The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-08-24
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.
"Does Jasper think that ] 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 Mr..
Clabangh and one or two walters, when
Mr.. Jasper Surridge eventually made
his appearance.
II seem to be little late, Jasper
eoOlly remarked, after exchanging salu-
tations with his uncle; 81 am sorry you
waited"
"If you knew why | desired to meet
you here. what my business with you is,
you would not wonder that ] waited
I think | was the first person to sit
down to breakfast, and now the room is
deserted"
80 it appears-has quite the air of a
banquet hall deserted But that is all
the better for us if you are anxious TO
discuss business at once; there will be no
eayesdroppers."
quite true, remarked Mr.. Clabaugh.
al think my news will give additional
delicacy, even to those tender chops.
You remember hearing Inc speak of that
eccentric old Philip Edlifle, for whom |
have made SO many wilia?'
"Ihc man who lived i'll Merton?'
"Ies, 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 | never heard until ! made his las
will; his only grandchild, Acantha Ed
life"
"What an outlandish name
thought he was a bachclor-a mysogy
nistr'
$50 did |, but he was married in his
young days ard had one son, Pablo,
whom he drove from home by his i'll
temper and his misery ways. This son
also married and died, leaving one
daughter Acautha; as this girl is his le-
gal heir, none Of the many aspirauts can
even CLAIM the property.
"Curious! But why telegraph for
me ?'
"rhis girl is young, rich-ond un,
married"
"Ah, understand! |, too, am young
and unmarried, but, alas! not rich. iou
think there are possibilities for me|
"Certainly ! do! You are good-look-
ing"
81 inherit my looks from my mother;
the Clabaughs are all prcsentablc,"
"Nonsense!' but the uncle was flat
tered. "You have always been 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?'
ooh no, nothing serious, only tlirta.
ton. / have not committed myself.
THAT is lucky. 1t wouldn't do, you
know, for my nephew to be caught i'll
anything dishonorable; it would injuro
both of us.
Don't you worry, uncle! | am too
wide-awake to leap before look. Lottie
is very sweet, and if she were old
Edlifie's heiless there would he 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 shc-is she at all passable?"
"Of her looks / 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 Edlille-it is
not common one-and make Acantha' 3
acquaintance AS well as you can. Here
are letters of Introduction to three of my
friends, but don't 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 all heir
ess--"
"She will not know she is ali heiress
until see fit to tell her. | intend to
give you from one to three weeks start;
am not well; my physician has ordered d
me to the mountains to recuperate; how
can attend to business now?
81 seel must make hay before the
sun shines. Miss Acantha will have first
lover, then fortune; which is rather
reversing the usual order of things"
"You are serious, Jasper? You will
really try to win this young lady?"
81 am seriously-very seriously-in
want of money, and as for trying to win
this rural damsel Qor Clarendon is hard.
" more than q village, well, l think !
can do it," answered Jasper Surridge,
eomplacently, as he rose from the table