The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-07-28
ACANTHA'S COMEDY.

ACANTHA'S COMEDY,
Undoubtedly Mr.. Clabaugh ought to
have been wiser, after twenty nine
years knowledge of his nephew, than to
have been at all annoyed or impatient
because that nephew was late to break
fast. But Mr.. Clabaugh had important
business On hand, and was eager to trans
act it.
s'Does Jasper think that I tele-
graphed to him to journey 500 miles to
meet me here to-day without motive?
Has the boy no curiosity?" muttered he
to himself, as he slowly stirred his third
cup of coffee.
The long dining room of the Peagood
hotel was quite deserted, save by MIR.
Clabaugh and one or two walters, when
Mr.. Jasper Surridge eventually made
his appearance.
ssI seem to be little late," Jasper
coolly remarked, after exchanging salu-
tations with his uncle; 81 am sorry you
waited"
eff you knew why I desired to meet
you here. what my business with you is,
you would not wonder that waited
I think I was the first person to sit
down to breakfast, and now the room is
deserted"
$50 it appears quite the air of
banquet hall deserted But that is all
the better for us if you are anxious to
discuss business at once; there will be no
eavesdroppers.
"Quite true, remarked Mr.. Clabaugh.
'I think my news will give additional
delicacy, even to those tender chops.
You remember hearing me speak of that
eccentric old Philip Edliffe, for whom
have made SO many wills?"
"The man who lived in Merton?"
"Yes, the same. Well, he is dead"
"Who has got his money and prop
erty, one of the old maid cousins or
hospital?"
."Neither. A person of whose exist
ence I never heard until made his last
will; his only grandchild, Acantha Ed
life"
"What an outlandish name! I
thought he was bachelor-a mysogy-
nistl'
$50 did I, but he was married in his
young days, ard had one son, Pablo,
whom he drove from home by his ill
temper and his miserly ways. This son
also married and died, leaving one
daughter, Acantha; as this girl is his le-
gal heir, none of the many aspirants can
even CLAIM the property"
Curious! But why telegraph for
me ?"
'This girl is young, rich-and un-
married"
.sAh, understand! I, too, am young
and unmarried, but, alas! not rich. You
think there are possibilities for me?"
Certainly I do! You are cookbook
ing"
IT inherit my looks from my mother;
the Clabaughs are all presentable."
''Nonsense!' but the uncle was fiat
tered. ''You have always Deen very
successful with women. But, by the
way" and Mr.. Clabaugh's tone changed
from complacency to anxiety, sis there
any ENHANCEMENT between you and
Lottie?"
s'Oh no, nothing serious, only flirta-
ton. I have not committed myself"
s'That is lucky. It wouldn't do, you
know, for my nephew to be caught in
anything dishonorable; it would injure
both of us.
Don't you worry, uncle! 1 am too
wide-awake to leap before look. Lottie
is very sweet, and if she were old
Edliffe's heiress there would be some
sense in my wooing her. However, she
is almost as poor as am, so that match
will not be made. But about Miss Ed
life; is she-is she at all passable?"
"Of her looks I know nothing; but as
she has been teacher in one of the
board schools at Clarendon for the last
two years, she must have some sort of an
education. Now my plan is that you
start for Clarendon tonight
"No, no, tomorrow. You forget that
have just come post-haste from Dublin.
Do give fellow time to breathe"
81 presume few hours delay will do
no harm, so we will say tomorrow.
when you reach Clarendon look in the
directory for the name of Edliffe-it is
not common one-and make Acantha's
acquaintance as well as you can. Here
are letters of introduction to three Of my
| friends, but don use them if You can
help it; it will be better for you to fall in
| love with the girl without knowing who
she is; then no one can ever accuse you
| of having married her for her money,
Do you understand"
"Oh, yes! But will not she, or some
one, smell rat. MY appearance in
Clarendon just as she becomes an heir
| ess-'
''She will not know she is an heiresl
until l see fit to tell her. i intend tt
give You from one to three weeks start
1 am not well; my physician has orderet {
me to the mountains to recuperate; how
can attend to business now?
81 see! 1 must make hay before thu
sun shines. Miss Acantha will have firsI
lover, then fortune; which is rathe
reversing the usual order of things"
"You are serious, Jasper? You vii
really try to win this young lady?"
II am seriously-very seriously-il
want of money, and as for trying to viii
this rural damsel Gor Clarendon is hard
ly more than village), well, think
can do it." answered Jasper Surridge
complacently, as he rose from the tabl
and sauntered out to the hotel steps.
Young Surridge had good grounds fo
his confidence in his own attractions
He was tall, handsome, graceful, an
devoted to ladies' society; could quot
poetry or utter delicate compliments b
the hour; and some of his half-enviou
admirers declared that he had bee
stern enough to refuse two offers of maj
riage from rich widows.
When he made his appearance /
J church the morning after his arrival i