Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-05-07

"Name the sum-"
"A pound week during the course
Of your life, TO be paid TO you weekly by
an appointed agent, aud to cease the
moment you violate the condition"
Gam ! 10 go farp"
"To Australia. will not have you
nearer to me than that"
Have you doneP"
"Yes."
ut is my turn. then. You seldom
make mistakes in figures. Have you
calculated how much this offer will cost
youP"
at is easily calculated. You are
thirty years Of age. Should you live
the full span Of u mans life, the an
nuity would cost me two thousand
pounds sterling"
"Will you give mo that sum down il
| bind myself to the stipulated condi-
tionP"
"You are mad TO ask it."
"You viii notP"
mo"
"You are not TO be moved from your
decision by any consideration"
Nothing can move me-"
"Another tack, then. Will you settle
the annuity upon me for forty years, to
dispose Of as please in life or deathP"
"Again say you are mad to ask II. !"
Truly, though so." murmured Mr.
Richard.
THE annuity is yours only for the
term Of your natural life. Not for one
day beyond that"
"You see that am in bad healthI"
"Are you appealing TO my pityP"
Heaven forbid! am merely stat
ing fact with which you are well ac-
qnainted. A doctor who has q regard
for me assures me that have not long to
live. have pressed him upon the point.
'Years?' I asked him. No,
was his answer. 'MonthsP' l asked
him again. No. was his answer; and
he bade me prepare. Mine being a
wasted life, it is my dearest wish to
leave legacy Of love behind me. l
know why you have made me the offer.
am in your way. You are afraid
having lofty views in which a position
Of public ominence may probably be
yours; contemplating also another mar
riage. You see am well informed;
nowadays the lives Of men who court
public favor are public property-you
are afraid, say. that | shall disgrace
you; that It may become known to your
disadvantage that you have so degraded
q connection as myself. Your enemies
may use the fact to your hurt. Let US
make a compromise. Take a passage
for me TO Australia, in a ship that sails
this very week il you wish, and give
me. instead Of the annuity, one hundred
pounds, In all human probability |
shall be dead before the ship arrives
at its destination; but shall have tho
opportunity, by means Of the one hun
dred pounds, Of doing a good action
and rescuing person love from al
most certain shame At Atleast, il will be
a chance for her."
"For her!" exclaimed Mr.. Eversole.
a did not need TO be told II was Q woman
you were pleading for"
"She is child, growing to woman
hood. l can take her from tho haunts
In which she is learning bad lessons. In
q new land, in purer air. she will
have chance Of living purer life. In
the time to come she may perchance
bless the memory Of her dead sisters
husband" itfi
II will hear no MORE" interrupted
Mr. Eversole. s'You can not impose
upon me. Not one penny ofmy money
shall be bestowed upon your degraded
associates. II you do not instantly &C
oept my too generous ofer. on the con-
dition have laid down, and from which
no whining entreaties can move me,
order you to leave my house" &"
ut was my mothers house," sale
Mr.. Richard with a lingering lool
around. "Such memories as have o.
1t would have been sweetened by wha
might have been. instead Of being EN-
bittered by what was. Ishall presently
leave 1t forever, but ] have something
to say first, In justice to myself and you
know You too well not to be convinced
how futile would be any further eiFor
to soften your heart. You said few
minutes since that you proposed +,
state how the account between u
stands. Listen to me. There is an
other side to the shield. You married
my mother for her money. You playet
skilfully upon her yielding nature, an,
you won her affections. You promiset
solemnly to be a kind and tender fathe
to me, her only child, and faithful
loving mate to her. How did you kee]
your promises? You obtained SO stron;
and stern hold upon her that she be
came your slave. You drew all tn
happiness out Of her days. She lived il
terror Of you. You forced her to vii
her property to you. You would no
allow her to have friend. You KEEP
so strict watch upon her that she wa
fearful Of speaking above whisper il
your presence. You stepped bctwee
me and her heart, and persuaded he
that the slightest loving indulgenc
nom mother to her child was as s
much concession to my passionate TEN
permanent. Her life was living death
and you shut me out from her dyin
bed. You wrote me that she was dead
and yet, as 1 afterward learned, sh
was long a-dying, and yearned for
sight Of my face. As for the kindness an
tenderness you showed towards me Will
she lived, a sore and heavy charge lie
at your door. You let me go my wa,
you made no effort to train u.
In the right path. / can not reca
one word Of kindly guidance from you
lips. launched into follies; you too
advantage Of them. Had your sel6s
nature been divinely touched by on
spark of love for my mother or me, 20
might have counselled me, you migl
have been truly my friend. do n,
seek to excuse myself Grave fault
and follies are TO my account; but
hope TO be forgiven for them say
humbly, for | know that my days al
numbered. After my mothers deaf
you turned me from your house. VIII
, was my faultp ! loved and married
girl who had been born low dow
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