Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-05-28

ny that may have once had such
ideas; but of late / have grown wiser.
Everything alters in this world; why,
then, should our opinions not do the
samel That is what we cslI prog
ress.
Upon this he bowed and left Miss
Nelly crying and fainting iA an arm
chair.
He did not hear anything OF her
till few days later, when gentle
man called upon him saying that he
had been intrusted with Miss Nelly
Browns affair. and suggesting that
perh IDS Mr.. Fox, before they went
| further, would prefer making some
private arrangement about his breach
of promise of marriage with his CHI
ent.
And what proof Of that promise
has Miss Brown except her saying so2'
asked Mr. Fox.
"Oh, " answered the young man, Il
have seen boxful of letters from
you"
Have you read themG" continued
Mr.. Fox sarc5stically.
"Not yet, replied the other, but l
have seen the box
"Weu, you had better 60 and read
them first before you take any further
steps, asd If YOU can find a single line
from me 10 Miss Brown, | 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 de-.
fender of innocence found it best to
,etire for the present, leaving his op-
ponent to rub his hands triumphantly
and build castles in the air about the
country seat and the horses and car
riages he was going to buy in order
to dazzle Miss Laquerton, whom he
felt justified in seriously think ng
about now.
Miss Nelly had meanwhile been in.
| formed of the conversation OF Mr.
Fox's office, and with an indignant
exclamation about 'such incredible
Iuntruths,n she went TO fetch her leu
| ter 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 packets they contained
nothing but paper-all white paper,
without a single word on it. The
willy lawyer had evidently deceived
her by some Economical trick.
The shock was so great to the poor
lovesick lady that she had scarcely
the courage to show herself when the
will was to be read but she rallied al
last, hoping against hope that il
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 APP
pointed for the reading of the will
and Mr.. Plumley, as chief executor
sat down and slowly got his spectaclei
out, his junior partner and came oyel
so faint and his heart tiuttered to sucl
an extent, that he fancied all his hope
and beautiful castles in the air wert
crumbling away as in dream. VIA,
did not his old friend at once read the
documents Why did he make tn,
suspense so unbearably long9 VIII,
did he continue to start first at tn
paper In his hand, then at thos
around him, and then once more a
the paper without uttering singh
word and then at last, when he dit
speak, why did he stammer, IL d.
not know see nothing-in fact, 1t j
the same paper, but"
Gould it be2 Yes, sure enough
there was the paper on which the vii
had been made out, but there wa
nothing upon it now; it WAS merely
blank, white s3eet
Good heavens With what inl
did you write out that will?' burs
out at last Mr. Fox.
"Witn what ink2' repeated the oil
gentleman Indignantly, with you
ink. As | found the ink stand up
stairs dry. aud the old lady was il
such deadly hurry, | rushed dow
} myself to get some, and seeing } gu
) bag in the hall, / took from 1t the lit
/ tie inkstand which you always carr.
about"
Mr.. Fox turned deadly pale, anC
without saying another vanished, Xix
his ink. before anybody had foun,
time to ask for an explanation. Whel
the rest of the company had compose,
themselves again, Mr.. Plumley said
II know that the testatrix has de
stroyed all former wills, so that Their
is none at all in existence, and, b.
law, therefore the property will go t
the next of kin. / know, also, tina
Mrs. johnson has no relatives what
ever except Mss Lizzie Rooerts. Sh
is consequently sole heiress."