Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-04-02


Vuitures. What makes you idget soln
''The cart jostlos so," I apologized, half
bursting with secret fury.
~ hate parasites" she resumed. "His
little whipper-snapper Of a nephew 10
rightly served He reckOned on having
tho old man to fleece living, and forget
when he'd buried him and grasped his pos.
sessions.
Igrasped Hopkins letter in my pocket,
my revenge, my most precious possession
just then.
you've spoiled his reckoning" I re-
marked, playfully.
$50 perish all fortune hunters'' she re-
turned, likewise. "Pidcot Junction. Here
we are. Just in time"
The crowded state of the train precluded
further condolences. At Hamerton, as ]
saw her off in the only cab, she produced
her card, saying:
"You'll be looking after your luggage
here tomorrow. You might look after
mine and have 1t sent up.h
promised compliance and started 10
walk to my uncle's.
CHAPTER II.
As l sighted the gates Of Hamerton
Grange / nerved myself for the ordeal Of
pleasing sensations las heir-presumptive
was regularly subjected to.
There was an odious mongrel cur-the
only creature my uncle loved-whose bitc
was worse than its bark, which was afro
cious Hearing the distant music, drew
on the thick gloves provided expressly,
and prepared for events by anticipation.
shall struggle to the door, Uncle Dick
enjoying my torment behind some blind; /
stand, warding of the beast with one hand,
pummeling the door with the other-the
hall hnd h.sOl ttmgn
Presently Mrs. Pike, the housekeeper, put
ting her head out Of door, as II TO repel
thief, admits me by a chink, under protest.
Uncle receives me, In chilly sitting-room
and a hideous dressing-gown ldetest. Cross
ing the threshold, trip upon an old estab-
lished hole in the carpet. He compliments
me on my graceful department, inquiries
when last was logged, or plucked, and so
on, with characteristic amiability. My
mothers existence is ignored We sit down
to comfortless meal of cold pork or boiled
mutton. No wine is served. II a cigar 10
offered, know it is petidious trap TO con-
vict me of premature habits Of dissipation.
After dinner we play chess. Woe TO mo II
/ win-I cheat; IL lose, I'm an idiot. not
worth checkmating. At ten | am ordered
to bed. Should / try to forget my ennui
over novel, his curfew knock soon warns
me to desist
That bark came no nearer By somo
mistake they had forgotten to lei Fairy
loose. Fearful lest they should recollect, !
hurry to the door hammer away, and vent
my spite on the dumb bell-handle. Horror
Il reused peal to wake the doad. Just my
luck 1t had been mended.
A parlor maiden, with pretty figure,
opened the doors wide. Inearly tainted.
HAS anything happened to Mrs. Pike"
stammered.
30, no; SIR" Phyllis replied. "pm her
neice, come to help clean up.n
"Time you did, Thought l, entering. but
stopping short 1T the spectacle Of Uncle
Dick stalking into the hall to meet me. Is
that coat | see upon his back, and, gra.
cious powers, what has he got on his facel
A smilei
"Good-day, nephew, glad TO see you," he
says, and walks me into the dining,room.
Am mad or dreamingl Actually, he Is
asking after "those at home"
answered vacantly hut instead Of rating
my stupidity, he inquiries good-humoredly
what am looking at 81
81 was admiring your new carpet" con-
fessed.
"Tho drugget was getting shabby. Draw
your chair TO the fire and tell me what you
mean by arriving on foot without lug
gage"
He was quite chatty, quite jolly You
soon get over pleasant surprises, but more
wonders were coming. An excellent dinner
frst-champagne, which l declined, mis-
taking 1t for a snare. He insisted. mar
rated my railway adventure and encounter
with his fance, extolling her courage and
nerve. He related the history Of his court
ship Ensilage had made the match. 1t
was his fad, then as Mrs. Pierpont, who had
lately rented Hamerton Court Manor, had
discovered. Business correspondence had
led to personal relations, and whilst the
mother dlscoursed learnedly of silos, tho
daughters eyes shot the dart that disin-
passed rapidly. A cheerful fire was burn
Ing in my bedroom. Eleven O'Clock found
me lounging over it, unadmonished. Out
upon the old proverb about silk purses and
sows' ears. Glory to Miss P. Celia Watson,
who had done it-tamed the tiger, smoothed
the porcupine. What angel aunt l.
Suddenly Hopkins letter crackled in my
pocket, reminding me l was here to break
the engagement Celia was no angel, but
a precipice. Although this marriage i'm
poverishcd me, my feeling was OF unquali-
uexpectationsn ever done mel Fifty thou
sand pounds worth Of worry uncle would
get out Of me before l realized jot
What was the obstaclel Why was Celia
unworthy to become my aunti Consumed
with curiosity, took the leave given to
puruso Hopkins letter Instinctively
fastened directly on the fatal passage.
''Peter Watson, of the London police,
left the force from ill-health and emigrated
to Indianapolis. He opened q store aud
supplied the barracks BE mar
from Gunter's, London-and they had one
daughter, Celia. Watson died the next
year, and his widow married Pierpont, q
hair-dresser, since. deceased, who deserted
her." l got no further. Policeman |
Pastry-cook Hair-dresserl / tore round
the room excitedly. He the soul Of family
pride, had been gulled by two adventur-
esses, misrepresenting themselves as well
born. Hideous conspiracy-opportunely
defeated. He, who scorned D'Aubigny
as an inferlorl Exhausted, returned to
my armchair.
Yet, as passion subsidized, I felt that
regretful pang again. Uncle, soured by
disenchantment, would become absolutely
intolerable, foresaw. Next time came
to Hamerton there would be two savage
dogs to fly at my legs, no servant at all,
perhaps. | should have to make my own
bed, dine off dry bread, or grass, like
Nebuchadnezzar. Some day, likely enough,
he would murder me--uncles have murdered
nephews before now-and be acquitted as
insane. Confound Hopkins Why must
he unearth family secrctsl And why must
be thrust into the role Of q domestic
torpedo.
Next morning at breakfast, uncle looked
up from reading my tutors report for
warded from home, saying unsuspiciously {:
"Your mother says you brought letter
to show"
She had given no hint, not the slightest
II was just going to give it you," I said
resolutely. "Hereatis."
CHATTER Ill.,
. Two hours later j presented myself at
Miss Watson's, with her trunks, which had
fetched from the station. l found her alone,
and promptly introduced myself as hor in
tended nephew.
She gave me a comic stare.
"Well, never nsUa-could have believed
you'd be so nice,n
'You fatter," muImured, ironically.
"Nice to me-you've no cause guess
you could have done without new aunt at
this time of day"
She saved you trouble this girl, was
puzzling how to approach the thorny sub
ject. She stepped straight into the hram-
bles.
"How happy should be to call you So"
said !, sarcastically. "But for that, you
must first marry my uncle, Possibly you
may have noticed that Mr. Grimston is o
very proud man.
"As Lucifer,n she rejoined, "who, I'm
sure, was English himself"
"He disowned my mother for marrying q
D'Aubiguy. No Frenchman, according To
his creed, would be an English gentleman'a