Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-03-04
THE MISSING FINGER.
JOINT.

1t was my first visit to London since
had taken up my abode and entered on
the Fractice of my profession as a sole
itor at Southampton.
In LS0don / had a very dear friend,
my old os'llege chum, George Dickson;
and as he-ras the only person l knew in
the great metropolis, OF course lost no
time in looking him up. Three years
had passed SIRE our last meeting; bat
ten could scarcely have produced q
change more marked than had taken
place IN the appearance and manner OF
ny friend.
<tllr first greetings and friendly inGui-
ries over L longed, yet forbore, to ask
the cause of my friends melancholy. i
felt sure, In due time, of being made the
conidant of the secret, provided no mo-
tive OF delicacy prompted its conceal
ment.
Tha. evening, IN my room at the hotel,
George told me his story. He had
whose graces of mind and person he por-
trsyed with all the fervor of a lovers
eloquence. She had returned his affec-
ton; but her father had opposed his
suit, having set his heart on the marriage
of his daughter to a nephew OF his. This
nephew was a young surgeon, of profit
gate character, my friend assured me
but that may have been prejudice-who
had long, but unsuecessfully, wooed his
cousin, to whom his proffers were as re-
pugnant as to her father they were ac-
ceptable.
Some months since, Mr.. Parsons, the
young lady's father, had gone into Hamp-
shire on business, accompanied by his
nephew At southampton he had been
seized by sudden illness, which ter
minated fatally in three days.
On the day preceding his death he had
executed will (Which had since been
proved by the dispositions of the attest
ing witnesses), containing a solemn re-
quest that his daughter, to whom he left
the whole of his estate, should accept the
hand of his nephew In marriage, coupled
with a provision that in case the latter
offered, and ste refused, within speci-
fed period, to enter into the proposed
union. the entire estate devised to the
daughter should be forfeited to the
nephew.
To. sacrifice her fortune to her heart s
choice would not have cost Julia Parsons
a moments hesitation and nothing
could have more delighted George Dick
son than SO fair an opportunity of show
ing how superior his devotion was to all
considerations of personal advantage.
But her fathers dying request, in Julia s
eyes. was sacred. 1t had surprised and
stunned her, i. is trNe for, in their
many conferences on the subject, he had
never gone beyond the most kindly re-
monstrance, ind had never even limited
at anything ike coercion.
Young Parsons, the nephew, had not
the magnaaimity to forego his ungener-
Gus advantage. He might have bean
content with his cousins fortune alone,
but his right to that depended ON ms
offer and her rejection OF an alliance
which she felt in conscience bound to
accept. The brief season OF grace, which
SHE had been compelled to beg even with
tears, had already almost passed, and
few more days would witness the con
demnation of two lives to hopeless mis-
cry.
A. the conclusion of my friends mar
rative, in which, for reasons that may
hereafter be developed, felt peculiar
interest, 1 prevailed upon him to ac
company me to place of amusement, tc
which had previously procured tickets