River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-10-15


1 ingeniously -aSsorted architecture.
about which | only say that if the in
cumbent is not more upright as man,
than the steeple is as building. the
heads and morals of the congrega ON
are in some danger. You are sure that
it is a horse?''
''What shame.' Nellie said, laugh
ingly. I'm sure it's all quite plain.
"Quite plain enough, in all con-
| science-yoq might almost 90 so far as
to call it ugk, Sandering replied.
You may think so. if you like, SIR.
I'm sure the church is upright, and my
uncle is incumbent at least curate
there, Nelly said, looking at the draw
ing.
why, | never knew that you had
an uncle, dear What's his name, and
where does he liye?" he asked
''He lives abroad, and | don't write
to him much-he wouldn't like me
being in the profession He's very
kind, though, and used to want me to
go and live with him, only | didn't
Hedley, his name is"
What Hedley-not Robert, | sup
pose?' Sandering asked.
Eyes, it is Robert how did you
guess?' inquired Nellie.
you don't mean to say that this is
Chesterton church," Sandering said,
in tone of extreme surprise.
Yes, it is Nellie answered, evil
IDENTIFY bewildercd at his knowledge
But surely, Nellie, Robert Hedley,
who was the curate of Charleston, was
not your uncleP"
Not only was, but is. Why are you
so excited about it, dear?" she asked.
Don't you know that-have you
not heard of his death, Nellie?" he in
quired.
mo, indeed | haven't" Nellie re-
piled.
Poor little girl! l ought not to
have mentioned it so suddenly. He
died on the seventeenth Of November,
is"
Nellie laughed. Then all | can say
is that he has been represented by a
wonderfully healthy-looking ghost. /
have not seen him lately, but two or
three times since then and shall most
likely have Il letter from him-or the
ghost-to-morrow morning. | wrote
the other day, the first letter for long
time, to tell him about-about us, she
said.
My dear child, if you are not joking
there must be very grave mistake
somewhere. Do you know that if
Robert Hedley were alive he would
inherit Sayerton Towers? But he must
be dead. have every proof of it.
You know he said. turning to me,
III was chiefly to ascertain this that
went to Paris. He must be dead =
Nelly persisted, however. "He had
lived in Paris years ago" she said,
'but was now curate of little Protes-
tant community in the south of France;
and such, on investigation, turned out
clergyman, corresponding apparently
in other particulars had died, in
Paris; but we had the best of reasons
for assuring CURSE IS that it was not
he. y"
An extract from one of his letters to
his niece will best finish my story
Let MIR. Sandering, then, resume
his occupation of the Towers without
scruple; convinced that | should be I'M
happy in leaving my work here, and
adopting a new lie, at my advanced
age. You are my only relative, and
if have power to dispose of the prop
erty at my death, it will be yours; if
not, it appears that your husband
would inherit it"
Sandering talked nonsense at first
about having asked Nellie to marry
him under false preteEces, and it being
his duty to free her from the engage
ment; bat she appears much to prefer
the bondage, and impudently asserts
that if he did 90 away, he would only
want to come again as he had done
before.
There is some question of entail
which the lawyers have not yet decided
and indeed | believe they have
not been requested to do so; but under
any circumstances, there seems every
probability that it will turn out to be a
good match.