The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-04-26


seat, and, after arriving, by much perse
verance, at a sufficiently comfortable DO
sitiOn, he began his Instructions, inter
rupted only by an occasional puff at hi
cigar, which mOmentary pause rendere,
his words all the more impressive
least, fancied so.
Our great difficulty" said he, "is til
uncle, MIR. Merrick-his name is Merrick
l told you before he was eccentric: bu
that is not the word-exacting describe
him better. He is awfully cxacting. an,
possesses immense influence over hi
nlecc-an influence SO great that hi
choice would be hers, even were she no
under age, which l believe she still is
My dear.fellow, all depends upon the inn
preston you make in that quarter. can
not exaggerate the importance of dev0t
ing yourself from the very first to Mer
rick-studying his tastes, sharing hi
pleasures, and attaching him firmly I,
your interests. The old fellow is SO sci
fish in insisting ON these attentions that
don't think, were even free, l coult
stand enough of his society to insure sue
cess. But there's no knowing: the priz,
is we'll worth winning. and perfectly at
tainable through him, and through him
alone"
And about Miss Effingr inquired
Miss Eiiing is charming girl" said
Fred; quite young, and ready to believe
anything bad of lover her uncle con
| dennis. Being an heircss and beauty
she has already received several proposals
but all have been rejected in consequence
Of the suitors having had the egregious
folly to pay more attention to the niece
than to the uncle"
So, then, the uncle was the only real
difficulty, not very grave one, I thought.
At all events, forewarned is forearmed
and inwardly vowed to tax my patience
to the utmost for so good a stake. At the
moment it never occurred to me how re.
markably we'll informed Clayton appeared
on all that concerned our future hosts.
was only too glad to find him 80 we'll able
to advise me, and perhaps little relieved
that the great result did not in, olive much
cOurtship, or attendance on young lady.
We were not long in arriving at the sta.
tiOn, where dog cart was in waiting to
receive us and after rather cold drive of
a couple of miles, we reached our destina-
ton.
Mr.. Mcrrick's or Miss Effing's house.
for did not know to whom it actually
belOnged-was a large, handsome build.
ing, situated in fine park, with undulat-
ing lawn. and we'll planted trees; so much
l was able to perceive in the growing
darkness.
Our arrival had been heraldcd by a hand.
some pointer, that we found reDosing on
the terrace; and on alighting we were met
by MIR. Merrick, who treated me to long
and most unequivocal stare, ard after
greetings and introductions, hurried us of
to our several apartments to prepare for
dinner.
l shall never forget that dressing. Ihad
heard so much of impressions, I believed
in them SO implicitly, that my anxiety to
produce the proper effect almost amounted
to frenzy, for could have stranglcd Fred
Clayton for his GOODNESS and equanimity.
when he good. naturedly came into my
room to accompany me down through the
ordeal OF first appearance in the drawing
room.
Miss Effing was there; ami the moment
saw her understood the failure of all
former suitOrs; ! realized the almost SUI
perhlman effort that would be necessary
voluntarily to resign such companionship
for that of the superannuated uncle, and
resolved to steel myself by the constant
recollection of my predecessors fates.
Graceful. witty and lively to degree, no
wonder the old man dreaded to lose the
sunlight of her presence, and the affec.
tionate charm of her manner toward him.
self.
With exemplary fOrtitude, dashed at
my task, and, before the evening was
over, found myself, to my great surprise,
established as the chosen companion of
MIR. Merrick. l listened with admirably
got.up interest to long, dreary anecdotes
OF his past experiences, comprising mi.
mute details of the dates, and even the
hours, at which people, long since dead,
had been born-thc memories of these
old people are always prodigious!-and
submitted to an account of his present
devotion to the collecting of minerals,
which now occupied all his time, except.
ing during the shooting season, for the
old gentleman was very proud of still be-
ing able to carry gun.
OF course, l Immediately professed
myself an enthusiast on the subject of
mineralogy, and was forthwith carried
of in triumph to large cavernous den,
to admire what he called his specimens.
The examination of these hideOus little
bits Ut tin and stone lasted what appeared
to me about two hours; and when, ulti-
mately, we returned to the drawing.
room, human nature asserted its rights,
and uncOnsciously / stole over to the
piano, where Miss Effing's fairy fingers
were wandering listlessly over the keys;
while Fred Clayton stood beside her, look.
ing through some music. Immediately a
warning glance from Fred recalled me to
q sense of danger, and, turning in the di-
rectiOn of Mr.. Merrick, 1 perceived an
unmistakable scOwl upon his face as he
watched the party. fastening to his
side, l succeeded partially in removing it
by the proposal of a game Of chess,
which absorbed all his faculties, and ago
nized all mine, till the general move was
made tor retiring.
As approached Miss Effing to wish
her good night, overheard the old tyrant
remark, condescendingly, to Fred: "Your
friend is an intelligent fellow; we SYM
pathize, and like him; rather superficial
in mineralOgy, but we must try and rem.
cdy that by making the most of our time,
as your stay will not extend beyond few
days. In fact, the young man quite inter.
csts me; l wish you had his tastes, Fred
erick."
So virtue was rewarded, and l had made
a good impression. ...
The next morning we started early, in.
tent on the wholesale slaughter of part
ridges. On this occasion Fred hurt his
hand SO severely as to incapacitate him
from joining our future expeditions; in
fact, every possible combination of cir
favorable to my advancement
in the good graces of Mr. Merrick seemed
to surround me. To say what an effort it
required to submit cheerfully to his per.
petusl presence would he impossible. He
after little, to regard my con-
tinual companionship as . matter of
course; and SO we'll had acted my part
that the man actually believed l liked his
society. Presuming, therefore, on my es-
popularity, Iventured, casually,
On an occasion that appeared favorable. to
introduce the subject of his niece into one
Of our conversations.
"Ah," said he, and his face grew hard
:" Bella requires to be watched
closely. She is so honest and noble.
minded herself, that she cannot under
stand the mercenary designs of the butter
flies that futter about her. But l never
lose sight of her; am always there to