Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-06-20
AN AMERICAN HEIRESs.


-GeOrge ". Bungay in The Continent
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AN AMERICAN HEIRESS.
Lady Francis Trimston was charming She
was also clever, wonderfully well preserved,
had natural compleXi on, a modera Joint
ure, good miliner, was a widow and had
only one child-a son.
She had experienced little care or sorrow,
for her husband was an old man when she
married him, and he was gathered to his
fathers before he became very disagreeable
He was the younger son of a duke, and mod.
erately well of.
Lady Franciss life--or, at least, her wild
owed life-had been strewn with roses and
although she could have settled down com
fortably again, she preferred to retain, as she
said, her freedom.
TT is so nice to marry an old man you
are widow quite young, you know" she
murmured to her dear friend, Clare Melton.
II suppose it is,dear, sighed Clare, whose
husband was young scamp.
Few OF US are perfectly content with our
lot, and Lady Francis had grievance that
marrcd sadly her happy butterfly existence.
Do what she could, her son Jack would not
marry.
Dear Jack is so poor and so e1travagant,
l wonder what will be his end 2" she sighed.
''He will marry rich girl, of course, said
Glare.
1T is his duty to do So as tell him but
he only laughs at me, sighed Lady Francis
Where is he now p
Shooting Indians or buffaloes, or some
other wild animals in America"
when do you expect him back Z"
II am sure don't known month or
two, perhaps"
Jack Trimston had been out West, hunting
budaloes, shooting prairie chickens, racing
Mexican mustangs, and playing poker" with
the miners. He had had a pleasant time of
it, for lie liked America and the Americans,
and he was sorry to have TO return 30 soon
to England.
But life in America is expensive and Jack,
who had eXtravagant tastes, and a knack Of
getting through money, had spent in two
months the sum he calculated would have
lasted him for four, and was in the middle of
the Atlantic, on board an Tnman liner, when
his mother told her friend that he was shoot
ing Indians and buffaloes. The passengers
on board were chiefly Americans who were
going to Europe on a pleasure trip. There
were one or two pretty girls amongst them,
and Jack, who was dangerous lady's man,
commenced a hot filtration with one OF them
before he was two days at sea.
Katie @. Brown was nice girl, and had a
pair of soft, brown eyes, that always did
great execution-when they opened fire-and
they did now upon Jack. The Brown party
consisted of three, for, beside Katie @. Brown,
there was Mary L. Brown-a fine, honest
American girl, with no pretence to beauty,
but with look of strength and character
about her homely face-and Samuel Wash.
ington Brown. who had made money in 'Fris-
co in the good old days of gold-mining and
wild speculation. He invested a part of it
in silver mine in Nevada, which turned out
gigantic success, and Samuel was now worth
his good 50, 900, 600.
Jack Trimston was pretty deep in the in
tricacies of hard filtration with Katie G.
Brown before he heard who Samuel Was. II
was his friend General G. Jones who enlight-
ened him.
81 guess stranger that girl has got heap"
he said
"a heap of what ?" asked Jack, carelessly.
"a heap of dollars. l calculate Samuel
w. Brown is worth a million of your money.
l always heard he had only two children
daughters. 'Spose that brown-eyed friend of
yours will have her half million of pounds"
Jack Trimston was astonished.
by Jove if my mother heard of this for
tune she would go mad !" he calculated to
himself. Fancy, half a million of money
III"
The Brown party landed at Queenstown
and went on to Killarney, while Jack came
over to London. 1t was arranged when they
parted that the Browns would write to tell
him of their arrival in London, and Jack had
promised to show them the sights and make
things generally pleasant.
Lady Trimston was delighted to have her
dear Jack back again. He was looking, too,
she thought so handsome and so bronzed.
amy girl would fall in love with him, my
dear, she said, complacently, to her bosom
friend, Glare Melton.
''He can be very nice when he likes" muir
INJURED Glare.
Jack, who wanted money very badly, was
very nice just now to his mother. He de-
scribed to her his experience of American
girls, aud Lady Francis was deeply interested
IN everything relating to her sex.
They are really pretty, and not at all bad
style but their accent is abominable," " she
sighed
"You get used to il after time said Jack
II know such a nice American girl who will
be in London next week"
"What is she like, dear !"
'She is pretty enough-good eyes, good
figure, good carriage, good feet, clever, a
dangerous fiirt, and she will have half a mil
lion of money"
Good heavens" exclaimed Lady Francis,
springing to her feet, intensely excited. "Half
million of money Oh Jack, what are you
about?'
"why, what is the matter, motherP You
are quite excited"
"Oh dear dear, Jack, do be sensible, said
his mother, oRressingly. "You know you
are very poor, and are always in difficulties.
II cannot go on. You must feel this yourself.
Now tell me all about the American girl and
her family"
There are two sislers-Kate and Mary
no mother. The father is worth at least
million, and is not bad sort of fellow"
"Of course / must call on them. When
do they come over 2"
''In few days, believe. l said you would
look them up, and think you will like Katie
she is great fun"
''And you Jack, have you any chance do
you think-I mean"
"Ohance? l rather think have" said
Jack, interEupting. "Chance, indeed Why
have to keep the girls away from me at the
point of my stick"
"Now Jack, dear, do be serious am SO
interested in all this Are you sure about the
NQoneyi"'
~ believe il ia all right"
"And,-dear, would you really marry her 2"
'If IL is case of coming a cropper' or
marrying her, 1 shall select the latter" said
Jack.
Lady Francis was in a hutter of excite
ment during the ensuing week. Fancy,
dear a nice girl with five hundred thousand
pounds" she remarked to Glare Melton,
American girls are quito the rage now
tho men are wild after them, said Glare.
Lady Franois's face assumed a serious eX-
preston.
"Wo must take care that dear Jack has
plenty of opportunities. 1t will be shocking
il all the men run after her" she ansWered
gravely.
Tho best thing you can do is to give out
that Jack is engaged" said Glare.
''You can do that for me, dear"
"Of course, bus you will have TO entertain
and make much of them-Americans are mad
after society and our set
ut will be very expensive, but l suppose