A COSTLAY DEBT.

Observer, Volume XXIX, Issue 12, 5 December 1908, Page 18

A COSTLAY DEBT.

AN only daughter comprises the family of Mr Peter Prineetown, a retired merchant and a widower. He is a very important man ; and now, as we behold him in his diningroom, awaiting the arrival of his daughter Charlotte, to begin dinner, his importance and hunger have fo overmastered him that he is holding his evening paper upside down, and probably thinks he is reading it. " Here, Gertrude !" he snaps out at last, addressing his servant, " take away the soup and keep it warm. I cannot understand what has detained Charlotte at her music lesson. Bring me my boots at once. lam going to meet her." Gertrude, trembling, removes the soup-tureen, and is returning with the boots, when the door-bell peals out joyously. "That is Charlotte, at last'" exclaims the father, who has just taken off his slippers. " It is the young lady," repeats Gertrude, who, in her haste to open the door, drops the boots on her master's plate. Charlotte enters like a miniature whirlwind. She is small and graceful, with laughing eyes and fluffy hair ; is eighteen years old, has little -feet, with arched instepp, and pretty hands, perfectly gloved, besides a thousand other charming details ; there are dimples in her cheeks, and she has a clean-cut little chin, and a softlyrounded form. In a word, she is an adorable little creature — a butterfly, all ribbons and lace, flowers and furbelows. " You have come at last," announces the father, ironically, as he seats himself at the table, and unfolds his napkin. ••Oh, papa, I was just going to tell you !" " Sit down, sit down first ; you can explain while eating, and I will understand you better then. Great heavens! I have waited long enough, already. Gertrude — the soup." «• But, papa, you can't think ! I've had a real adventure." '•An adventure ?" cries Mr Princetown, starting up in alarm. ••Yes, papa, an adventure, in the tram car, with a young man." "In the tram car with a young man ? Great heavens !" At this juncture Gertrude discreetly retires, in obedience to an imperious gesture from her master. '• Oh, papa, an adventure with a young man who was altogether too nice, I assure you." •• I would have you know, my dear, that a young man who is nice never has an adventure with a young lady — above all, in a car. Explain yourself." •' Oh, it's a trifling matter, papa, and, really, it isn't the least u^e to make such big eyes at me, and talking to me in such a voice. I had forgotten my parse — a thing that is liable to happen any day — " •• Oh. yes, yes — especially to those who haven't one. Go on." I didn't discover it until the conductor demanded the fare. What was I to do ? I turned red as a peony, then I felt my face turn pale. Happily, as the conductor held out his hand, a young man at my side placed sixpence in it, and said, 'For two.' This gentleman had understood the cause of my em harassment, and paid for me." " So, young lady, you accept twopence from an unknown iran ! Better a thousand times to have explained the circumstances to the conductor — the motorman —to anybody. One does not forget one's purse when going in a car ; or, better still, one does not go in a car after having forgotten one's purse. How do you propose to return money to this young man ? For I hope you <?o not intend keeping it*"

" But, papa. I have his card. Sere here : 'Mr William Mason, No. 4, Blank-street.' " The father, without waiting to hear more, snatches the bit of pasteboard from the girl, and cries : 14 What ! not content with lending you money in violation of all the proprieties, this gentleman gives you his card besides ! He is the pettiest intriguer, the lowest of the low — your young man who is altogether too nice." •• Now, papa, be reasonable. To return the money, it was, of coarse, necessary to know the address." The ex-merchant finds no suitable reply to this ingenious reasoning ; but with a gesture indicative of decided ill-humour, throws his napkin upon the table. "1 am fated not to dine to-day. Gertrude, go, engage me a cab. I wish to return this young adventurer his money at once, and tell him a few plain truths besides." "Oh, papa, papa, you won't do that? It would be base ingratitude. Only think of it. This young man has extricated me from a very unpleasant situation." •• Unpleasant situation ! Let me alone! I don't care to be lectured, especially by a rattle-brain, who loses her purse." The irate person puts on his boots and takes his cane and hat, all the while growing more and more morose. Gertrude enters. " The cabman is below, but he only promises to take you there, not to wait for you." " Very well ; I can get another cab to bring me back." Mr Peters departs, after slamming the door, while Charlotte, blushing and trembling, recounts to her old friend, Gertrude, how she is much better acquainted with Mr Mason than she dares to confess to her father. That for a month at least she and he have taken the car at the same time each evening, and that, without seeming to do so, she, Charlotte, has noticed his evident admiration for her, etc., etc 11 A fine affair, indeed," exclaims the astonished servant, all in a tremor of excitement. William Mason is in his bachelor apartments, and, in a sentimental mood, is gazing at the hand that his charming neighbour in the cai has touched while taking the card he gave her. Suddenly there comes a knock at the door, which opens abruptly. A large man, out cf breath, his hat over his ears, his cane in his fist, enters unceremoniously. "Sir," he exclaims, "to pay the least of it, your conduct is unworthy of a gentleman. A gentleman does not take advantage of the innocence, the inexperience, the artlessrjess, the enjbarassment of a young girl. To profit by the absence of a father, and a purse, to brutally offer to a young person, who is alone, not only twopence, but a visiting card, may be a good investment, but it is very bad manners. But here is your twopence, sir. My daughter and I wish nothing further to do with you." And the large man, after perorating with much volubility, begins to search in his pockets ; but before Mason, who. is literally dumfounded, can utter a word, a new actor appears on the scene. It is the cabman, who comes in furiously, brandishing his whip. " This is fine ! I tell you I will bring you here, and not wait for you, and you accept the terms. You even order me to make ha=>te, and when we arrive you shoot ofi like a zebra, as slippery aa an eel, without paying me, and calling out to me to wait. That won't go down, I tell you ! I mean what I say. One trip means one trip, and nothing else. Come, hurry up, if you please. I want my fare, and be quiok about it !"

Mason does not understand ; bat the large gentleman, who has precipitately dived into each pocket, then successively turned them all wrong side out, without appreciable result, grows pink and white, then crimson, then violet, and now shades off into green — a rainbow in a silk hat and overcoat. " I have forgotten my purse !" " That's an old trick," roars the cabman ! " but you can tell that to the police. It won't answer with me," and he prepares to seize the arm of the unfortunate man, who, in despair, on the verge of apoplexy, meekly submits. But Mason, a veritable providence to the family, gives the cabman the necessary amount and orders him away. " Permit me," the young man says, with exquisite politeness, to the exmerchant, who barely has strength to articulate. "Certainly, my dear sir, with pleasure, but give him only two shillings — not a penny more." The father of Mips Charlotte, who but recently could not understand that a person has not always in his pocket

an much as twopence to pay in a car, now admits that he is very happy to have someone to advance the sum of two shillings to stop the mouth of a pitiless cabman Thus, notwithstanding the diverse and unusual emotions he has just experienced, it is with an almost gracious smile that he says to Mason : " Sir, that makes two shillings and twopence that I oive you, I believe. If you will do me the pleasure of dining with me this evening, we will settle this little affair. A merchant does not like old debts — besides, short reckonings make good friends." A quarter-of-an-liour later Gertrude places an extra plate at the table. It is still placed there every day for the next month, the engagement of Miss Charlotte Princetown and Mr William Mason is announced, and the exmerchant still says to anyone who cares to listen : " Never borrow, oh, ye fathers of families— it costs too dear. 1 once owed a debt of two and twopence, and in order to pay it, I had not only to give away my daughter, but £5,000 as her dowry."