough sleep
ing, rude knock lis must be ever on
the watch against treachery fie must
meet duplicity with equal cunning He
must nliey blindly be must never ask
why; If he is sent lo die like a rat In a
lioio, be must go without murmur or
question What' you think do you?
that to carry a sword is to flaunt a scarlet
uout before the ludles ot St James?"
" 'Nay. sir, with respecl I have read
lbs lives of soldiers I would wWingly
take the danger for the sake of the honor,
Hut alas! I must stay at home and sweep
a shop'
" What Is thy birth, boyf
"I told htm that, and satisfied him on
ether points, including ihe reason of my
flight. In which I trust that I was no more
than truthful Then be said
" 'I am Lord Give, and paused as if to
know whether I hsd heard of blm.
"You may be sura I was astouished, but
I quickly doffed my bat and mode blm my
best country bred bow
" 'My lord.' I said, "we have heard.
even In Northumberland, of Plassy.'
" 'Good! i went to ludia as a writer
a miserable quill driving writer Think
of that. What one man baa done another
may do Now, boy. 1 sail ibis day for
India There will be more 8ghtlng. a
great deal more fighting If you please
yon shall go as a cadet with me Dut
there Is no time to hesitate. I sail this
day Choose between the shop sweeping
and the musket You will tight In the
ranks at first, but If you behave well the
sword will come after ('boose peace
and money scraping at borne like these
smug faced fat citizens, be swept bis
baud wltb lordly contempt, or fighting
snd poverty, and K'rhups death abroad.
Choose.'
" "I humbly thunk your lordship,' I
said. I will follow you if you will conde
scend to take me '
"Then he bade mo go st ralght to Lima-
house Pisit, where I should find the ship
st anchor I was to tske a note to the
punter, who would give me an outfit.
"Thus, my dear Hrusilla. did I find my
fortune uud sail to foreign parts under as
brave and real a cupluin as this country
will ever see.
"Our voyage lasted eleven months.
There were 8(H) raw recruits on board.
mostly kidnaped or Inveigled under false (
pretenses by cnni and tho scoundrels of .
Wapping When they wore first paraded
they were as beggarly looking a lot as you
would wish to see ragged, dirty, muti
nous s:id foul mouthed Yet in a couple
of months, by dully drill, by good food
and sea air. by moderate rations of rum,
bv loiind Hogging, by the continual dis
cipline of the boutswain't roie's end aud
the sergeant s rattan, the regimental sup
plejack and the ships cut V niuo tails,
they became as promising soldiers as on
would wish As for mo, t stood with
them In the drill and did my best Of
course I could not exs.ot bis lordship to
notice so bumble s cadet as myself, but
one evening when we were near the end
of our voyage he sent lor me and gave
me a gloss of wine, aud kindly bade me
be patient and of good cheer, because, lie
suid. young gentlemen of merit uud cour
age would be sure lo find opmrluiiities
for distinction "
Ralph then wont on to describe tho life
of a soldier in India, aud to toll mo but
this I leave out for fear of Isilng tedious
how he received his commission and bow
begot promotion It Is sufficient to soy
that at the time ho wrote, after sis years
of service, be held the commission of a
ciiptais Nor was that all Lie had been
able to render such signul service to a
certain rajah, thut this prince, who was
not ungrateful, and hoped, besides, for
more such services, took htm one day Into
his treasure house and bade him holp him
self to all if be plouscd
The Water and Electric Light Com
pany, recenllv organized at lnilenend-
ence, Or., whose capital is f lO.OlM), 1ms
elected the following oiliiws : President,
A.J, Goodman ; Vice-President, J. Jlorn-
Hl'e; Secretary. II. II. Juaiutrsnn ! trenu.
urer, II. Iltrscliherg.
the lnte Sirs. Reeslv. the u ife nf TVru
lessor E. 8, Ueesly, whose (loath was an
nounced ly cable a few dnv ago wns an
ardent supporter of the frish National
ists, und was the author"' a of the ihiiiIi-
Hiuig English version if "The Wearing
of the Green."
The United Htnh s suiiudron of evnlo.
tion, Admiral Walker cotnnmiuling, has 4
arrived ut Toulon. The iniltienu on the
vesHolH of the fleet litis abided. The new
cruisers worked well under steam and
sail. As specimens of American ship
building and forerunners of tho now navy
of the United States they are regarded
with curiosity hy naval experts.