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FRANK MORTIMER,
Editor ami Proprietor.
dilju fMoomfiflh Whites.
J Published Weekly,
At New Bloomfleld, Penn'n.
BY
FRANK MORTIMER.
BUBBCIUI'TION TEKM8.
ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR !
I3V Vl) VvYOI .
DEAD BROKE."
A Story of Fashionable Life.
ir
"E IS dead broke."
"Ilowmuch does ho owe?"
" One week, to-morrow, over the month,"
' said the clerk, examining the ledger.
" Whew !" whistled the landlord. "Has
he no friends to pay for him ?"
" Plenty of friends now, but let them find
out that he is broke and they'll bo off liko
a covoy of birds."
" I must see him ;" and the hotel pro
prietor, walking out upon the piazza, ap
proached a young man leaning against one
of the front pillars.
; "Mr. Watson, your bill, I see, is in ar
rears one week over tho settlement day.
Why is it?"
The young man flushed at first, as if in
anger ; then a smile overspread his hand
some face. " I know I am a delinquent
Major Snow, but I can't p?y -at present."
"Do you expect money soon?"
"Well, really I don't know who should
send mo anything from their surfeit of
cash."
" Then I am to understand that you are
not only unable to pay, but do not expect
to be able ?"
Undoubtedly, Major."
" Sorry, Watson, for you . have been a
favorite of the season, and I don't like to
turn you out before the break up nor will
I. If you can give up your suit of rooms
and take up with one suited to your cir
cumstances, I will let you remain tho fu
ture." " You are very good, Major, and I guess
I'll have to consent.
So the baggage of Watson was lifted and
taken from the elegant suit on the second
lloor to a little seven by fourteen room on
the ilflh floor.
How quickly it became known that tho
change had been made 1
Evory servant in the house betrayed the
knoweledge in tho absence of the usual
deference paid to the possessors of ' parlors,'
at dinner, the " boy," wjjo had been only
too eager to anticipate Mr. Watson's wants
suddenly became oblivious to those wants,
and only answered thorn aftor repeated
orders. The cashier and register clerk,
always so obsequious, grew dignified and
indifferent. Only the urbane Major pre
served a kindly greeting for tho guest too
poor to pay his bilk and remaining by
sufferance.
"Queer," thought the hotel proprietor,
"lie certainly had money enough wheu he
came for he deposited a cool five thousand
in the safe. Ho hasn't been fast, I aa cer
tain, and his habits have been so goodthat
the young bloods have rather played off
trom him. Hut he has been a favorite.
Not a belle in the room but would have
dropped her best friend for his attendance.
Hang me if I can understand it."
Watson hailing from Baltimore, had been
a season guest at the Cascado. Friends ho
Lad in plenty." Ho was courteous, well-bred,
good-looking, intelligentj and, apparently,
, rich what more could be askod ? Among
tho ladies he had moved quite a prince ;
and many were the gossamer webs woven
as toils to capture him, but to all ho proved
a very incorrigible recusanthe would not
be any one's prize.
AN INDEPENDENT EAMILY
IVew 331ooiiiiielcl, T?n., ng-iiHt 3(). 1870.
Tho exquisite charm of voice, manner
and sentiment, tho beauty of person, the
elegance of attiro all were agreeable to
him, deeply so, for he seemed to enjoy
them all immensely ; but not tho brilliant
poetess, Miss Mountjoy, nor the coy and
artless Miss Dumain, nor tho rattle-headed
young Miss Lambert, nor tho haughty,
elegant, and exclusive Miss Percy, nor the
very rich Miss Oromanes, appeared to com
mand him. IIo was to all alike, tho agree
able companion, the candid friend, tho
shrewd resistant of all arts to lead him into
lovo's labyrinthine.
How would all these beauties of tho salon
receive the announcement sure to bo made
of his "altered circumstances," as the Ma
jor expressed it ?
Evidently Mr. Watson was not indiffer
ent. IIo still frequented the piazzas and
parlors, giving every friend, male or female
ample opportunity to " cut his acquain
tance," or otherwise to express themselves.
It was somewhat curious to note the pro
gress of his decline, not his fall, for Watson
had that in his character and construction
which, even in poverty and trial would
preserve him from a sacrifieo of personal
dignity and self-relianco. But that he was on
the decline became to him a sorrowful
fact.
Sorrowful, did we say? That is, judg
ing by the usual standards of human felici
ity or misery. To lose one's friends, to be
hold your possition in society gradually
slipping away, to realizo that no longer
you are held in coveted consideration by a
chosen few, is ordinarily a source of sorrow.
Meantime how keenly the knife cut to the
quick of his sensibilities ; for, while every
acquaintance was given full facilities for
doing the disagreeable office of giving the
" cold shoulder," the Baltimorean appeared
like an interested spectator, -and was as
unmoved, when passed by a supposed
friend without the slightest notice, as if he
were a nowspaper reporter, anxious to see
the act and note the fact. '
Into tho parlors during tho ovoning ho
particularly pressed his way. If a bevy of
gay fellows surrounded Miss Mountjoy, he
worked his way to tho circle, and at
last, received from that lady of Sappho
like lips his discharge. She did most grace
fully and crushingly turn her back upon
him not three days after his removal from
tho Recond floor.
Miss Dumain he sought, confident that
one so artless would certainly bo above tho
hollow-hearted crowd, and still give him
her kindly greeting,. Vain conception I
The artless girl was coy indeed, and when
at length he cornered her, it was to his dis
comfiture. She suddeuly turned and for
ced her way past him, without even one
of her downcast glances. - On the contrary,
her eyes were fixed fully on his face, and
plainly said, " Sir, wo are strangers."
Next he tried rattle-headed Miss Lambert
and sho rattled on quite as usual ; but
Watson soon discovered that the rattle was
not for him. ?
Strangely enough, the proud and exclu
sive Miss Percy unbent somewhat from her
lofty carriage, and gavo him a welcome
but over it all was a shadow a fear, ap
parently, which made Miss Percy shy rath
er than haughty ; and W atson began to
catch glimpses of a character beneath all
that conventional veil which he had not
expected to find.
Of course the wealthy Miss Oromanes
would scorn his further friondlyQalations.
Her rooms were near his own second floor
apartments ; sho daily, all tho soason, had
encountered him in his walks through the
long corridor, and must have been one of
tho first to learn of his fallen fortunes. In
deed, ho half surmised that her dressing
maid had mado special inquiry inthis caso,
seeing her confidential confab with the floor
stewardess . and room-girls. So Watson
with a reserve or prido not entertained
with others, kept apart from Miss Ormanos,
xOn that third evening of his changed
fortunes, when tho Sappho of the Cascades
annihilated him, greatly to the pleasure of
tho young "bloods" around her, Watson
wandered away at length upon the piazzas ;
then up through tho long deserted halls,
restless, thoughtful, digesting tho notes
which ho had been taking of human nature,
and trying to fix the relative value of a man
without money. It was tho crystallino
truth ho was learning not tho truth in
mere solution, sometimes clear, sometimes
opaque, but always thin, but tho precipi
tated, hard, angular, clear-cut crystals of
experience, mined in unexpected places..
Had he remained upon the second floor,
never would he have obtained the gems ;
the mere solution would only have repaid
his keenest search. But tho migration to
tho upper spaces had given him a wondrous
lens ; his horizon was so immeasurably ox-"
tended that, barring the fact that his bill
was unpaid, ho was the happier because wi
ser, for the upward reverse.
Suddenly, in his solitary promenade, he
confronted the heiress. She was walking
arm in arm with young Evans, of her
" set," in confidential communication it
would appear, else why should they have
been in that long hall alone ? asked Watson
as with a claiioe. ho took in tho situation.
The meeting was a surprise to both par
ties, and tho inclination of both men was
to pass without recognition. Evans, indeed,
flushed in anger, and
with head erect bore down and passed his
enemies, like a suspended or cashiered of
ficer of the line, conscious of his soldiery
qualities, but equally conscious of his " al
tered circumstances."
To high ho held his head, in fact, for he
caught no soft glance from the lady's eye
and trod so firmly upon the trail of her el
egant evening dress as to cause a precepti
blo cracking of seams at tho skirt plaits.
Evans turned with a sudden anger.
"Dolt!" ho hissed.
Watson passed on, "staying to make no
apology, but he heard the lady say ;
"Fie, it is nothing ;" and ho was con
scious, too, that she was looking at him
wonderingly.
An hour later Watson was down on tho
piazza again, evidently on the quest for
some person, and he found his man ere
long. Evans was the gentleman wanted.
Going up to him Watson said :
air. iiivans, wnai was tno worn you
used at tho time I trod on the trail of Miss
Oromanes' dress ?"
"I said dolt, sir I and I say it again. We
have hitherto supposed you to bo a gentle
man, ana now learn mat you cannot pay
your bills; and ho laughed half in scorn
and half in humor of the fact so opportune,
ly given him to crush another.
Hie hot blood flow to Watsons face : his
hands were clenched as if to strike ; but,
by a strong effort, ho mastered his passion
" Evans, no gentleman ever would have
uttered that sentence. Only a coward
would fling another's poverty in his face.
Miss Oromanes, educated as she has been, to
give virtue to wealth, might find in my ina
bility to pay my hotel bill a justification for
dropping my acquaintance , but I doubt
if ever she would have countenanced inciv
ility. I owe her an apology for my seem
ing rudeness, and will givo it to her, but
you I hold in too supreme contempt even to
exchange more words with you. Iloreaf
ter do not speak to me, for if you do I will
slap your face, even in the presence of tho
ladies," and tho speaker went his way to
his attic room.
This scene overheard by several gentle
men and ladies, was soon tho talk of the
rooms. Evans being a recognized loader
of a very aristocratic circle booh convened
others of the set ; and Major Snow was, ere
long, summoned to be informed that ho
must "clear out Watson" Evans offering
to pay tho delinquent's bill.
And thenews flow througlxmt tho par
lors and promenades that Major Snow was
to givo Mr. Robert Watson, of Baltimore,
his walking papers in tho morning.
An obsorvor of tho scone between tho
NEWSPAPER.
two gentlemen on the piaza was Miss Oro
manes. Having at once retired to her
room to repair the accident to her skirt, the
lady donned another dress, and, to enjoy
half an hour undisturbed, stole out upon
the pleasant weather promenade. She
thus was a -witness of what . transpired.
Sho, too, retired in evident excitement, to
her rooms ; and when her maid, half an
hour later, brought tho houso-news that
tho Major was to clear Watson out in the
morning, the heiress, with perfect delibera
tion, but with brightened color in her
cheeks, and a clear sparkle in her beauti
ful eyes, sat down to her desk and indited
the following note :
" Major Snow will please tako no action
in the matter of the difference between Mr.
Watson and Mr. Evans. I overheard ev
ery word that passed between the gentle
men, and I fully justify Mr. Watson.-r-Were
it not an insult to him, I would offer
to become responsible for any amount which
he may now bo able to pay ; "but I know
that he is a thorough gentleman, and would
equally scorn to wrong you or to leave your
house at the dictation of others.
"I am, sir, yours,
"Helene Obamanes."
This the maid was told to place in the
Major's hands at once. The maid had not
far to go, for she met the proprietor advan
cing up the stairway. He glanced at the:
billet and laughed ; then paused and said.
"No use of my trip up five pair of stairs
Mr. Robert Watson has tho freedom of
this house for the next live seasons."
And down stairs he went again, while
the open-eared maid, having lost not a
word returned to her mistress to find her
absorbed in penning another note.' This
was written with great caro and many
pauses. It was finally finished and read as
follows :
"Mr. Watson will plcaso excuso the
boldness of tho note ; but having been a
witness to the meeting between yourself
and Mr. Evans on the piazza, I feel it in
cumbent on mo to say that I fully justify
your proceeding and your words. I ask no
apology from you. Indeed, it will bo painful
to receive it. Believe me, I am exceeding
ly pained at tho inference you have
drawn, namely : that I could find a justifi
cation in dropping your acquaintance in
tho fact of your temporary embarrasmeut.
Alas for my riches, if they compel me to
bear such imputations on my souse and
motives
" I am, sir, yours very sincerely,
"Helene Okmanes."
This missivo the maid bore to the 5th story.
It found the romantic Robert in bed; but
the letter was flung in over tho door venti
lator. " A letter for Monsieur Watson from my
lady," said a voice at the door ; and Wat
son sprang up as the envelope floated down
to his feet.
"A note from my lady 1" what on earth
did that mean? Another rumpus brewing
of course ! Turning on tho gas ho road
astonished, pleased delighted, as the rich
color mounting to his temples testified.
And then, foolish man, he kissed tho note.
So very preposterous for one in his cir
cumstances 1
Many wore tho guests who "turned out"
fully two hours before their usual 10 o'clock
breakfast the next morning, in order to see
Mr. Robert Watson depart. To their sur
prise there was Watson, cheerful and con
tent, arm in arm with Miss Oromanes, and
Major Snow looking on admiringly. To
Evans and his set it was a declaration of
war ; but who would dare to tako up arms
against the spirited heiress to a million?
They all retired, resolved to let events tako
their course.
And they did take their courso, of course.
In three days' time a magiu'fieeut equipage
drove to the stand, and Wilt son soon ap
peared with tho beautiful Miss Oromanes
for his companions in tho morning drive.
' Whose equipage is that?" demanded
Terms: IN ADVANCE.
i One Dollar per Year.
IVo. 35.
Evans of the Major, wlto bad escorted; his
guests to the carnage.
"Oh, that's Watsons, to be suref was
the j-eply.
" Watson's he hanged ! Say Major, has
he paid his bill ?" asked Evans maliciously.
"Paid his bill? Lord bless you, ho is
rich enough to buy out this wholo concern,
and to hire you and mo for call boys I"
"Explain yourself, then, sirl" demand
ed Evans irately. "Did you not inform
tho guests that ho could not pay his bill,
and that you had sent him up stairs out of
his second floor suit?"
"Not 1 1 Some of tho clerks may have
said something, to which others added
more ; but I really thought too much of the
gentleman to mention tho matter to any
one. Now it turns out that it was all a
littlo game of his own."
"Little game? What object could he
have have have had in playing such hide
and seek?" demanded Evans again, in
tones peremptory.
" Well, in part, I suppose, to test the
value of friendship in general, and tho pow
er of money in particular both of which
I have no doubt ho has done to his entire
satisfaction. Ha-ha-lm ! What do you
think about it, Mr. Evans?"
"Think about it I Why, that it -was
it was "
"What?"
"Why, a very artful dodgo-,nothing
less."
"Capital dodge, that's a fact, seeing that
as a poor man, .he won Miss Oromanes,.
and"
" Now, what do you mean?" fairly Bhout
ok Evans in his excitement.
" Mean ? That before ten o'clock on the
morning of tho day wheu he was to have
had his walking papers, by your orders, he
was dead in love with tho heiress, and
"And what, sir?,'
"And sho dead in love with him."
" It's false, I know 1" cried the man, now
white in the face from some inexplicable
emotion.
"False, eh? Going off in that carriage
together to the preacher's looks liko it
don't it ?"
" Good heavens I"
The Major's conjecture was premature,
as he well knew ; but the shot had struck
Evans to the heart, and he fairly staggered
to to a seat. Evans had played a long ami
deep game to win tho heiress. IIo had
long been her recognized suitor ho had
discounted her possessions in his gay life,
and tho result was ho was dead-broke I
He left the watering place that day.
Importance of Puuctuution.
Tho importance of putting marks of
punctuation in the right place, .is illustrated
by tho following example :
"Lord Palmerston then entered ; on his
head, a white hat ; upon his feet, largo but
well-polished boots ; upon his brow, a dart,
cloud; in his hand, his faithfiul walking
stick ; in his eyo a meaning glare ; saying
nothing, he sat down."
With a slight change in punctuation, we
find him a very singular man indeed :
"Lord Palmerston then entered on his
head ; a white hat upon his feet ; largo but
well-polished boots upon his brow ; a dark,
cloud in h'is hand ; his faithful walking
stick in his eye ; a meaning glare saying
nothing. Ho sat down."
In the following as punctuated, wb couiHi
eight different individuals:
" The persons inside the coach were Mi .
Miller; a clergyman, his son; a lawyer;
Mr. Angels ; a foroigncf ; his lady ; and ?.
littlo child."
Tho number is reduced to five, and th
meaning of tho sentenco entirely changod,
by arranging the names in parts, thus :
" The persons insido tho coach wero Mi-.
Miller, a clergyman j his son, a lawyer ; Mi .
Angels, a foreigner ; his lady, and a littlo
child."
t3f" A, hand-to-mouth existence thut of
a dentist
-y
JO