The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-09
THE TWO NEPHEWS.
(Concluded.)

ming like this I've been all through th
Viisge. Not An ugly place-but wani
loo KING after sadly. Roads shameful
muddy Pigs allowed to walk on The foo.
path ~
"Dreadfull" exclaimed John.
Il ssy-yon came out pretty strong Ia:
night" said Peter. 20 ute detied the oil
man. But like your spirit
Il have no doubt you do" though
John.
"uh, when I was youth, l was a littl
that way myself" said Peter. "But tb
worid-the world, my dear sir-soon curs
US OF all romantic notions I regret. {
course, to see poor people miserable b,
what's the use of rsgret,ing? It's no pa
OF the business of the superior classes to i,
serfere with the laws of supply and deman,
poor people must be miserable, what can
be cured must be endured y
THAT is to say" returned John, "whs
We cant cure, they must endure"
Exactly So" said Peter
Mt Collect this day was too i'll to leav
ms bed About noon he requested to Sc
his nephews 10 his bedroom. They foun
him propped up BY pillows, looking YER
weak, but 10 good spirits as usual.
Well, boys" said he, here | am you see
brought to another anchor at last! The doe
tor will be here soon, | suppose, to shake his
head aud write recipes. Humbug, my boys
Patients can do as much for themselves, L
believe. as doctors can do for them they re
all in the dark together--the only difference
is, that the pstients grope in English, and
the doctors grope in Latin !"
"You are too skeptcal, sir" said John
Meade.
Pooh" said Mr.. Collett, "let US change
the subject. | want your advice, Peter and
John, on matter that concerns your inter
ests. I'm going to make my will to-day
and | don't know how to act about your
cousin, Emma Brigg. Emma disgraeed us
by marrying an oilman.'
IAN oilmanr exclaimed John
"A vulgar, shocking GILMAN = said Mr.,
Collect; "a wretch who not only sold oil, bu,
soap, candles, turpentine, black lead and
birch brooms. 1t was dreadful blow to
the family Her poor grandmother never
got over II, and a alden aunt turned Meth
odist in despair. Well, Briggs, the GILMAN,
dred last week, it seems, and his widow
has written to me, asking for assistance.
Now, have thought of leaving her hun
dred year in nv will. What do you think
OF it? I'm afraid she don't deserve it, Wha,
right had she to marry against the advice
of her friends? What have to do with her
misfortune 2
My mind is quite made up said Peter
Finch; no notice ought 10 be taken of her.
S1e made an obstinate aud unworthy match
and let her abide the consequence
Now for your opinion, john said Mr..
Collett.
Upon my word l think | must say the
same said John Meade, bracing himself up
boldly for the part of the worldly m.
What ri ght bad she TO msrry-as YOU
observed with great justice, sir Let her
abide the consequences-ss you very prop
erly remarked, Finch. Can't she carry on
the oilman's business? | dare say it will
support her very WELL
Why, no, said Mr. Collett; Briggs died
bankrupt, and his widow and children are
destitute
That does not alter the question: said
Peter Finch. Let Briggs family do some
thing for her.
To be sure. !" said Mr.. COLLECT. Briggs
family are the people to do something for
her. She mustn't expect anything from US
must she, John p
Destitute, is she ? said John. With
children, too! Why, this is another case, sir. |
You surely ought to notice her-to assist
her. Contound it, / IN for letting her have !
the hundred year.
"Oh, John, John What q breakdown :" /
said MIR. Collect. 80 you were irving to
follow Peter Finch through Stony Arabia,
and turned back at the second step Here's /
brave traveller for you, Peter. John. /
John, keep to your Arabia Felix, and leave
sterner matters to very different men Good
bye, both OF you. I've no voice to talk any
more, III think over all you have said"
Ia cd hair 4, L. 1
room. The old man was too weak to speak
the next day, and, in three days after that, |
ne calmy oreathed his last.
As soon the funeral was over the will |
was read by the confidential man of bust
ness, who had always attended to Mr. Col |
let's affairs. The group that sat around
him preserved decorous appearance of
dlslnterestedness; and, the usual pream Bile |
to the will having been listened to with
bresthess attention, the man of bushes.
read the following in a clear voice
u oequeath to my neice, Emma Briggs, !
notwithstanding that she shocked her family /
BY marrying an GILMAN, the sum of four /
thousand pounds; being fully persuaded /
that her lost dignity, if she could even find
it again, would do nothing to provide her
with food. or clothing; or shelter"
John Meade smiled, asd Peter Finch
ground his teeth but in quiet respectable
manner.
The man of business went on with his
reading.
Having always held the opinion tina.
woman should be rendered rational and
independent being-and having duly con
rdered the fact society practically denies
ler the right of earning her own living
i hereby bequeath to Mary Jayne, the
,nly child of my old friend. Frederick
Jayne, the sum of ten thousand pounds,
which will enable her to marry or remain
single, as she may prefer"
John Meade gave prodigious start upon
hearing this, and Peter Finch ground his
eeth agsin, in a manner hardly respectable.
Both, however, by violent effort, kept
lent.
The man of business went on with his
eading
~ have paid .ome attention to the char.
cter of my nephew, John Meade, and have
cen grieved to find him much possessed
nth feeling philanthropy, and with
18th general preference for whatever ia
oole and true over whatever is base and U
alse. As these tendencies are by no means
aeh as advance him in the world,
equeath him the sum of ten thousand
ounds, hoping that he will thus be kept out
the workhouse, and be enabled to paint
is great historical picture, which, as vet, he
as only talked abou,
"As for my other nephew, Peter Finch,
e views all things i'll so sagecious and
slfsh a way, and is so certain to ge, on in
fe, that should only insult him by Offering
n aid which be does not require; yet,
ON his affsctionate uncle. and entirely as
testimony for his mental acuteness, l
enturs to hope that he will accept
eques. of FIVE hundred pounds toward the
ompletion of his extensive library of law
ooks." 4
How Peter Finch stormed and called
ames; how John Meade broke into q