Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-10-09
and I u introduce you to my daughters
and Miss Forester
CHAPTER XII.

teman, now verging upon sevent,
! years of age, who had ..never had
| headache in his life," as he was wont Il
boast but who lived very carefully, a
one who did not intend to have man,
headaches He certainly did not intent
to make his headache by the cares O
the work of the world He was YER
| well of-that is TO say, that with 81
many thousands year, he managed Il
live upon half. This be had done fol
very many years, because the estats
was entailed on a distant relative. anc
because he had not chosen to leave hi:
/ children paupers. When the girls eams
he Immediately resolved that he would
never go up to yLondon-and kept hi:
resolve. Net above once in three Oh
four years was it supposed TO be neees
sary that he showed his head TO a Lon.
/ don hair-dresser. He was quite con.
i tent to have a practitioner out from
Arlesford and to pay him one shilling, Ia.
GLIDING the journey. His tenants il
these bad times had always paid their
rents. but they had done so because
/ their rents had not been raised since the
squire had come to the throne. Mr..
/ Hall knew well that if he was anxious
/ to save himself from headaches In that
/ line. he had better let his lands on easy
terms He was very hospitable, but he
never gave turtle from London, or fish
from Southampton, or Strawberries or
/ peas on the first of April. He could
! give dinner without champaign, and
thought forty shillings dozen price
enough for port or sherry, or even
claret
He kept a carriage for his four
| daughters, and did not tell all the
world that the horses spent a fair pro-
/ portic4a Of their time at tie pillow. The
four daughters had two saddle
horses between them, and the father
had another for his own use. He did
not hunt-and living in that part Of
HAMPSHIRE, l think he was right He
( did shoot alter a manner of our fore
fathers;-would go out, for instance,
with Mr. Blake, and perhaps Mr.. Whit
tlestaff, and would bring home three
pheasants, four cartridges, a hare, and
any quantity of rabbits that the cook
might have ordered. He was man
determined on no account to live be-
{ yond his means; and was not very
anxious to seem TO be rich He was a
man Of no strong affections, or peculiar
" generous feelings Those who knew
him, and did not like him, said that he
was selfish. They who were partial to
him declared that he never owed a shill-
ing that he could not pay, and that mis-
daughters were very happy in having
such a father. He was a good-looking
man, with welcomed features, but
one whom you had to see often before
you could remember him. And as /
have said before, he never had head
ache in his life When your father
wasn't doing quite so well with the
bank as his friends wished, he asked
me to do something for him. Well, l
didn' t see my way"
Il was a boy then. and ! heard moth
ing Of nv fathers business"
4 dare say not; but | can not help
telling you. He thought ] was unkind.
l thought that he would go on frem
one trouble to another-and he did. He
quarrelled with me, and for years we
never spoke. indeed / never saw him
again. But for the sake of old friend
ship am very glad to meet You. :" This
he said as he was walking across the
hall to the drawing-room.
There Gordon met the young ladies
with the clergyman, and had to undergo
the necessary introductions- He thought
that he could perceive at once that his
story, as it regarded Mary Lawrie, had
been told to al Of them. Gordon was
quick. and could learn from the man.
ners of his companions what had been
said about him, and could perceive that
they were aware of something of his
story Blake had no such quickness,
and could attribute none of it to an
other. Il am very proud to have the
pleasure Of making you acquainted
with these five young ladies" As he
said this he had just paused In his mar
rative of Mr.. Whittlestaff love. and
was certain that he had changed the
conversation with great effect But
the young ladies were unable not to
look as young ladies would have looked
when hearing the story of an un-
fortunate gentleman's love. And Mr..
Blake would certainly have been unable
to keep such secret
This is Miss Hall and this is Miss
Augusta Hall, said the father. People
do think that they are alike.
''Oh, papa, what nonsensei You
needn't tell Mr.. Gordon that
..No doubt he would find IT out with
out telling continued the father.
Il cant see it. for the life of me-"
said Mr.. Blake He evidently thought
that civility demanded such an asser-
ton. Mr.. Gordon, looking at the two
young ladies, felt that he would never
know them apart, though he mi ht live
IN the house for year.
'Evelina is the third" continued Mr..
Hall pointing out the one whom Blake
had specially recommended to his
friend notice. '.Evelina is not quite so
like, but she's like, too"
Papa. what nonsense you do TALK
said Erelina.
And this is Mary. Mary considers
herself to be quite the hope of the fam
lily; spem gregts. Ha, ha!'
@'What does spem gregis mean? I'm
sure don't Know" said Mary The
four young ladies were about thirty,
varying up from thirty to thirty-fye.
They were fair haired. healthy
young women. with good common
sense, not beautiful, though very like
their father.
'.And / must introduce you to Miss
Forrester-kattie Forester, said Mr.
Blake, who was beginning TO think that
his own young lady was being left out
In the cold.
..Yes, indeed" said Mr.. Hall. las
/ had begun with nv own, was obliged
to 60 on to the end. Miss Forester
MIR. Gordon. Miss Forester is young
lady whose promotion has been fixed in
the world"
'tMr. Hall, how can you do me SO
much injury as TO say that? You take
away from me the chance of changing
my mind
Yes said the Oldest Miss Hall: |
land Mr.. Gordon the possibility of
changing his Mr.. Gordon. what q sad
81 T.