Huntsville gazette., 1885-06-20

friend, almost lost his senses with Joy;
still his excitement did not prevent him
investing some money in hatbands and
Grape, and looking as mournful as if
the sorrows of the whole world rested
upon his shoulders. Miss Nelly, too,
almost melted away in tears, and could
only be comforted by ''her JAMIE" as
she now called Mr. Fox. But the latter
seemed to have turned quite dull with
grief. He did not appear to under
stand her at all, and day by day as she
became more demonstrative he grew
less atfectionate. The afternoon be-
fore the funeral Miss Nelly was ex-
tremely broken-hearted, and amid her
sobs remarked how comfortable and
happy she had always been with her
late dear friend. To her astonishment
Mr.. Fox attempted to comfort her by
saying with cool civility, 81 hope you
may soon meet again with such happy
home as you have had here till now"
On hearing this Miss Nelly's tears
suddenly dried up, and with eyes di-
lated with astonishment and anger,
she cried: cit is you whom [ expect
to make me this happy home"
Mr. Fox. however, simply shrugged
his shoulders, saying: II do not deny
that | may have once had such ideas;
but of late l have grown wiser. Every
thing alters in this world; why then
should our opinions not do the same?
That is what we call progress.
Upon this he bowed and left Miss
Nelly crying and fainting in an arm
chair.
He did not hear anything of her till
a few days later, when a gentleman
called upon him saying that he had
been intrusted with Miss Nelly Browns
affairs, and suggesting that perhaps
Mr. Fox, before matters went further,
would prefer making some private ar
rangement about his breach of promise
with his client.
"And what proof of that promise has
Miss Brown except her saying so?'
asked Mr. Fox.
''Oh," answered the young man, 81
have seen box full of letters from
you"
'Have you read themp" continued
Mr.. Fox sarcastically.
mot YETI replied the other; ''but |
have seen the box"
''You had better go and read them
first before you take any further steps,
and if you can find a single line from
me to Miss Brown, I am quite willing
to let her have ample damages without
their being awarded by a court OF
law"
There was something so diabolical
about Mr.. Fox that the young defender
of innocence found it best to retire for
the present. leaving his opponent to
rub his hands triumphantly and build
castles in the air about the country-seat
and the horses and carriages he was 60
ing to buy in order to dazzle Miss
Laquerton, whom he felt justified in
seriously thinking about now.
Miss Nelly had meanwhile been in
formed of the conversation at Mr.. FoX's
Office. and, with an indignant exclama-
ton about ''such incredible untruths,"
she went to fetch her letter-box.
There, sure enough, were the letters,
all in little packets, neatly tied up with
blue and pink ribbons; but, strange to
say. she could not see an address; and,
oh, heavens! when she undid the pack
cts they contained nothing but paper
all paper, without single word on it.
The willy lawyer had evidently deceived
her by some demeniacal trick.
The shock was so great to the poor
love-sick lady that she had scarcely the
courage to show herself when the will
was to be read; but she rallied at last.
hoping against hope that it might still
be in her favor, when she could treat
with scorn and contempt her faithless
lover and his paltry damages.
Mr.. Fox, although he considered
himself already master of the house
and everything in it, felt considerably
excited on the morning of the day ap-
pointed for the reading of the will, and
when Mr.. Plumley, as chief executor,
sat down and slowly got his spectacles
out, his junior partner came over SO
faint and his heart fiuttered to such an
extent that he fancied all his hopes and
beautiful castles in the air were crumb-
ling away as in a dream. Why did not
his old friend at once read the docu-
ment? Why did he make the suspense
so unbearably longp Why did he con-
tinue to stare first at the paper in his
hand, then at those around him, and
then once more at the paper without
uttering single word; and then at
last, when he did speak, why did he
stammer, IL do not know; [ see
nothing-in fact, it is the same paper,
but -?
"Could it be? Yes, sure enough
there was the-paper on which the will
was made out, but there was nothing
upon it now; it was merely blank,
a white sheet!
Good heavens! With what ink did
you write out that will?" burst out at
last Mr.. Fox.
''With what ink?" repeated the old
gentleman Indignantly, "with your
ink As 1 found the inkstand up stairs
dry, and the old lady was in such
deadly hurry, / rushed down myself to
get some, and seeing your bag in the
hall, took from it the little inkstand
which you always carry about
Mr.. Fox turned deadly pale, and
without saying another word vanished,
like his ink, before anybody had found
time to ask for an explanation. When
fbn nf fha Il