The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-01-18
DIsTNIiERfTED.

L
4 The idea-you want to get married.
Vivian Severn laughed, showing
! als handsome teeth--a good humor-
! ed. joyous laugh-in no wise affect
ed by his uncle's sharp ungracieus-
! ness, for he had not been acquaint-
ed with Mr. Somerset twenty-five
years for nothing.
, Is It so very alarming, Uncle
Daniel ~ he asked promptly.
Il think so. Alarming-yes, be-
yond question. You are an extrav-
agaRt young dandy, with not an
idea to your noddle, beyond the cut
. of your clothes, or the composition
Of 2 button hole bouquet in Februa-
~, with no judgment greater than
that required to decide the flavor of
+ the soup at the club dinner. And
yon want to get married,
Vivian was used to it, and he
knew the irascible old bachelors
/ bark was worse than his bite. He
leaned back in his chair and listen
ed to the petulant TRADE.
/ THAT may be so, Uncle Daniel :
all the same, | think BERTHE and ]
viii risk it."
''Bertie BERTHE who ?"
Miss Ethelbertha Gray, uncle
"Why didn't you say so, then ? 4
very beautiful, accomplished girl
after you because she eupposes you
are my heir"
Uncle Dan !"
Vivian Strengthened up in his
chair, 2 sudden little fire in his blue
eyes,
Uncle Daniel, that is not true"
s lie, do l.? Very well, sir +; ! am
used to such accusations from YOU.
Go ahead and make a eonsummate
idiot Of yourself, If you want to-
bnt mark my word, you will rue the
day you ever married Berthe Gray.
know the ways Of this world
have been taught its treachery, It's
policy, It's utter want Of human
kindness oefore yoa were out Of
dresses
But FTth due respect for your
opinion, Gle, you don't know Ber-
tee Gray al know her. Wait"
Mr. Solsacset jumped up from
bis chair.
"Doa1 e7k to me about It.
Mind not aUother word unless you
wish 70 be disinherited" "
Then Vivian looked angry and
rcse from bis chair.
u would not hesitate q moment
between your money and the wom-
an I love DO as rs you please l
shall.H
But after he was gone Mr.. Som
orset walked uneasily up and down
bis elegant library. his forehead all
paekered up. his mouth contracted
in Il savage pout, his bright, little
ay-eyes, swapping and flashing.
The fool ! Not 20 see it is his
money-enly and solely his proper
ty that has woa the girl. | know
her. Pretty picture. great dark eyes
and a complexion like 4 lily leaf,
4 little red mouth and yellow hair
a girl brought UP to paint on velvet
and bet ut reces, ilirt through q |
summer at Newport and a winter in
the city. \ pretty Vassar College |
finished girl, whose sole end and |
aim Of life is to make a good match. !
And that young idiot imagines she
is In love with him
Twenty-four hours later, Just as
Vivian was taking his dinner at
Delmonico's, waiter handed him a
note from his uucle, in which that |
gentleman very erratic in his habits,
briefly stated that he was off on a
trip to the Yosemite Valley, to be !
gone two or three months, and adj
vised Vivian to consider what had |
been said to HIM on o certain sub
ject.
He folded up the note and went
on with his stuffed egg plant and
roast TURKEY in undiscomfitted COM
posUre.
Il wish he knew Berthe better"
he thought, with a glad thrill OF
fond pride. But it was destined |
that Mr. Daniel Somerset should
never hlow pretty Bertie Gray any
better -deereed by fate that he
should never see her again, for six
weeks later, as she sat in her elegant
little boudoir, sewing some foaming
lace in the neck and sleeT Tes of a
blac's velvet evening costume, Wv
ian made his appearance, pale and
grave, as she had never seen him be-
fore
'sI thought YOU were not coming
sill evening, Vivian, she said in
;w eet way that told how welcome
he was. He took a seat beside her
it tie low chair, and gently, authori-
"a lively, took the laees from her lap.
Il have bad news for you. my
] arling, and | want TO break it TO
'ou at once.
Bertie nestled her little hand in
in his, canfoinely, sympatheticallv.
"Tell me, Vivian, at once. Only
with you alive and well here be-
side me. no news could be very
besides | know father and
mother are both safe. | saw them
a minute ago. What is it dear ?"
Vivian looked at her, a wonder
fal grave tendernessin his blue eyes.
My uncle is dead, Bertie, in Cali
fornia, where he has been travelling
for several weeks. | always sup
posed was heir to his three mill
ION dollars, but" and his strong,
brave voice quivered slightly, ''for
your sake / am appalled, to be noti-
fed that ne has left his fortune to q
charitable institution. ANA beg
yar, BERTHE"
Her soft dusky eyes grew wider
md more serious.
"Oh, Vivian A beegar ? 1t
sounds awful p
''Yes it does. But | wouldn't
sare if it wasn't for you, darling. 1t i
means that / must give you up, for
am not coward enough to ask you
10 share poverty with me on clerk
ship OF a thousand q year.
She looked at him with a rich
crimson flash surging into her
,l,asr-c and tba faar. rrshed to bar