The liquor was brought, and the waiter de parted. "Here's to all present, and one absent ?" said Maxwell, rising from his seat. "Drink to one absent, eh, Ned?" "I'll drink that, too," said the nice young man with the moustache, "and now, gentlemen, I'll give you a toast-The ladies !-God bless 'em!" Maxwell, who had, however, the reputation of said Edward to the waiter, who was standing bebeing one of the greatest roués in the city. Max- hind him. well had introduced him to Miss Ruth Livingston, a young lady who lived "above Bleecker," and who had a decided predilection for "young men with fortunes." Miss Livingston was a tall, well shaped young lady, and generally acknowledged to be "handsome," but one look at her face was alone sufficient to convince any one of common comprehension that she was one of those cold, calculating, heartless creatures, a coquette! Yes, As Edward touched the glass to his lips, a sudher chief study was to make captive all the hearts den thought flashed upon his mind, and the bright she could by deception and intrigue, and then image of Ida Leslie stood before him just as she boast of the sacrifice she would make of her vic-looked on the morning of his departure from the tim. There is no creature on earth that we have village. She seemed to beckon him away from a more supreme contempt for than a coquette, and the table, and he fancied he saw a tear drop upon yet she deserves our pity. her cheek. In a moment his brain was on fire; that sweet face seemed, as it were, like an angel sent from heaven to lure him away from destruction. Although Edward still corresponded regularly with Ida, and still kept her image fresh in his memory, he had fallen in love with Ruth Livingston, whose acquaintance was sought after by all the young men "about town," had already proposed, and, truth to tell, was accepted! Singular hallucination! that in a few brief days virtue, innocence, and truth should be cast aside, for pride, affectation, and inconstancy! His success where so many had failed so elated him, that he sought the society of those whose only ambition it was to "eat, drink, and be merry," more frequently than he had heretofore. All saw to what end he was fast approaching, but there was not one among the whole number who sported and lived upon his money who was man enough to take him by the arm, show him the error of his way, and assist him to turn back. No, no, he spent his money freely, and what cared they as long as it lasted! But a day of reckoning was to come, and it was fast approaching. "One more drink before we go, boys!" exclaimed Edward to his friends one evening after finishing a hearty supper at Florence's. "One more drink, and then we'll go !" “Well, another drink it is!" replied Maxwell, who was seated opposite. well, and " the party" started to go. Edward paid the bill, and after the usual shaking of hands which young men delight in after indulging in "potations deep," they separated with promises to meet again on the following evening. It was rather late next morning when Edward awoke, and felt as he never felt before in his whole life. His head ached, his lips were parched and feverish, and his whole frame seemed overcome with fatigue. "This will never do!" said he to himself as he self as fast as possible-I don't believe these felwas preparing for breakfast. "I'm ruining mylows care a straw for me, although they eat and drink at my expense. But pshaw! I'm selfish, Harry they would spend money as freely as I if they had it, and I have no doubt they would sacrifice anything to oblige me. I do them wrong in suspecting them; they are MY FRIENDS, every one of them." "What shall it be, gentlemen? come, here's the waiter," said Edward, drumming a favorite air from "the Child of the Regiment" on the table. "Whiskey punch, hot!" faintly articulated a nice young man with a moustache, at the lower end of the table. "Don't mix your liquor; stick to what you've been drinking," said Maxwell, "Well, I'm agreeable !" replied the nice young man. He had hardly finished dressing before the morning paper was thrown into his room by the servant. On opening it, the first paragraph that met his eye was-" We learn that the bank of - has broken, so has also the bank of in Philadelphia.” The paper fell from his grasp, and burying his face in his hands he exclaimed-" Ruined! ruined "Then you may bring us six brandy toddies," forever!" The next day it was whispered about that his carriage and horses were sold at auction, | proved false-and I, the once rich and courted Edand that the once wealthy Edward Mortimer was now a bankrupt. Bills from all quarters were now sent in, none of which he could pay although he had offered to do so an hundred times before. 66 Very well," replied Mr. Crumpins, "if it is not convenient I can wait." He did not wait long, however, before he told his bookkeeper and waiters to "keep an eye on him!" "I must pay this man," said Edward to himself, after he had left his apartment-"But how can I? I have but twenty dollars in the world, and his bill is one hundred! Let me see-Harry would lend me twice the sum if he knew I wanted it. Lucky thought! I'll call on him, and get it immediately." He did call on Harry Maxwell. ward Mortimer, am now spit upon and despised ? Oh, God! that thou hadst not given me this bitter cup to drink! I have suffered already too much." And as he spoke he removed his hand from his burning forehead. A dark thought crossed his brain, when on looking upon the table he saw his razor lying open. In a twinkling he caught it up, and as the reflection of the bright blade flashed upon the wall, some spirit whispered in his ear Be at rest!" He thought-for the first time in his life he thought of death! He raised the blade to his throat, when a sudden knock was heard at the door, his hand trembled, and the razor fell to the floor. Edward unlocked the door, and the honest ne "One hundred dollars! I'm sorry Ned, but I gro handed him the letter, and departed. can't let you have it!" "Fifty then?" "Who can it be from ?-no post-mark-it looks like her writing-no, no, it cannot be; I have be Nor that, 'pon honor, I was never so short in haved too unkind for her to ever notice me !" and as he said this he broke the seal, and he found my life!" Could you lend me twenty-five for a short it, as he hoped, from Ida. It read as follows:time." ' "To tell the truth, Ned, I haven't but twenty shillings about me! I am sorry you have been so unfortunate, very sorry indeed!" From Harry Maxwell he tried all his friends, but with the same success. Knowing that he had nothing to depend on, he asked some to aid him in obtaining a situation, but not even a promise could he get from any. Oct. 17th, 183-. "DEAR EDWARD-AS Walter intends going to New York to-day, I thought I would send a line by him. He has sold his place here, and it is his intention, I believe, to make the city his home for the future. I have not as yet heard what he intends doing. Why do you not make us a visit occasionally? Really I have not seen you in so long a time that I have almost forgotten how you Days flew by, and he still saw no chance of look-Walter is at my elbow waiting for this, and bettering his condition. It was almost three weeks you must excuse me for being brief. I believe it after the loss of his fortune, that, as he was pass-ceived your last. We all send our love. is the third time I have written to you, since I re ing the residence of Miss Livingston, he espied her face through the blinds of the window, and feeling in little better spirits than he had been for some time, he determined to make a brief call. In haste, yours ever, IDA LESLIE." "God bless her!" exclaimed Edward, as he fin has saved me from committing a crime, at the thought of which I now shudder. I have one friend yet, God bless her!" 66 In a few minutes the door was opened by a ser-ished reading the letter, "she loves me still, and vant, who politely informed him that " Miss Livingston was not at home!" The loss of his money, was nothing compared to this! To be scorned, insulted, and laughed at because he was poor, and by her too-the thought maddened his brain. When he reached his room that afternoon, he sunk weak and exhausted into a chair which stood beside his bed. Two, if I am not mistaken," said Walter Morris, taking hold of his hand, and giving it a hearty grasp. 66 What, Walter, you here, or is it some ghost!" he exclaimed as he saw the manly form of Morris "She, too, has deceived me-the world has before him. |