Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-11-04
Trapped by an Heiress.

= COSIER place than the big sitting
room at Hillcrest would have
II been hard to find, If one had
travelled from Lands End to John
O'Groats; and on this eventful even
ing when the destinIes of two people
were about taking definite form, two
people who had never seen each other,
and who were cousins, and who had
heard of each other so much and 80
often that both were curiously eager
to meet, on this important evening the
sitting-room at Hillcrest had never
looked pleasanter or cosier.
A huge fire of logs glowed like mol
ten carbuncles in the, open fireplace; on
the table in the centre of The floor,
whose cover matched the glowing
crimson Of the carpet, was silver
stand that held a dozen snowy wax
tapers, whose beaming light contrast
ed exquisltely with the ruddy glow OF
the fire.
And beside the table, in big, cush-
ioned~ chair with his feet thrust toward
the genial warmth on the hearth, his
gay dressing gown sitting comfortably
on bis portly form, his gold-rimmed
glasses on his nose, sat the owner and
master of Hillcrest, Mr.. Abiah Cress-
ington, rich, good natured, and fond
of his own way.
Opposite him was the mistress of the
place-little, shrewd faced, sharp
nosed, merry aunt Cornelia, his sister,
who. since her widowhood, had come
to Hillcrest to make her bachelor
brothers home as comfortable as she
could.
That she had succeeded was very
evident by the way now in which he
looked up from letter he had been
reading, the confidential kindly way
in which he did it.
Walter writes curious letter in
response to my invitation to come and
spend few weeks at Hillcrest as soon
as he gets over his fatigue from his
ocean voyage home from his five
years tour abroad. I'll read 1t to you.
He leaned near the softly cleaning
lights and began the short, concise re-
ply Walter Austin had written from
his chambers in the Temple.
You are very kind indeed, uncle
Abiah, to ask me down to Hillcrest
for as long as I wish to stay, and
can assure you l have been SO long
wanderer that the idea of hcme is
very pleasant to me.
But when I take into consideration
the peculiar Importance you propose
attaching to my visit, I am unwilling
to accept the invitation To me, the
idea of having my fancies and inclina.
tions put into HARNESS.; and to feel
that I am on continual duty to win
my wav into the good graces OF my
second cousin, Mable, whom you are
good enough to want me to marry
Mrs. Cornelia interrupted sharply
'Abiah, you never surely went anc
told our grandnephew that you had II
view his marriage with Mabel?'
Her tone was energetic, almost re-
prehensive.
why not? I certainly did. l tolc
} him in my letter that it was chanc'
for him he'd never get again, and tha
he needn't feel under such terrible
obligations to take fancy to Phil
little Mabel, but to come down and b.
cousinly, and if anything should
happen, it'd be all right all round
Mrs. Cornelia knitted vigorously
her lavender capribbons quiverine il
: the mellow taper glow.
'All.L have to say is you're--a fool
Abiah! Walter is right. A yount
man doesn't like to have his fancie
and partialities under rein and whip
, and the very fact that we want him t,
marry Mabel will make him indispos
ed to do it. You've made grea
mistake in the very beginning
. Mr.. Cressington looked aghast a
his sisters determined face.
why, really didn't suppose
of course you didn't. It's onl
your natural stupidity, you dear oil
fellow Men are all alike Don't
know them like book7 And you'v
: ruined your hopes for Mabel and Wal
ter at the very outset
Mr.. Cressington stared discounted
J, ly.
. i am sure I meant it right enough
|. Cornelia, I certainly wanted Waite
to know what a little darling our Ms
bel is ..H
Very commendable, indeed; only
if you had consulted me about the LEI
ter you sent, l should have advise
you to say nothing about Mabel, c
her charms, or her expectations.
z should have asked him simply to com
and see us, and have left the rest
Mabel's blue eyes,. You see Abiah
His lips compressed slowly.
Il think | see. And my hopes
that direction are all ruined!'
i, The silver needles clicked rapidly
and the snowy-white yarn came rec
ing merrlly off the ball under her arm
!, Not at all. Leave it to me, and L
see what can be done. Trust q wo
mans wit to get even laundering oil
1 Gol1or, 1;lro ,,/~,, roa1f 0ub of a ccropo