Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-02-18

y ~~@Nr
this happy homelp
Mr.. Fox, however simply shrugged
his shoulders, saying 81 donot deny that 7
may have once had such ideas; btH of
late I have grown wiser Everything
alters in this world; why, then, should
not our opinions not do the same? This
is what we call progress.
Upon this he bowed and left Miss
Nellie crying and fainting in an arm
chair.
He did not hear anything Of her tin
a few days later, when gentleman
called upon him saying that he had been
entrusted with Miss Nellie Browns af-
fairs, and suggesting that perhaps Mr.
Fox, before they went further, would
prefer making some private arrangement
about his breach of promise of marriage
with his client.
"And what proof Of that promise has
Miss Brown except her saying sop asked
Mr.. Fox.
"Oh," answered the young man, II
have seen box full of letters from you.
Have you read themg" continued Mr..
Fox, sarcastically.
'sNot yet, r replied the other, but
have seen the box"
'Well, you had better 60 and read
them first before you take any further
steps, and if you can find single line
from me to Miss Brown I am quite will
ling to let her have ample damages with
out 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 trislmphantly and build castles
in the fair about the country seat and the
horses and carriages he was going to buy
in order to dazzle Miss Laquerton, whom
he felt felt justified in seriously thinking
about now.
Miss Nellie 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 lit
tie packets, neatly tied up in blue and
pink ribbons; but, strange to say. she
could not see an address; and, oh, heav-
ensl when she undid the packets they
contained nothing but paper-all white
Rl RAPeE jtAoHta oHta sqlaala HPrdd dd5RcReIVeu RR He Her
BY some demoniacal 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.
s'lIr. Fox, although he considered
himself already master of the house and
everything in it, felt considerably ex-
cited 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 fluttered to such an extent that
he fancied all his hopes and beautiful
castles in the air were crumbling away in
a dream. Why did not his old friend
at once read the document2 Why did he
make the suspense SO unbearably long2
Why did he continue to stare first at the
paper in his hand, then at those around
him, and then once more at the paper,
without uttering a single word2 And
then at last, when he did speak, why did
he stammer, "I-I do not know; I see
nothing-in fact, it is the same paper,
but"
Could it be? Yes, sure enough, there
was the paper on which the viii had been
made out, but there was nothing upon it
now; it was merely blank, white
sheeti
"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, 'Swith your ink.
As 7 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, Itook
from it the little inkstand which you
always carry about
Mr.. Fox turned deadly pale, and with
out saying another word vanished, like
his ink, before anybody had found him to
ask for an explanation. When the rest
of the company had composed them
selves again, Mr.. Plumley said:
g know that the testatrix had de-
stroyed all former wills, so there is none
at all in existence, and By Law, therefore.
the property will go to the next Of kin.
I know, also, that Mrs. johnson had no
relatives whatever except Miss Lizzie
Roberts She is consequently sole heir
ess.--Lond0n Truth.
Courtship and Marriage---A Novel in Three
Chapters.
CHAP. I.