The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-12-11
THE TWO NEPHEWS


Walton on Thames, sat, one evening a
dusk. an old man and young woman
The age of the man might be some sew
enty whilst his companion had hardl!
reached nineteen. Her beautiful bloom
ing face, and active, light and uprigh
| figure, were in strong contrast with thu
worn countenance and bent frame of tht
old man but in his eye, and in the cor
ners Of his mouth, were indications of ,
gay spirit and self-confidence, which agt
and suffering had dampened, but no
extinguished.
=" No use looking any more, Mary. >
said he, neither John Meade nor Pc
ter Finch will be here before dark
Very hard that, when sick uncle asks
his two nephews to come and see him
they can't come at once. The duty is
simple in the extreme-only to help me
to die, and take what / choose to leave
them in my will. Pooh when l was a
young man, I'd have done it for my
uncle with the utmost celerity. But the
worlds getting quite heartless."
ooh, sir" said Mary.
"And what does oh sir 7 mean o.
said he. "D'ye think shan't die T?
know better. A little more and there'll
be an end of old Billy Collett. He'll
have left this dirty world for cleaner
to the great sorrow land advantage) oI
his affectionate relatives. Ugh Give
me glass Of the Doctors stuff
The girl poured some medicine into a
glass, and Collelt, after having contem.
plated it for moment with infinite dis
gust, managed to get it down.
!" tell you what, Miss Mary Sutton,
said he, 81 don't by any means approve
of your Oh, sir and dear sir !! and
the rest of it, when I've told you how
hated to be called { sir at all. Why,
you couldn't be more respectful if you
were charity girl, and | beadle in a
gold laced hat. None of your nonsense
Mary Sutton, if you please. I've been
your lawful guardian now for more than
six months, and you ought to know my
likings and dislkings'
My poor father often told me how
you disliked ceremony" said Mary.
=" Your poor father told quite right,
said Mr.. Collett. Fred Sutton was a
man of talent--a capital fellow. His on.
ly fault was natural inability to keep 8
farthing in his pocket. Poor Fred he
loved me--I'm sure he did. He be-
queathed me his only child-and it ism
every friend would do that"
" A kind and generous protector you
have been -
Well, don't know I've tried moi
to be a brute, but dare say have been
Don't speak roughly to you sometimes
Haven't given you good prudent world
ly advice about John Meade, and made
myself quite disagreeable, and like 8
guardian Come, confess, you love this
penniless nephew Of mine"
" Penniless, indeed J"
"Ah, there it is - said Mr.. Collett
And what business has poor devil o.
an artist to fall in love with my ward
And what business has my ward to fal
in love with poor devil of an artist
But that's Fred Sutton's daughter al
over Haven't two nephews ? Why
couldn't you fall in love with the discreet
one-the thriving one? ? Peter Finch
considering he's an attorneys wor
thy young man. lie is industrious il
the extreme, and attends to other peo
ple's business only when he's paid for it
He despises sentiment, and always looks
to the main chance. But John Meade,
my dear Mary, may spoil canvass forev
er, and not grow rich. He's all for art
and truth, and social reform, and spirit
ual elevation, and the Lord knows what
Peter Finch will ride in his carriage
and splash poor John Meade as he trudg
es on foot"
The harangus was here interrupted by
ring at the gate, and Mr.. Peter Finch
was announced. He had hardly taker
his seat when another pull at the bel
was heard, and Mr.. John Meade was an
nounced.
Mr.. Collett eyed his two nephews with
a queer sort of smile, while they mad,
speeches expressive of sorrow at the ma
ture Of their visit. At last, stopping
them
Enough, boys, enough" said he
let us find some better subject to dis
cuss than the state ofan old mans health
| want to know little more about yor
both. l haven't seen much of you up
to the present time, aud for anything l
know, you may be rogues or fools"
John Meade seemed rather to vince
under this address Feter Finch sat calm
aud confident.
{" To put case now" said Mr.. Col
lett -" this morning poor wretch of /
gardener came begging here. He coule
get no work, and said he was starving
Well, knew something about the fellow
and believe he only told the truth ; S,
l gave him a shilling to get rid of him
Now, I'm afraid l did wrong. Wha
claim had he on me ? What claim ha
he on anybody? The value of his la
Dor in the market is all that working
man has right to and when his labo
is of no value, why then he must GO t
the ID, or wherever else he can. Eh
Peter? That's my philosophy wha
do you think ?"
Il quite agree with you, sir ?" sal
Mr.. Finch perfectly agree with YOU
The value of their labor in the market
all that laborers can pretend to- all tha