Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-17
ONE FARTHING DAMAGES.

In 81 Gafkoneu CnamOeT, udIk Will
the awful shadow still more than with
the lack of material light, four persons
were gathered around bed, on which
lay man bearing in his face the un-
mistakable signs of the summons which
none can refuse to answer. A weeping
girl knelt by the bedside, her face bent
over the nerveless hand which lay upon
the coverlet. and which she held as
though by that convuIsive clasp which
could hold her father still to life. At a
table, covered with papers and writing
materials, sat the dying mans solicitor,
engaged in the preparation of his will.
"What names shall Insert as trustees !?
You should have two at least"
The dying man paused ere he replied
with an effort:
"Geofrey Howard, Major One-Hun-
dred and Eleventh, now in India. 1
have no other friend
"In that case may [ venture to Of
fer nv humble services, subject to the
usual proviso. I should be delighted
to be useful to Miss Hope; and if your
friend is abroad, there may be diff
culties."
"True, Slythorpe, I thank you.
Make yourself trustee, then. with Maj.
Howard. Legacy = 5000 for your
trouble"
"Nay, my dear sir, quite unneces-
sary. [ really"
But again the ready pen travelled
over the paper, and quarter Of an
hour later Mr.. Slythorpe announced
that the document was ready for execu-
ton, and in low mechanical monotone
read over it's provisions.
eyes, that will do. Give me the
pen," he said: and with a shaking
hand affixed his signature. "Thank
God, that's safe! p he gasped. Mary,
my child, you and Geoffrey-you and
Godfrey! What was I saying? God
bless you, my darling! God bless"
These were the last words Bernard
Hope ever spoke.
A year had passed away since Bern
ard Hopes death, and Mary still re-
NAMED an inmate of the house of Mrs.
Murgatroyd, the good woman whom
we have seen in attendance az her
fathers last illness, and who, to her
occasional occupation as nurse, added
the NJ ore permanent one of letting lodg-
ings. Mary's sweet face end gentle
manner had quite won the heart of her
good-natured landlady, who was I'M
ceasing in her endeavors to soothe
her grief and minister to her comforts.
But she had another trouble-none
the less hard to bear that it was one in
which she could have few conidants.
Mai. Howard, of whom mention has
already been made, was not only her
fathers most valued friend, but had
insensibly grown very dear to herself,
and when. six months before Bernard
Hopes death, he was summoned with
his regiment to India, he left Mary his
promised bride. Twice he had written
within the first two weeks Of his de-
parture, since which time there had
been terrible silence, and in the same
week which left Mary fatherless, a sec
ond blow fell upon upon her. The
One Hundred and Eleventh had been
engaged in smart skirmish, the num-
Der of dead and wounded being consid-
cradle. Maj. Godfrey Howard was
reported among the fallen, and Mary
had to mourn at once her lover and her
father.
The death of Major Howard left Mr..
Slythorpe sole trustee of Mr.. Hopes
most perfect Indifference. Suspecting
evil of no one, she was as willing that
her little fortune, amounting to some
five or six thousand pounds, should
rest in Mr.. Slythrope's hands as in
those of any other person. But OF late
the attorney had begun to persecute her
with attentions which, under existing
circumstances, would have been dis.
tasteful from any other, but were
doubly so from a person whom she
could not help regarding with an III
stinctive dislike. And in truth Mr..
Slythorpe was not precisely the person
to win a young Jady's fancy. Under
sized, high shouldered, with blinking,
lashless eyes, and general angularlty,
not to say knobbiness, of feature, be
might have been expected to rise SUI
perior to any weakness as to personal
appearance, but such was by no means
the case. Mr.. Slythorpe one morning
knocked at Mrs. Murgatroyd's door.
That good lady was at the moment en-
Gagged in busting Miss Hope room, ano
catching sight of his approach, ex
claimed:
"There's that nasty worrying lawyer
again. I do declare. Slythorpe, In
deed! I'd Slythorpe him y
It would be hopeless to endeavor t.
express on paper the intensity Of mean
ing Mrs. Murgatroyd threw into ha
newly coined verb. Mary smiled at thu
good lady's vehemence.
"My dear Mrs. Murgatroyd, yor
really shouldn't be SO severe. Mr.. Sly
thorpe is little peculiar, but l have NJ
doubt he means kindly, and you know
he is the trustee of poor papa's will"
I" know he is, my dear, and / wisi
he wasn't. L know he shouldn't bt
trustee to tomcat of mine, drat him 2
At this point the conversation was in
terrupted by the entrance of the gentle
nan in question, and Mrs. Murgatroyd
passing him with a final sniff of abhor
ence, quilted the apartment.
Mr.. Slythorpe, for once in his life
appeared i'll at ease. He was got uI
with his accustomed care, and the sug
gestion of scented soap which accom-