The daily gazette., 1878-10-12
FLORA's FORTUNE.
BY JUDGE CLARK.

as he paid his way promptly. if NOT
| literally, he was looked upon as a valu-
able accession to the solid men of the
, place.
His daughter Flora, who was a mere
child when they first came, grew in beau
| ty with her years, and, at the age of
eighteen, was the handsomest girl with
IN circuit of fifty miles. How such a
homely old fellow as Dunstan MacSow
ems could have SO pretty daughter was
wonder which people explained by sup
posing she took after her mother, who
was said to have died while Flora was vet
an infant.
| Mr.. MacSowens possessed, in an emf
nent degree, the disposition TO keep his
wealth in the family name, an end which
he saw but one mode of accomplishing.
lie had a nephew, Roland, a deceased
| brothers son; and unless match could
be brought about between Flora and
her cousin, 1t was plain that on his own
death and her marriage, the family pelf
must pass out of the name of MacSow-
ems.
| This was calamity to be averted at
any cost and, in matter of such i'm
portance, Dunstan MacSowens was not
1 u.
knew, was wild young scapegrace, as
little attractive In person as in character !;
but then he was the only MacSowens
available for son-in-low; SO when Flora
protested she didn't, couldn't and would
not like him, the old gentleman pooh
poohed such fiummery, saying it was
only fools who insisted on marrying for
love.
There was more at the bottom of
Flora's opposition, her father shrewdly
suspectly, than appeared on the surface.
Richard Hartley's attractions, he fancied
had quite as much to do with the matter
as Roland's defects; and in this, candor
compels the admission, Mr.. MacSowens
was more than half right.
His first step, accordingly, was to place
a strict embargo on all further communi-
cation between Flora and Richardsya
measure which made them both misera-
BILE, whilst at the same time it served
to reveal what they had been unconscious
of before-that the tie between them was
love and not friendship.
Mr.. MacSowens' next proceeding was
to install Ronald as a member of his
household. The young man proved en-
tirely tractable to his uncle's wishes. In
deed, he would have gladly accepted the
latter's fortune encountered with a tar
less lovely wife. But her cousin didn't
improve in Flora's esteem on closer ac-
Iquaintance. She fairly detested him now
that they were daily thrown together.
"Pll bring the jade to reason ~ said
Mr.. MacSowens, at last losing patience.
And the way he set about it was this he
sent for lawyer Feetail and made his will,
leaving his whole estate to go at his death
to his 'beloved nephew, Ronald Mac
Sowens, and to his heirs and assigns tor
lever"
"Now," exclaimed the testator, when
the document had been signed, sealed
and witnessed, "let her marry Dick Hart
ley as soon as she likes, and they'll be a
kpair of beggars together! At any rate
the property will stay in the name OF
Mac Sowens."
If Ronald RENE mbered his uncle in his
prayers that night, 1t was probably fin the
same spirit in which the Scotch parson
did the Pretender: Gle cam amang us
seekin' an airthly crown; may his ldbors
be quickly rewarded n2 hedceniy one ~
Ronald had at least two reasons for wish.
ing his uncle to be the speedy recipient
of a similar boon first, 1t would hasten
his own succession, and next, it would
lavoid all danger of the willis being al.
tered.
"Ronald," said Mr.. MacSowens, one
evening, 81 wish you'd go over to Gal
Dpot's, and get that prescription filled
lagain. | feel the old rheumatism COM
ling back"
The dutiful youth hastened off on
the errand, and in half an hour was
back.
care you sure it's the same as the
last ?" said Mr.. MacSowens, opening
the paper his nephew brought, 'it don't
quite look like it,"
al told Gallipot's boy, who seems
a smart lad," answered Ronald, with
/, some hesitation, "to fix 1t as before, and
Ive no doubt it's all right.
"Well, | suppose it is my eyes aren't
as good as they used to be. Hand me a
glass and spoon"
The request was complied with, and
partly filling the glass with water, Mr..
MacSowens stirred in halt of the medi-
cine. :,
Hadn't you better take it all, uncle, "
aI'll try half first," replied the other,
swallowing the dose.
"Now, step dswn to the kitchen, Rom
aid, and bid them hurry upper. We
won't wait for Flora; she's gone on
visit"
l AhOhaio
"And now,D said his uncle as the young
man returned, there's a glass of wine
Pve poured for you. It'll warm you uk
after your chilly walk"
Ronald drank health and long life tt
his benefactor.
at has a queerish TASTE" he remarked
setting down the empty glass:
az guess it's the medicine" said Mr
MacSowens.
"The-the what" exclaimed Ron
aid.
"The medicine" repeated his uncle
"you see put some of it in the wine
for even YOU are not too young to catcl
9 rheumatism after being out IN such raw
weather as this"
Ronald's face was blanched. -, :,
:; "We-we're both dead men !! M
4 gaspcd. o., ~,
!claimed the elder MacSowens, startng
up as much frightened as his nephew.
"There's no use hiding the truth now,
faltered Ronald. "Instead OF tellps
lGallipot's assistant to fill up the prescrlp
tion, 1 asked tor an ounce OF arsenic u
kin rats. You know the rest anu cal
guess my motive" 60 at.
II "I, too, have confession 10 Mah'
while have strength to do it, whlne1