The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-06-12
JOSIE'S WEDDING GIFT.
CHAPTER I.

JOSIE'S WEDDING GIFT.
CHAPTER L
"And so am to understand that you
positively refuse to give up that young
tune-hunter, Mar naduke Marty ?"
"I do positively refuse"
"Even after the bankruptcy which
has reduced him to beggary, You still
wish to fulfill your engagement ?"
"Most certainly"
"Then hear me and Captain
Wychlerly-a retired naval officer in
the United States service-dashed his
stout cane upon the floor with an en-
phasis that made the glasses and de-
canters jingle" and mark what say
If you persist in such obstinate dis
obedience to my wishes, by Jove I'll
disinherit you. The day that you be-
come his wife will find you homeless
and penniless. And you may both
sweep the crossings for living, for all
I care. for I'll never help you to q
penny"
Josie's cheeks burned scarlet.
"Aud I say" she retorted, her blue
eyes all afame with honest indignation,
that no consideration of broad acres
or bank-stock, or even the commands
of father here she choked down q
rising sob-"can tempt Josie Wycherly
to break her word"
Think" said her father, "of the
homes where grim Want sits Gay after
day beside the hearth stone, where
hollow eyes beg vain]y for the food
which is denied them and yet you de-
liberately choose such fate as this I"
Josie's heart quailed little, for,
like all refined wemen, she loved the
ease and luxury which wealth could
purchase, and which she all her life
had enjoyed. But she loved Marina
duke and her own honor more.
"We plighted our troth with youth
full consent and approval" she argued.
"H he has been unfortunate, it is
plainly my duty to cling to and COM
fort him. I have given my sacred
promise, and shall keep it.
And her father, recognizing the
Wycherly obstinacy knew that further
remonstrance was useless. But being
by nature despotic, and expecting to re-
cecive at home the same implicit obedi-
ence he had exacted on board man-of-
war, he raved and swore and scolded so
continually at being baked in his plans,
that poor Josie was glad to yield to her
to escape pesecution at home.
So one morning they quietly walked
to the nearest church, and in the pres
ence of few friends, to whom they had
confided the circumstance, Josie Wych-
erly was. by a few brief sentences,
transformed into Mrs. Marty. Scarcely
had the bridal party left the church
when they were confronted by Captain
Wycherly, his stout cane coming down
emphatically at every step, his eyes
blazing with wrath.
$50 you have been Matching your
mutiny under my very root. and have
outwitted the old man at last |" he ex.
claimed, glaring on the trembling bride,
who stood surrounded by her fear
stricken friends. "Hope you'll find
smooth sailing with your pretty craft,
young man for by the heather gods.
Wycherly's money. I'll disinherit the
ungrateful girl this very day |"
And he meant to be as good as his
word for he walked straight from the
church to the law office o. Hunt &
that firm by requesting them to draw
up new will, leaving all his effects,
real and personal, to the Seamen's
Charitable Fund, and striking out the
name of his daughter Josephine from
that important document altogether.
"But, my dear sir, it is impossible to
execute the provisions of such docu-
ment," replied the bland and smiling
Mr.. Hunt. t'Such a will would be
illegal, and consequently worthless"
"Copfound it I" said the irate old
sea- dog; lido you mean to tell me that
a man can not sail bis own craft in any
waters he chooses ?"
And after several stormy interruptions,
the lawyer at last made it clear to his
wrathfnl client that, in order to be
legal, the will must contain the name of
Miss Josephine as legatee, be the sum
ever 80 small.
every we'll, since it must be co." re-
piled Captain Wycherly; and he bent
his shaggy head to the reading of the
document that conveyed railroad shares,
bank stock, and farming lands. amount
ing in all to half million of dollars, to
the aforesaid charitable fund, and left
to his daughter, ''Mrs. Josephine Marty,
the sum of two dollars, to buy q stool
of repentance, whereon she could sit
and reflect upon the ingratitude of her
conduct to an indulgent father"
| ''And you may add" said the old
man, with grim smile, ''the Wycherly
homestead to her portion also"
"The Wycherly homestead ?" repeated
Mr.. Hunt. 81 can not say that I ever
heard of it before"
| cha ha !" roared Captain Wycherly,
who relished a joke now and then, 81
dare say you never did-ha, ha Ten
acres in all, and the most ba -ren, uppro-
ductive soil conceivable-covered with
rocks and stones, and watered by the
blacklist, dirtiest stream that ever ran,
with a few gnarled and moss-grown
apple trees, shading log hut in their
midst-such is the birthplace of all the
dead and gone Wycherlys for genera,
tions pasta magnificent place-ha, ha!
Or, stay instead of putting it in the
will, suppose you make ont a deed OF
the place, and present it to MIS-. Joseph
inc Marty, as a wedding gift from her
affectiOnate father, on condition that she
and her husband spend the honeymoon
there. I've heard that my gentleman
was something of an amateur artist, and
he cannot fail to admire the scenery"
Aud with this parting joke the Captain
went his way.
So that evening Mrs Josie Marty, sit
ting by her husbands side. in Their
LODI ings, was surprised with package
of paper from the office of Hunt &
ketchum, setting forth the ABOVE condl
tions. and indursing the deed to the
Wycherly homestead.
eve will go, won't we, dear Duke I
whispered Josie, her red lips quivering
and a tear or two glittering ON the
siiken brow lashes that shaded her sweet
blue eyes. 81 think we'd better 60
dear not for the land, which it appears
is worthless enough; but it is papa's
request, and, perhaps-it's the last thai
he ever will make |" and here she broke
down in tempest of sobs and tears
For though she had willfully dis
obeyed him, yet, next to her husband
Josie loved the stern, tyrannical ole
man whom she called father.
, CHAPTER II.
Captain WycherIy was i'll. Servant
went to and fro through the elegan