The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1876-01-26
Caught In His Own Trap.

mean? Does he think am going to be
father to him and not be obeyed as
father? Does he think I'm going to
give him my money to spend in bust
ness, and take only ingratitude in re-
turn2 What can the young dog be
thinking of? Plague the youngster
What business has he to go and fall
in love with poor piece of trash 2
I'll FIX himl pll-but here comes the
rascal, the spurner of my counsels !"
And as Captain Jerry Pleman thus
spoke, he sauk into a great stuffed
chair, and looked daggers and twice
he stamped his dumpy foot vehement.
ly to keep up his stern purpose. lie
was a round bellied, red checked bach
elor, just live-and- forty. Most of his
life he had spent at sea, and had late
ly settled down ashore with an i'm
mense fortune, for the purpose of en-.
joying the rest of his days "after his
own heart" as he expressed it. His
pate was just large enough to carry
his jolly face high up over his brow,
but yet he had a good quantity of
dark eurls clustering about his short,
fat neck. The only near relative he
bad in the lower world was Jack Ken
dali, an only child of his only sister.
Jerry Pleman had loved his sister
fondly, and when she died, she was
widow then-sbe left a prayer upon
record that her brother would care
for her orphan boy. And Uncle Jerry
had done it faithfully. For ten years
he had provided for his nephew, keep
ing him at one of the best schools for
a while, and then paying his way
through college. But now that he had
settled down in home, he had Jack
come and live with him.
"Ah, you are here, are you ?" growl-
ed the uncle, looking up with a dag.
ger-like expression.
Jack Kendall was twenty. three,
somewhat taller than his uncle, but
with the same family look. He was a
handsome, good natured, generous, af-
fectionate fellow, and loved his uncle
Jerry with his whole soul.
"Yes, uncle, | am here" he replied,
taking a seat, "anI know you are
glad to see me-"
"Aye, ! an glad, for have some
thing to say TO YOU" the bachelor re-
sumed, looking more daggers "Have
you seen that baggage again ?"
Baggage, uncle ?"
Baggage, sir. | said baggage.
Have you seen her ?"
"Her, uncle? Baggage? Her? Why
what do you mean ?"
"You know very well what mean.
mean that piece of poverty-tbat
hanger on that that baggage-tha
that grill"
"Oh, you mean Lizzie Brown. The
girl that"
Thinks to catch you, and thus
catch my money" interrupted Uncle
Jerry, emphatically.
at is hardly fair to say that, uncle,
seeing that / made all the advances
myself"
Nonsense, don't you suppose
know? | say she set the trap for We
But [ won't have it. If I'm to be a
father t. ye, you must obey me. Now
I've got good chance. I want you
to marry Susan Garland"
"But she's a widow, uncle"
$50 much the better. She'll know
how to make home for ye."
"And she's older than l by a dozen
years"
"Just FIVE years. She's only twen
ty-eight. It's all the better for that"
"But l can't love her."
Cant love herl" cried the uncle,
looking an immense number of very
sharp pointed daggers. "Can't love
Susan Garland Can't love the woman
who was the wife of the most faithful
friend l ever had? Let me tell you,
sir, that when the Gazelle was cast up
on the rocks of Barnegat, Bill Gar
land saved my life and lost his own.
He died in these arms, sir, and the
last words he ever said to me were.
BE kind to my poor Susan, and l
will be kind to her." the captain add
ed, wiping big tear from his cheek.
"I'll give her a husband--a graceless
husband, perhaps-but who shall
have money enough to keep her above
want. You shall marry her, sir"
"But suppose should refuse?"
"Reiuse! refuse your uuele? You
dare not do it, sir! I'll turn you out
of doors in an instant I'll see you
starve before I'll give you another
penny. I'll take away all 1 ever did
give you."
"Ah, you couldn't do that, uncle.
The education have gained under
your noble, generous patronage, is a
mine of wealth, of which you cannot