American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-06-18

thought that he was very firm in carry
ing ont his own ideas. On this fair
spring day, she made her first attack
against the dead Spanish wife and her
touched him more caressingly.
"What a grand prospect, Austenl
There are larger estates than Larchton
Mere, but none more perfect. We
have every variety of landscape. You
must feel proud, Austen, at being lord
of such a domain"
81 do not know, my DEAR" replied Sir
Austen. 1have never felt any particu-
lar pride aboutit. But love the mere"
Her face darkened, and her blue
eyes were Swallowed as she listened.
al should have been proud of it had
it been mine," she said.
but, Hester, how can l be proud
of that which Heaven has given Tor no
merit OF my own? l could be proud of
genius or talent, but not of wealth
that has come to me from my father.
wealth in the gaining of which 1 had
a fortune by my own industry 1 might
have been proud of it, but L could not
be proud Of one that was placed in my
hand at my BIRTH"
"Your ideas are very good, doubt
less" said Lady Cumnor, but they
differ from mine. How strange it
seems that such grand property as.
this is not entailed, Austenr'
Eyes, 1 have often thought So" he
replied; .'but there has never been a
question with respect to it"
HAS it always descended from
father to eldest sonp" she asked; and
her lips paled as she spoke.
"No, not always. 1t has gone from
brother to brother. Sometimes even it
has gone from father to younger son,
when the elder has preferred, perhaps,
o military life or the life of a traveller.
There has never been any dispute about
it.''
81 think" said her ladyship. slowly,
''that the law of entail is one OF the
most absurd in the world"
On hearing one of the articles of his
faith so strongly attacked, Sir Austen
grew grave and serious.
why, Hester-why do you say thatp"
he asked.
81 call it a mere relic of a barbarous
age" she said.
And again he repeated:
"Why. Hester-whyp"
because it is unnatural" shereplied.
"Why, from family of sons all equally
dependent on their father, should one
be chosen to be rich while all the others
are poorp"
'.You must look farther ahead, Hes
ter" said Sir Austen. "When you
all rights, at all aristocracy. at all-di-
vision of classes. If the law of entail
were abolished, there could be no large
estates; the lands would be sold or d.
vided, and in two generations the old
names and places would cease to exist.
To do away with the law of entail really
means to do away with the aristocracy
altogether"
81 would strike a great many blows
if I could" said Lady Cumnor, proudly.
Sir Austen laughed as he stroked her
golden hair.
81 have never thought about your
political principles before, Hester" he
said. "Are you RadicalP''
NO." she replied, 81 am not. will
tell you what l am, Austen; and you
must not scold me. 1 belong to any
class of politicians who will give this
beautiful land of Larchton Mere to
my little son Hugh. and send your big
son to take care of the land in Spain"
So she shot her first arrow; and, half
afraid of the result, she did what she
very seldom did, raised her fair face to
his ain kissed him. But she need not
have felt any fear. Sir Austen laughed;
he thought that it was only jest-a
capital jest t. o,., ..,,.,,o w., ;. :.
the bottom of all this revolutionary bust
ness? The whole law of entail must be
altered to make him master of Larchton
Merep'
"But the mere is not entailed," she
said. do not laugh at me, Austen.
You can do what you like with It, you
can even leave it to me-"
IL have no intention of leaving it at
all for many long years." he said.
She fastened to add:
81 hope not. indeed! Austen, am
only talking for talking's sake. You
could leave it to me or to little Hugh if
you wouldP''
Certainly, Hester. You are quite
right there; 1 can do as l will with it.
But, although we have no entail, we
have what is almost as strong with us
the law of tradition. The custom
and tradition of the family are that the
estates shall descend from father to
son. Doyou understand"
Eyes" she replied. II do not
know what makes me think of it or
speak of it; but it seems to me that my
little son Hugh. the son of an English
woman, is the one who should be mas
ter of English lands, and that your
elder son, the son of Spanish mother,
should take for his portion the lands in
SPAIN"
Sir Austen laughed again. He had
no notion that she was serious. He
believed it was all "for talking's sake"
1--WE will say more about it, my
beautiful Hester, when Master Hugh
can walk or can eat a slice of bread
and-butter. At present let the fair lands
In England and Spain rest in peace"
II do not understand what has come
lous tone. "How is it, Ross. that
you and her ladyship never, by any
chance, agreeP"
liam very sorry for it, father. 1
should agree always if 1 could. If you
cut down, submit; but do not think
that Lady Cumnor ought to order such
a thing. 1t will completely spoil the
place. If there were a sensible
motive, 1 would not ask one word
about it; but am quite sure that Lady
Cumnor simply desires it in order to
annoy me-"
my dear Ross. pray do not talk in
such manner! Why should my wife
seek TO annoy you?"
because she does not like me, faith
er, and will never rest until she has
driven me away. Father, can you not
see how jealous she is of my dead
mother and of my dead mothers sonp"