CHAPTER XIV.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 274, 20 June 1888, Page 6

CHAPTER XIV.

THY TWO MHil I! VNT-. On Tuesday morning Mr Langle\ made hiway to Mr Tarnoi'- otfiee, and wiHi him ho ■s\as closeted eoiiic time Mi Laugley toll really anxious- ta seivc Astlev. a^ he lemem beved luV own o.aly colonial da\s, and the hardships he wont thiouuh eie ho attained any linn standum. Having been tlnou^li the tire himself and come out all unlit, he felt for young follows iu-t entning into colonial lite, nioie especially a* men who had started with him weie now tar behind, some having puecmnbed to t lie trouble- that smrounded them. They had not oneigv or luck sufficient ro b.ittle Mitee^tullv \sith adversity. Mr Lan^lev ahvny- nvide a pomt -inee he had it ""in" hi* power -oi helping up a 'new churn" if an oppoifumtv pre-eniod itself, and failing (hi-, he had often been know n to make an opportunity 01 -o -oi v ing a young fellow, even at pei?oiul le— • It isa pleasurable net that theie aie othejlike him in the eoionv , but it i^ to be regretted that tin \ aie tew and i.n bet-ween. Many old set tlci* — good men and true— ?a\ • 'Oh. let him iou<_rh it 1 Jiad a pretty' hard time ut it when I came here first, Look at me now ' It will do him good — make a man of him They lorget. that tune- aie flunked A.the colony has advanced the people ha\e acquned different iiouon- Some tou\ ■\ears ago all weie 'm the -ameboit 01 nearly so. Bein^r h.ird up in Xevv 7ea land 'nou the population ha:> -o much m creased, is- a \ery di'leiet\t mattei to being hard up some tlmtv 01 loitv \iaK- .11^0 There if a teun that ha* been applied to many a poor 'new chum," who lia* been longhoping against hope, looking tai and wide for work "and crettmjr none, and who. for want Ot means to go fan her, has> come back to the t-pot. he .-taited irom to be called— a loafet ' 'It i- the la-t -tiaw that breaks the canu'J's back/ j-o rhk< i- tne word that bieak- the * new chum s ' heai t To have left a homew heie he ha.-, pci hap-, a fond mothei and loving M-tet- whose hope? are centred in him, <md to tramp the country looking for an\ work and returning footsore and heait?oie to the ]-»oint i\om which he started, hoping theie to fmd ?ome relicf 1 With clothes worn out and boots dilapidated, his former acquaint ances knew him not. and he heats himself spoken of a- a loafei ' How inanv a pooi fellow has utteilv to the doa;? through that degiading term beinsr applied ro him ' Mr Langrley ha\injr di-cu-?ed \arioubusine?? mattei- witli Mr Tuinei, mtioduced. the -ul">]ect whioh v,n the rdil motive of hi- 1 visit. 'By the way, Tmnei, -aid he, %m\ wife called on ■you ye-tenlayabout a\oun£ fellow named Berwick, I believe. Do jmi kiiow anything against him of \om own personal knowledge?" 'Not I," lephed Mr Tiuuei '1 haven't botheied my head about him much, but Dakin know- all about him He can tell you a great deal moie than I can. Must .-o." feciid Mr Langley, r milin<i * Xow, Turnfev, I think you have treated thi- \oanc fellow \en badly : I do. in deed/ ' Pardon me,' said the pompou- little man, draw ing hunt-elf up : ' I think I know w hat I'm about." ''Question,' -aid Mt Lanule\, <hilv ' 2sow, &erioush , my dear f«llov\ . what do sou know againsfc him : 'Know agam-t him'" e\f!auned Mi Tinner, furninglv • Tarn -urpn-ed at you a-king such i question Win. evei\bod\ knows his ttoiv. Suiely you know what the papei- wete lingmg with a back. ' Rightly termed a -toiv," - iifl Mi Langley, 4 though if fai too mild lamruage / call it an infernal lie 'So you have been bamboo/led, too, ha<e \ou? a?ked Mr Tmnei "1 -hould have given jou crodtt for bcttei '■enic '(rently,' -aid Mi Lauglcv, (juiith Mint li-ten to me one moment ifu., \u« hive a youn<? fellow com in if to 3011, bunding a lettei of mttoditetion iioir oiu 01 urn leading Home meichant-— .1 man \. lio-e name 1- lionomed tfnoughuut the wruily commeiciai world. Tlii= h-ttei -peak- 1/1 high teim- of the beaiet, in the \o\\ hiuh e-t teim-in which one nvin '.an -peak of anothei. The -candalou- dnon-e i)u-ine--i- mentioned a<- a ti umped-up ea-t ■ in htet, the whole lettei i- vei v -tnin^ly in favoiu of thiajoung fellow, who 1- exception. dlv well spoken of by the people lie 1 c, v. ho know him: and yet} 011 turn *i cold -hoMkki to .lim, andv^oise, allow that im» Ji^kiti, who is a mean fellow, to <so about painting him blacker than Old Kick hiin-'elf ' 'I think you areiathti haul on ]>akdi, and r-caicely ie-})ecttnl. on should ie member that he hold- 1 higii pu-ition m w\ hou'-e, and will -oo'i cucei ni\ family <ix mv daughter' 1 - hu-band. -o fion't let u- haveany more of that pk'.i-u Sow , wihtt !- t!njoii .-ay about thi- \onny Hei w ick bemjj spoken ;-o well of hy people wiio know lutn heie ' 'Why, I know '■evo.ial people v\ ho have met him, and they all f-peak highly oi him ; beside^ this, I^com!>e -ay"- he know -all about it on tlie mo-it ieli«tble .aitlioritv, and vbut thae 1- no tiuch in (he chaitre-, though hi^ iiiiiocencc cannot at pir-ent be pioved." 'x\h! that.- the tub.' said Mt Turner with satisfaction. 'Jf lie could pio\c ln linnocence, I should be thy lii'-l to '-hake him by the hand. 'And because he h nuclei a cloud. though mcrj like Mr Hroadky and fictbc.tt Escombe allinn that he i- all light, 3011 shut your door« against him v " 'Well," replied Mi Tinner, allot a moment's consideration, 'it do<> seem rather haul, but you k;iow J hu\e daughter.-, and a man cannot be too particular in his choice oi visitoi - ' 'And have nob J a daughter? said Mr Langley, who saw that be bad cainc-d a little ground. ' But he is not a \isitoi at your house, i-s he?' ' Not at present, 1 paid Mr L:in%\ey, ' but he .soon will be, for M)s Langley has asked him to dinner on Thursday. J don i know if he has accepted, but if he does, will you come and meet him V ' You surprise me, Langley. Ilowevei , I can see no objection to meeting him, a guest at your house,' said Mr Turnei, who enjoyed his friend's little dinners. ' Yes, I will come, thanks, bufcl won't promise to be more than civil to him.' • That is all I ask, but J must ,say i think that as there is a doubt- though j am convinced—you should have given him the ' benefit of it, coming to you, as he did, with j such a recommendation. ]s T ow, be a good fellow, consider the matter and use your own judgment.' ' I will, Langley, I will, indeed,' .said the little man ; and then, after a pauhe, he added, ' I believe there i.s something in it' )

' Take my word for it, old friend. There is a good deal more in it Mian uo know.' So Air Langloy took his depurtun\ fooling that he had not altogether waited h\* time.