HE PAID UP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3619, 3 March 1906, Page 4

HE PAID UP.

A Wadding that Co#t Stuart H:»tu»«o •5,000. '‘l fetid In the newspapers one umrn iftg," saJ'B Is at 0. G noil win, "tlmt 1.'.v,--r«nce Barrett’s (laugh ;er had been married, and that among tho bridal gifts was a check for $5,000 from Stuart Robson. “ ‘That can hardly bo true,’ thought I. ‘Robson and Barret arc great friends, but Robson Would not bo likely to give so ftuich money tis a wedding present. The bCsrsi)ttp6rg must bo Wrong. ’ “A tiny Of tVvo Ihtur 1 iaet Kobson in Broadway. “ ‘Look here, old man,’ said I. ‘How about tlxat gift of $5,000 you arc said to hove made to Larry Barrett’s daughter? Have the newspapers boon lying about you again?’ “ ‘Nat,'add he solemnly, ‘lt’s true—ttae as gOflpali Stef) out here one side, and i’ll tell you how it happened.' “We retired to a convenient corner, ana Hobson told me the whole story, and it amused mo immensely. “ ‘About two years ago last summer,' said he, ‘a young man railed at my cottage In Cohassot, bringing a letter of Introduction from a friend In Now York. I was as Cordial os I could bo, ami tbo follow kept calling off and oh all summer. Ho did not Interest ine particularly, but ho was harmless. Ono day ho said to mo, “Mr. Robson, that Miss Barrett Is a charming girl." “ 1 "Ah, and so you have met the Barretts, have you?" says I." “ ‘ “I have,” says ho, “and 1 regard Miss Barrett as one of tho most charming young ladies I over saw.” “ ‘ “She is, my boy, sho Is!” says I. "Pitch in and win her, and tho day you Wed hot I’ll give you $6,000. And here’s $1 to bind the bargain.” “ ‘Nat, 1 pledge you my word I had no Idea that anything further would over come of tho matter. My idea was to encourage tho fellow to spend his time at Barrett's cottage instead of mine. But he was in earnest, it seems. I used to hoar of Ids being with Miss Barrett a good deal, mid occasionally I would see them sauntering along tho beach listening to tho music of the sad sea waves. But, as I said, I thought nothing serious of it all, and I forgot all about my stipulation involving (he 55,000. So you can imagine my astonishment, my horror, when, about two months ago, that young man turned up at my cottage again, wearing a particularly triumphant smile. “ ‘ "Mr. Robson," said ho, “I’ve done It.”

" ' “Done what?” says 1. “ ‘ “Proposed to her,” says he. <i < “Proposed to whom?" says I. , « « “yfhy, to Miss Barrett,” sayS he, “and I’m going to marry her I”

“ ‘ "The —you arol” says I, for the news fairly knocked the wind out of me.

“ ‘ “X am, Indeed,” says be, and then he reminded me of the promise I had given him about the check. Yes, you may not believe tt; but', Nat, tho follow bad tho bad taste to recall that I had promised to give him a bridal present in case be won Larry Barrett’s daughter. " ‘ “My boy," say* I as amiably as I could, "Stuart Robson never forgets and he never violates a pledge or a promise I” “ ‘The morning of the wedding I was feeling too indisposed to leave my bod. 1 had been sitting up too late the night before with a sick Mead. So I called my daughter to me. “ ‘ “Alicia," soldi, “are you going to the wedding?" “ ‘ “Yes, father.” “ ‘ “Then take this check with you," said I. “Be careful not to lose It, and after tho wedding hand It to the groom. But, mind you, Allcln, do not give it to him until after the minister pronounces them man and wife, for he might drop dead in tho meantime."

“ ‘When my daughter returned that afternoon, I said, "Alicia, is it all over?” " ' “Yes, father.” “ ‘ "And did you give him the check for js.ooor *' ‘ "Yoa, father.” “ * “What did he do when you gave it to him?”

" * "Father, be cried." " ‘I was gratified, I will admit, that my trifling benefaction had touched his heart, yet 1 was anxious to know the full extent of Ids appreciation. '• * "Ho cried, did ho?" said I. “How long did ho cry?” " ’ “Father, I am not sure, but I should say about a minute." " ' “A minutoi A minute!” said L ‘ ,” I cried an hour before I signed that check!” ’ ” —Eugene Field iu Chicago Record Array Intelligence. An army olliccr, Captain Poker Chip, who has boon dismis i-d from the army for duplicating his ca>!. ‘account, was scon walking on the street with a I.n'.y Seven.) United States officers of the ;iib saw tbi- couple, and Colonel Mountain Howitzer remarked to Major Blow: ‘ I can’t comprehend how Poker Chip ha-- the cheek to bo toon on tluu.i.rwts with a v.-oman who would so far forget herself as to walk out with a man of his reputation.”—Texas Siftings.

Warned Iu Time. Mr. Harduutt—l admit,sir, that my life ha;- not been what it should be, hut I truly and unselfishly love your daughter, and if over 1 give her a moment’s pain I hope I'll bo made to suffer torture for it. Old Gentleman (warnlngly)—Oh, you will! You don’t know her.— New York Weekly. ImpDMlbl*. Mrs. Bellefield—Mr*. Oakland has a great secret. Mm. Bloomfield—Oh, no I She oaa't have. “Why not?" “If she had, she would have told it ta me. ” —Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph, Hlat to Benedicts, ”1 don’t like to interfere in domestic attain,” says the Manayunk philosopher, ’tout I would suggest to the married man that it would be well for him to let his wife bring up the family while he brings op the coal.”—Philadelphia Record. A Peculiarity, “Money talks, ” said the confident man. “Yes,” replied the melancholy cltlsea, “but when It’s conversing with a poor relation It usually talks in a whisper.”— Washington Star. Defined. “What do we mean by health?” asked the teacher. “Health,” said a timid little voice, ”1* when you’re real fat ssi have lots of skin I”—Youth’s Companion. Answered. “How many bells an ta this ehbnef* asked the canons tmvstar. “Eight, all tolled,“ said the sexton.— IndlanapOUs Journal wm