Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-03-04
LOVING THE MONEY, NOT THE MAN.

LOVING THE MONEY, NOT THE MAN.
UNCLE COLEMAN, Pm going to marry
Lucia Frothinghamw
Eth? Whatw
Uncle Coleman Eut down his news
paper, pushed his spectacles up on his
forehead, and glared at his nephew.
Going to marry Lucia Frothinghamw
he cried, after gasping awhile in sheer
dismay. Z" You idiot"
Thanks" was the cool reply. 81
know you do not like the lady, but
where there is q strong mutual love"
Strong mutual fiddlesticks!" inter
rupted Uncle Coleman, contemptuously.
" You may love her; she is pretty and
fascinating, but what she loves is your
bank account, my boy. knew it would
be so when Aunt Jennie left you a cool
hundred thousand But boys will be
boys Only, for goodness sake, wait a
year or two before you saddle yourself
with a wife,"
q am twenty-one, sir" with an i'm
mense air of dignity.
q am sixty-four! Now, Frank, do
hear reason. Lucia rockingham is a
fascinating woman, touching the thirties,
if not already over the line-a finished
fiirt, and as mercenary as she is pretty
know her, and l tell you her affection is
centered upon Aunt Jennie's legacy and
the half million in prospective at my
bankers"
Uncle Coleman" cried his nephew,
hotly, l never thought of it, much less
spoke of it."
q don't suppose you ever did. Hav
ing always had an independent income,
l don't think you ever counted on dead
mans shoes But Miss rockingham was
educated in the hard school of genteel
poverty and rich husband is the prize
for which she has studied and toiled for
well, say ten years. She was in society
before you were done playing with tops
and marbles"
Uncle Coleman, you are speaking of
my betrothed wife, remember"
Henri
Years are of no consequence where
there is true love-"
"Hemw
And | love Lucia as she loves me.'
Z" Not bit of it."
Tomorrow she goes to Saratoga, and
if you can spare me | will go too"
And the business in Hartford? /
should advise you to attend to all mat
tiers belonging to your aunt's estate as
soon as possible, Frank"
1t may keep me in Hartford a
month";" said Frank, disconsolately.
Coleman Burke looked with a plying
affection at his young relative, such boy
yet in many matters, though he had
reached mans estate.
"a month that may settle your whole
fortune" he said. Remember, men do
not fall heir to 100000 more than once
in lifetime"
e I suppose 1 must go"
ct will be best Besides" added
Uncle Coleman, dryly, it will be good
test of your lady-love's constancy?'
g am not afraid of her forgetting me, ="
said Frank, loftily.
You are actually engaged?"
"Certainly! l bought a diamond ring
at IS yesterday, and put it on her
taper finger last evening"
Hem! Well, the fool-killer hasn't
been here lately, that's certain. There,
be off and let me finish my paper in
peace. You will go to Hartford?"
Yes"
But after mis- nephew left him Cole
man Burke left his paper lie idle upon
his lap, Will he fell into fit of musing,
often interrupted by impatient ejacula-
tons. He was man, as he said, of past
sixty, and had been a childless widower
for thirty years, while four little graves
beside that of his wife recorded the heart
history of his life.
When he had lived lonely and sim
cere mOurner for many long years, his
brother and wife died, leaving Frank, a
curly-headed boy, to the care OF his I'm
Gle Coleman All the lOng-sealed foun-
tains of love in the desolate heart opened
to pour out their affection upon the
child. He was truly the sunlight of the
old mans existence, and, though his man
ner had been cynical, his heart had been
sorely wrung by the announcement OF
his engagement, but not from any paltry
jealousy or any mercenary motive. Had
Frank loved a true, tender woman, were
she beggar, his uncle would have giveI
her fathers love and welcome. But
by the light of his own brief married
happiness he read the misery in store
for his nephew if he married Lucia Froth
ingham-a fiirt, extravagant and selfish
How to save him was costing the ole
man torturing thought, Active opposi