The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-11-17

for time, at least U wouldn't have you
give it up altogether, for to me it is in
tensely amusing), your habit of making
fun of everything and everybody.
"And you must pretend a great inter-
est in cocoons, chrysalis and all sorts of
horrid insects and in everything re-
lating to birds and animals, and never
forget to pat the dog and stroke the cat
whenever they come near you.
" You can be very agreeable fellow
when you choose, and | am sure with a
little pardonable hypocrisy you can
make Uncle Maurice like you
"Once he likes you, I'll follow suit
which will be compliment to his taste
and fall in love with you.
Then we can marry as soon as we
choose. Immediately after our marriage
business calls you to Europe; the house
is lett have an excellent tenant in
view-and with many expressions of re-
gret, we bid farewell to our tiresome
uncle.
Now, Charles, send me no more
grumbling letters. My programme must
be carried out, and carried with much
discretion, for besides the gift expect
IL my twenty-frst birthday | shall
receive, as you know, a large sum of
money when Uncle Maurice dies, being
his only legal heir.
"Of coure some wretched institutions
for wretehed people will come in for a
share, but / have every reason to hope
the greater portion of his wealth will be
mine.
=" You hint that he may marry again.
No fear of it. He adds extreme con
stancy to his other humdrum virtues,
and has scarcely looked at another wo-
man, so friends tell me, since his wife
died, fifteen years ago.
3" Indeed, he himself told me one even
ing in an unwonted fit of confidence
that his heart was buried in Cecilia
| grave" or words TO that effect And
knowing that said heart is safely slowed
away under tombstone, it is rare
satisfaction to me to watch the young
maids, old maids and widows setting
their caps at him whenever they can get
a chance, which is very seldom, and to
see him walking with sublime indiffer-
ence among them, totally unconscious of
their hopes and fears.
Gone of the old maids, they say, is
really in love with him and has been all
her life, since her childhoods days,
when she and he attended the village
school together.
In return for her early affections she
had the honor OF being bridesmaid to
her successful rival, and | fear her
later devotion will meet with no return
at ALL
"The is Quakeress-Ruth Wilson by
| Of Iaxx
dark-haired, self-sacri6eing women, with
eyes like a COW, that women of the world
cannot tolerate.
:" must say she has never shown in
the slightest way the feeling ascribed to
her IN my presence.
"True, she came here when Uncle
Maurice was so sick last summer, and
nursed him through the delirious part of
his fever land was very. glad to have
her do it, as | was terribly afraid of
infection), but that goes for nothing as
she is fond of playing the part of a sister
of charity, and is oftener found at the
bedside of some very i'll or dying per-
son than in her own ridiculously snug
cottage.
. However, | was careful to have her
go before Uncle became conscious and
have taken care ever since that he never
would find out she was here. Not that
| think there is any more danger in
that quarter than any other for Uncle
Maurice when they meet, which is only
ON the children's tea ard cake DAYS,
seems scarcely aware of her presence.
But, as / said before, in cases like
this, one can hardly be too careful
Uncle believes firmly that to the unceas-
ing care and untiring watchfulness OF
his devoted neice he owes his life. May
he continue in that belief!
" And now goodbye. Destroy this
letter as soon as read and rely implicitly
on the judgement and constancy of
"Your own LUCILLE"