Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-01-02

poor little Mabel, and these peo-
pie are determined to get me married. I
I'd better break my bond before it's too
Late 81, 81. q. Il b
Mr.. Creighton, Iwould like to speak
with you for moment, please
II Con turned with a start and encoun-
tered his lawyer, Arthur Gray. of the firm
of Gray & Myers, solicitors.
Certainly, Mr.. Grayl What's the
business now?" 1s5. h. {, =s,%
4 h. Rather an unpleasant business, lam
sorry to soy, sir. But will you step in
my office, where I can fully explain?"
81 4 Sc Con followed him in, and waited
to hear what the unpleasant business
might be. - s*rs.
s'You are aware, sir, that your late
uncle, from whom you inherit your for
tune, died intestate--or, I should say,
was thought to have died intestate-
whereupon, you were his heir at-law.
A few days since, however, we made,
what to you must prove G painful discov
e>y--viz., the certificate Of his marriage
and half-drawn-up will, in which he
bequeathed all he possessed to his I'M
acknowledged wife, or her children,
should she have any. After dilligent
inquiries we have discovered that the
late Mrs. Creighton died in giving birth
to child, but the child is still living.
so, my dear Mr.. Creigton, with deep
sorrow, I must inform you that you
are"-
''Penniless!" finished Con, gloomily
but with deliberation.
"Not quite, Mr.. Creighton. Your fa'
Their left you $4,000, which is some
thing, though considerably less than
100000. Your cousin arrived to-day
1 believe"
Poor Con! He didn't care very much
if she never arrived; but he managed
to get into the street without disgrace
fully showing his feelings, and then,
by way Of keeping up the illusion tried
to whistle.
But the effort was miserable failure
for, after all, it's no joke to find one
self suddenly precipitated from the pin
nacle of miiiopalreship.
well, after all. there's one comfort, ,
he said. returning to his soliloquy
Emily Cummings won't want me now
SO fancy III give her warning. Mabe]
will take me- rich Or poor, and hope
I'm not such a miserable coward as tt
shirk the labor of man."
His lneditations brought him up in
front of the Cummings residence.
Five minutes after he was sitting in
the daintiest of boudoirs, Emily before
him in the. mist recherche Of French
morning robes, fragrant with the sub
tlest of French perfumes.
"You look dreadfully tired, Con.
Have you been walking very far?"' she
asked, sweet sympathy percepti-
bic in her voice, and g. tender anxiety
in her luminous ewes.
"Not particularly far. but have had
bad news: and, as general thing, that
is more harassing than the mere aHor!
of walking"
Con had way of plunging right in
to difficulties, and now he wanted to be
over with it.
why, what news have you had
Nothing very serious, J. hope"
ooh, not at ali! Only that I've los
every penny of the fortune my uncle
left mel"
He now noticed with great satisfac.
ton that her fair face grew very white
and that she instantly put on al indie
scribably expression of withdrawal.
"Lost, Ell? Oh, no! How?'
"Oh, in romantic way of course
It seems that my supposed bachelor I'M
Gle was in reality g Benedict. but as his
marriage was secret one, and the Cir
was not of his own social status, nobod,
knew anything about it, SO he told he1
the ceremony was false, and LETT her,
She died hearthroken, but left al he'll
or heiress. 7 don't know which. This
child takes the silver spoon out of my
mouth, and 7, as you see, lose elO0, 00(
and am ruined. Plain and lucid, isn't
it,"
But Emily didn't answer; she was
gr1eving over her fallen castles, musine
over her unpaid bills, and wondering
whether her father could stand this
last stroke of misfortune.
"Of course, Emily. I came to you at
once to release you, if you wished, from
our engagement. Reared as you have
been, could not expect you to marry q
poor man; and, indeed, fear that, in
my changed circumstances, [ would be
no fit husband for you.
Then Emily Cummings showed that
girl that she was, she was equal to the
! occasion.
! Standing fully before him, where The
light fell directly on the beautiful
naughty face and slender, graceful fig
ure, she assisted him out of his difficult
| ty with an ease and grace that was al
m ost superb.
II can readily perceive, Mr.. Creigh
ton, that it is your wish that our en-
gagement should end, and kno wing this
| I should be the last one to oppose YOU
inclinations. AS regards your loss,
sympathize with you sincerely, but
cannot fail to rejoice that it happened
before / awoke to the fate of an I'M
loved wife"
She paused for breath, and, then a.
Con stood in shameful and, it must b,
confessed, slightly Disguised silence
she went OH. "And now, Mr.. Creigh
ton, rather than prolong our unpleas
ant interview, had we better not sd.
goodbye"
So, for the last time, Con went dow
the marble stairs, saying to himself
"At any rate, still have two thousant
| and Mabel"
He walked along the streets, feeling
his spirits considerably lighter, hi
troubled conscience comparatively &
rest; but just as he reached his mother
residence Gray once more encountere,
| him.
"Ah, here you gre again! The Yer
fellow L want! Your cousin has ar
| ~