LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 998, 6 September 1877, Page 3

LITERATURE.

“ MAN PROPOSES.” Old Norton and Old Berton had made the name of ‘ Norton, Berton and « 0., bankers,’ a synonym for security. They had also built up the two magnificent fortunes which their profligate sons occupied themselves most assiduously in spending The old men were both dead now, but ‘ Co, ’ was alive, and on poor ‘ Co.’devolved the running of the business, for the present “ senior ” partners were almost unknown to the office. These latter were rather inclined to be of the “fast” sort, and although their knowledge of the banking business was limited, let it be said to their credit that in the scientific game of billiards they were most proficient. The fair sex spoke of them in awe-stricken tones as ‘very wild,’ and yet, judging from the number of matrimonial traps set for them, this was not considered as a particularly derogatory characteristic. They {which word I beg leave to state, is a personal pronoun, referring to Jesse Norton and Charley Berton) had been class mates at college, where—to use the classic vernacular of that seat of learning they had ‘ run together,’ and being of thorough congenial tastes and habits, friendship had outlived their graduation days. Jesse Norton was the elder, and probably had a little more of that commodity entitled ‘common sense.’ Compared to the other, he was quiet. He was not, however, one of those model young men, who implicitly follow the old maxim to ‘ think twice before you act, ’ He generally thought once# Charley Berton never thought at all. He was of the genus ‘good fellow,’ and was universally liked, impulsive, light-hearted, generous to a fault. But there were deeper elements in his character than showed themselves on the surface. He was a true friend, but could hate as well as love. In spite of his dandyism and wild ways, his old greyheaded father had often said, ‘ There’s some good in Charley Berton.’ The reader, gentle or otherwise, will pardon my introducing him (or her possibly) into such a scene of confusion as was presented by the rooms of our friends one pleasant morning in early summer. Norton, who was reclining on a sofa, with a cigar in each hand, manufacturing rings of smoke with a zeal which Avas commendable, suspended his occupation a moment to ask ; ‘Charley, do you really intend to marry that Montague girl ?’ ‘ S’pose I’ll have to,’ he answered with a confessional air.

‘ Well, it has always been a kind of an understood thing, you know, ever since Nelly and I first made mud pies together, that we’d be married some day, but 1 never regularly engaged myself till last spring.’ ‘ What did you do th t for ?’ * Had to—old woman inquired after my intentions—wanted to know if I was trilling with an innocent girl’s affections, and all that sort of thing. I got scared, and proposed,’ explained Charley, punctuating his remarks with puffs of smoke. ‘I don’t mind it much, though,’ he volunteered, in continuation, ‘except the old woman I'd just as soon marry a pretty little girl like Nelly, but I don’t like to marry the whole family.’ ‘ What will become of me ?’ asked Norton, rather gloomily. ‘Get married yourself.’ ‘ Thank you; I do not care for any of that pie.’ * Well,’ and Charley lit a fresh cigar very complacently, ‘do what you please, then; I’m not your keeper.’ ‘The idea of marrying at twenty-two,’ said Norton ; ‘ break it off, Charley, you’re not old enough.’ ‘ The devil!’ exclaimed Charley. This was the unkindest cut of all. He had been called young. Further than this his first exclamation, however, he s ad nothing, but relapsed into taciturnity, thinking, What a confounded insolent ass Norton was this morning.’ Neither of the pair felt in a sufficiently good humor to carry on an animated quarrel, consequently nothing was said for some time, until Charley, who had been gazing abstractedly out of the window, became suddenly interested in something outside. ‘ Look here, Jess. Who is that girl ?’ he said. ‘ Don’t you know her ? I thought every one knew her.’ ‘ Why?’ ‘ She’s talked about a good deal.’ ‘ You haven’t told me who she is yet.’ ‘Jessie Corson—artist’s daughter.’ ‘ Know her ?’ ‘Only by sight.’ ‘ Hoav has she distinguished herself ?’ Norton puckered his lips. ‘Don’t ask me,’ he said, ‘ask the gossips; they say she’s rather forward, I relieve. You ought to hear the old women talk.’ ‘Blank the old women,’ said Charley; * spiteful old crones. She is the prettiest girl I ever saw, ’ and he stroked his blande moustache approvingly. ‘ She has a pretty name,’ admitted Norton. ‘Your name—yes. You ought to marry her. ’ ‘ Some poor devil will be tied down to her pretty soon, I suppose,’ said Norton, with a sarcastic tone. Charley was still smarting over being called ‘ young.’ A sudden idea struck him. Here was his revenge. ‘lf I have any diplomacy,’ he thought, ‘Jesse Norton shall be that same poor devil’ He said the rest aloud. ‘He don’t need pity.’ For the two days succeeding this conversation Mr Charles Eerton had all the ap pearauce of a person with an object in life He was twice seen in au undeniable hurry. These symptoms of excitement in one of such constitutionally lazy temperament naturally excited curiosity and concern. On the third day ho entered Norton’s apartments with a superlatively bored air, advantageously showing off his powers as an actor. ‘ I can’t stand this weather any longer, Jess ; let’s go somewhere to rusticate.’ Norton laughed. ‘ I thought you had enough rustication during your college days. Where do you want to go :’ he said, ‘ Anywhere ! What do you say to New England ? Boston by water ?’ * All right. How soon ?’ ‘Boat leaves in au hour. Not much time.’ I will draw the curtain over the scene which ensued. I will not harass the reader with descriptions of the celerity with wojch a couple of toilets were made, nor will I enlighten that benighted individul as to the impromptu manner in which a pair of travelling bags w'ere packed. Suffice it-to say that our friends reached the boat just three seconds before she started. [Td be continued.)

A Skull Teephined 'with a Pickaxe cannot be mended, but the head-splitting headaches provoked by a disordered stomach can be permanently cured by soothing the great sympathetic nerve which connects the gastric organ with the brain. Materia Medica affords no corrective of disturbances and weakness in the abdominal region, no eradicant of any of the causes productive of brain and nerve excitement more reliable than Udolpho Wolfe’s Schiedam Aeomatio Schnapps.—[Advt.]