Litchfield enquirer., 1873-07-10
WhOle NO- 25O9.

little bills-you have one or two out, you know-and all your debts." ''What right had you, sir?" ''The right that money has to employ itself how it likes. had my purpose, sir, Who is the lady?" 'What the devils that to you?" |. GA good deal. Don't go. Sit still, Mr. Cover, sir, and listen. Is she rich?"
 II don know that she has any proper ty," said Percy, laughing at the solicitors eagerness. "Then she has none. If she had any, you would soon have heard. Is the day | fxed?'
 1 Tabernacle leaned forward, with his sharp, pale countenance looking still sharper, his eyes blinking and ghstening under his white eyelashes, and a world of power and insolence in his tone If young heirs knew that their credit tors looked upon them as their personal property, very likely their pride would make them less profuse and profiigate
 'Mr. Tabernacle, if were not obliged to you by former kndness-which certainly Inow begin to suspect--I should throw you out of that window. As it is, I will humor you. have not even proposed to the young lady. l."
 ''All right, MT. Gower, sir,'' cried Tab ernacle, radiant in a moment-''an right, | sir. Then there's no fear: the pet plan of my heart will not be defeated Oh, MT. Gower, sir, how you have Hurried me!''
 The little mealy man sat down, and fam ned himself with handkerchief. Percy, utterly bewildered, fell to his seat. Myra, listening to her fathers harsh, insulting tones, and recognizing the young man, whom she had already half loved-for she too had taste for the Beautiful-thrilled with indignation at her fathers rudeness, and with shame when she knew his true occupation.
 'Mr. Cover, sir" said Tabernacle-a great drop of precipitation running down the side of his nose, and dropping on his plotting -pad-'Mr Gower, l like you; more than that, I love you-by-" he struck the pad with his rUler-'1 do. You are so different from us! 'Scuse me, sir, but put the pot on you-I did by Mo- ses!''
 Nature resumed her sway. MT. Davis Tabernacle swore by his patriarch, and at his ease.
 ''I don't mind telling you, sir"-this was in answer to Percy Covers smile smile-'that I bought up all your debts for a purpose"
 Percy started.
 ! ''It was a good purpose, MT. Gower, sir!' said the little man, with whine. 1 ''I wanted to set you free-I did, by Heav- | en!''
 Percy, at this strange confession, acted 1 on the impulse of the moment. ! Generous man!' he said, grasping his solicitors hand | But it was for purpose. will be | honest, sir You owe upward of thirty thousand pounds, more or less. have bought all these to give you, to set you free upon your rightful lands-fine lands: I've seen them all. You will be like lit- tie king, sir: but on one condition" | Percy started.
 Could there be such real generosity! | Could West end solicitor mite the fab ulous characters of MT. Ralph Nickleby and the Brothers Cheeryble! But the 1 question was put but for moment The 1 soft, insinuating, mean tone of Mir. Tab 1 ernacle made every nerve of Percy jingle, and caused Myra-who, in spite of her self, could not but listen-tO be suffused with bushes. Percy drew himself mp, and asked, l haughtily, "Upon what condition?' | The answer came in an eager whisper 1 ''That you marry my daughter!'
 Myra heard it, and sank upon her knees in shame.
 Percy stared. He did not even know, nor had cared to inquire. if hls solicitor had daughter.
 'You shall have all your bills, and twen- ty thousand into the bargain-you shall, SO help me Heaven! She'sas good as gold-and gold you shall have with her. Your un- cle can't last long, and then you and she will be lord and lady, and I'll come and l S1 IL rare. Lord Demimonde married the daughter of old Sounds, the fish-monger, and got only twenty thousand. The mar quis of" .....
 ''Stop, Mir. Tabernacle" said Percy. 'I don't know your daughter, and nev- CT shall, for I love another. cannot mar " a woman don't love, not even for a | hundred thousand pounds; and if the l young lady-whOm must mention with respect, since she is unknown-knows of this shameful bargain with man chained with many debts, tell her that I would rather go to prison than accept her hand. or do her the injury of wedding her to husband who cannot love her."
 ''Very well-very we'll, MT. Cover, Sir"
 GAS for yourself, am-I suppose I ought to be-obliged by your offer; but I am not obliged by your threat You can at once commence an action for the recovery of your claims. Ny family so- hcitor will see to that. I dare say can endure poverty; hut, according to your own showing, it will not be for long,"
 The white eyebrows and eyelashes of Mir. Tabernacle looked winter than ever as his client spoke. When he had finish l ed, he dashed his knife into his plotting pad, and cried out:
 "Stay, MT. Gower, if you please-just stay 9 moment. So you reject my daugh- ter?"
 CT" returned Percy.
 But before he could finish the sentence the door opened, and M yra stood between them. "Spare yourself the trouble, Mir. Cow er," she said, very calmly and very soft | ly; q reject you. I have heard all. I admire and honor your behavior, and like you all the more because you are true, 1 even to one to whom you are not pledg- ed. Thank God that I have been offered 1 to an honorable manw '.r l ''Are you-are you" cried Percy, ut | terly bewildered.
 1 ''Let me say all I have to say-for I am weak and wounded-and then let me go I forbid" d"-she stamped her foot here, ,and her eye flashed fire on her father,-I for bid my father to make you the victim of my refusal. beg him to wound me even more than he has, but not to you and give you to understand, sir, thabI had no more knowledge of this shameful of- fer than I had that my father dealt in money-as Jews have done for centuries. Speak, father, and tell him that is true"
 '1t is true, Mir. Percy Gower, sir, said Tabernacle, disconsolately. His little came seemed ''uD'' for the present. Generally, he could make men pliable as wax by money. This one had failed him. @
 'And now, goodbye. Forget that you have seen my humiliation: forget my fa- | ther's base proposition; and think, at least, that among our people there is one who would not stoop to mean action. Let me take your hand. I like your true, frank loyalty, though" .-r ....l