CHAPTER VII. NID'S ADVICE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2209, 4 September 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER VII. NID'S ADVICE.

Jim Foxboroiitfh knew very well what the money-loader hud meant, but it sounded all very plausible put in this manner, and then again he was in eomewhat urgent need of luh inonoy. 'I cannot say I wish it,' he replied, after a few moments' consideration. ' I don't think her mother wishes it, and I don't boliove the child herself has ever thought about it. I don't think you are a snitablo husband for Nid. Hear me out,' he continued, seemg 1 the other was about to intenupt him. ' I know you've got money, and oin give her a jrood home and all that, but still I doubt her beiug happy with you. You've no tastes in common.' 4 Excuse me, Miss Foxborough'd tastes are artistic, no are mine.' The proprietor of the Hyrinya stared for a moment in sheer amazement at tho audacious speaker. At last he rejoined drily: 1 Well, I should hardly have thought

them ho. I havtj no intention of interfering with Nid's choice when she in old enough to know her own mind. At present I undoubtedly don't consider her so. It will bo time enough to talk about this a yenr or two hence, if you still wish it. Now 1 , about the money ?' and Foxborough threw himself back, and strove to affect an indifference to Cudemore's reply, which no man endeavouring to borrow monoy ever successfully achieved. The money-lender felt ho had failed signally in his scheme so far, but ho was far too shrewd not to see that to come to a rupture with Foxborough was certainly not the way to improve his chance of marrying Foxborough's daughter. It was his interest to find the money from every point of view, and the pursuit of 1 his own interests Mr Cudemnre never neglected. Naturally, ho replied tho money should be forthcoming. Herbert Morant has suddenly awakened to the fact that lie has made a confounded fool of himself. Tho fact dawned upon him as he lay in bed sipping his matutinal cup of tea one summer morning in Morpeth Terrace, and was brought home to his intelligence by the perusal of sundry blue-looking epistles that had just arrived, »md which all contained more or less urgent appeals for money, the culminating shock being a polite intimation from Mr Sturton that hii bill at ninety days' sight for one hundred pounds would fall due on the following day, and he trusted would be duly met at the expiration of tho ordinary throe tlayw' grace. Mr Morant h:ul been cursed, as he himself said, ' with a small independence, just enough to induce a limn to do nothing, and not quite ouough to liva upon.' He was not particularly extra* vagaut, but he did what his associates did, aud that among young men, in the heyday of youth, with excellent spirit* and unimpdiied digestion, mctint a good deal. He assisted atmo.it that whs ffointr on in the town, aud do it as you will that runs into money. The consequence was he was always spending more than he had. This hnd already twice necessitated dips into his limited capital, followed, of course, by a corresponding reduction of income, and it was now becoming clear to him that a third cull upon hi* principal was imminent. It was disgusting very, just too as he h.td begun to think how nice it would be to settle dowu aud marry Nid Foxborough. 4 This must be looked into and put .1 stop to at once/ he exclaimed, as he sprang out of bed and into his bath, ;»nd for the next few minute* there miiruthavo been heard 11 wondrous splashing nnd sluicing, mixed with muttered objurgations and sublime resolutions. 4 Cursed fool, life chucked away, give it up, make a clean slato of it, nuppoio there'll be enough loft to buy bread anl chee.-e ; I'll take up «i trade, by tho Lord, aud stick to it ; mus.t have the pull any way, you can't spend money while jou are trying to make it.' It bus been before pointed out that Mr Herbert Morant was comewhat eccentric, and that moreover his slight eccentricities were not only tolerated, but contributed no little to his popularity. If there was one person with whom Herbert Morant wax a special favourite, it was Mrs Marriott, the housekeeper of the chambers in Morpeth-terrace, iv a set of which Morant had resided evpr since ho left tho Uuirersity som« five or six years ayo. She regarded him a* quite the pick of all her gentlemen, chiefly perhaps because out of the half-dozen or so tenants, none evir b.mterul her as Herbert Morant did. His toilet completed, lie ranir the bell for breakfast, and told the servant who brought it he wished to speak to Mrs Marnott, at her earliest convenience, aud that lady's advent speedily followed. 'All, good morning, Mis Marriott," lie exclaimed, "I have bent for you to say tint we are once moic on the \erge of a crisis— financial en is, of course. I have expeiienced more than once since I have enjoyed the comfort of being under your charge." 1 Lor, sir, I'm sine I hope it isn't very bad," rejoined the housekeeper, who had rather vague notions of what Mr Morant called his crises. • Mrs Marriott, I must request no feminine frivolity," said Herbert, impressively. "I have instructed you in your duties during crises ; I presume you haven't forgotten them — the strictest economy mind, I can afford nothing that coats ready-money, except washing and candles. It's a mercy I can do without coal this warm weather. Your book, mind must be absolutely an affair to be settled iv Queen's heads " ' And without regard to other ttinga, sir, I suppose they're to go on as usual ? 'Quite so, Mrs Marriott. Anything that goes down in a book you will obtain as usual. We tnu«t not disturb the mysterious currents of trade, nor derail go any fellow denture's system of double entry. You understand, Mrs Marriott:' ' Yes,' loplied the housekeeper, laughing ; 'but you know, sir, it makes no real difi'eionce. You said yourself la.st time it all came to the same thing at tho end of the quarter.' ' You don't understand these things, Maniott. lam acting on the soundest financial piinciplcs. When there is a run upon bullion the B.mk of England always raises the rate of discount, which is tantamount to declining to part with ready money except under severe pressure. That's the principle ; we must exi*t, like the snipes this quarter oxl lengthy bills. Also remember, I am either never at home, or laid up with confluent smallpox. Great men, like editors aud gentlemen in difficulties, are always hard to interview. Were you ever in gaol, Mrs Marriott ?' 1 Lord, sir, what a question !" aaid the housekeeper* rather indignantly. 4 Pooh ! I don't mean aa a victim ; I mean as a consoler.' 1 Well, air, I don't know whoever could have told you, but when Marriott got into difficulties and was ' took,' I used sometimes to go and see him,' whispered the widow. ' I sometimes think that it was his anxieties that killed him,' Perhaps they had, for the deceased Marriott's, a retired butler who had gravitated into public line, chief anxiety latterly had been the attainment of as much brandy and water as possible. 1 Mrs Marriott, when they have cast me into a dungeon with gyves upon my wrists, I shall expect you to visit me as somebody in history, whose name I don't precisely recollect, used to visit somebody else whose patronymic at this minute I can't exactly remember.' With which Christy Minstrel jest Mr Morant dismissed his housekeeper, aud lighting a cigar sat down to reflect upon hit, position. He had had his joke with Mrs Marriott, but there was some method in his madness. The housekeeper did not understand a jrood deal of his chair, but she thoroughly compieheuded the main drift ot it, to wit, that money waa scarce an i that lunches and dinners in chambers when ordered were to be based on economical piinciples. Still this sort ot savins; is not much use to a man in a big money set ape, and as a rule men never live so well as just beforo bankruptcy. I think it is in Disraeli's "Young Duke" that the M'irquis and his wite having tried economy tor a year and found it a failure, once nioie announce expense as no ob]cct. The saving seamed so uttoily inadequate to tho elfacemenfc of the dilhcultk's as not to Ikworth going on with. Herbert Morant was no tool, and was quite as well aware of this .vs that continued reckless living only increased them. What was he to do ? As for paying his debts there woull

be little difficulty about that, but it involved further sacrifice of capital, n.ml this would be to leave him with a very shrunken income. A man who had failed to make loth ends meet on five hundred a year was hardly likely to get along on little more than half that sum. (To he rovtwurti )