Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-11-30

business of the company.
'Mr. Fiddlestick, Q. c., who with Mr..
Pearl appeared for the applicants land
who was somewhat imperfectly heard),
stated that the facts connected with the
sinking of the kangaroo would probably
still be SO fresh in his Lordships mind
that it would not be necessary for him to
detail them, although he had them upon
affidavit before him. His Lordship would
remember that but one boatload of people
had survived from this, perhaps the most
terrible shipwreck of the generation.
Among the drowned was Mr.. Meeson; and
this application was on behalf of the Elk
ecutors of his will for leave to presume his
death. The property which passed under
the will was very large indeed: amounting
IN all, Mr.. Fidd1esticE understood, to about
two millions sterling which, perhaps,
might incline lis LOrdship to proceed very
carefully in allowing probate to issue
1.-The President Well, the amount of
the property has got nothing to do with
the principles on which the Court acts with
regard to the presumption Of death, Mr..
Fiddlestick.
Quite So my Lord and 1 think that in
this case your 1ordship Will be satisfied
that there is no reason why probate should
not issue. 1t is, humanity speaking, i'm
possible that Mr.. Meeson can have escaped
the general destruction.
1.-The President: Have you any affidavit
from anybody who saw Mr.. Meeson in the
water!
NO, my Lord; have an affidavit from
a sailor named Okers, the only man who
was picked up in the water after the Kan
CARGO foundered, which states that he be-
lieves that he saw Mr. Meeson spring from
the ship into the water, but the affidavit
does not carry the matter further. He
cannot swear that it was Mr.. Meeson.
1.-The President: Well, l think that that
will do. The Court is necessarily, adverse
to allowing the presumption of death ex-
cept on evidence of the most satisfactory
nature. Still, considering that nearly four
months have now passed since the foun-
dering of the Kangaroo under circum-
stances which make it exceedingly i'm
probable that there were any other sur
vivors, L think that it may fairly presume
that Mr.. Meeson shared the fate of the
other passengers.
''Mr. Fiddlestick: The death to be pre-
sumed from the eighteenth of December?
The President: Yes, from the eigh-
teenth.
MIR. Fiddlestick: If your Lordship
pleases."
Augusta put down the paper with
gasp. There was she, safe and sound,
with the true last will of Mr. Meeson tat
tooed upon her own shoulder, and ''pro-
bate had issued '-whatever that mysteri-
GUS formula might mean-tO another will,
not the real last will. 1t meant las she in
her ignorance supposedly that her will was
no good, that she had endured that abom-
Unable tattooing to no purpose, and was to
no purpose SCARED for life
1t was too much; and, in lit of yexa-
ton, she flung the Times out of the win
dow and cast herself back on the cushions
feeling very much inclined to cry.
CHAPTER XIII.-EUSTACE BUYS PAPER.
In due course the train that bore Au-
gusta and her fortunes, timed to reach
Waterloo at 5:04 p. NJ, rolled into the sta
ton. The train was fast one, but the
telegraph had been faster. All the even
ing papers had come out with accounts,
more or less accurate, of their escape. and
most of them had added that the two sur
ViyOrS would reach Waterloo by the 5:0i
train. The consequence was, that when
the train drew up at the platform, Angus
ia, on looking out, was Mortified to see o
dense mass of human beings being kept in
check by line of policemen
However, the guard was holding the
door open, so there was nothing for it but
to get out, which she did, taking Dick by
the hand, a proceeding that necessarily
put her identity beyond a doubt. The
moment she got her foot on to the platform
the crowd saw her, and there arose such a
tremendous shout of welcome that she
very nearly took refuge again in the car
riage. For moment she stood hesitating
and the crowd, seeing how sweet and
beautiful she was, tor the three months
of sea air had made her stouter and even
more loTely,) cheered again with that pc
cullar enthusiasm which n discerning
public always shows for pretty face.
But even while she stood bewildered ON
the platform she heard loud Make way
make way there" and saw the multitude
being divided by little knot OF officials,
who We're escorting somebody dressed in
widows weeds.
In another second there was cry of Joy,
and sweet, palefaced little lady had run
at the child Dick, and was hugging him
against her heart, and sobbing and laugh
ing both at once.
'Ohl my boy! my boyr' cried Lady
Holmhurst for it was she, 81 thought you
were dead-lOng ago dead"
And then she turned, and, before all the
people there, chung about Augustus neck
and kissed her and blessed her, because
she had saved her only child and half re-
moved the dead weight of her desolation.
Whereat the crowd cheered, and wept,
and yelled, and swore with excitement,
and blessed their stars that they were there
to see.
And then, i'll haze of noise and excite
ment, they were led through the cheering
mob to where n carriage and pair were
standing, and We're helped into it, Mrs.
Thomas being placed on the front seat and
Lady Holmhurst and Augusta on the
back, the former with the gasping Dick
upon her knee. And now little Dick is
out of the story.
Then another event occurred, which we
must go back Il little way to explain.
When Eustace Meeson had come to
town, after being formally disinherited, he
had managed to get billet as Latin,
French, and Old English reader in a pub
fishing house of repute. As it happened,
on this very afternoon he was strolling
down the Strand, having finished n rather
stiff days work, and with mind filled
with those idle and somewhat confused
odds and ends of speculation with which
most brain workers will be acquainted.
He looked older and paler than when we
last met him, for sorrow and misfortune
had laid their heavy hands upon Kim
When Augusta had departed, he had dis
covered that he was head over heels in
love with her in that unfortunate way
AOR l4liiNAt -llltiS tiIliSS pub VI ~ HuuuTSu, IL
is unfortunate-iu which many men of
susceptibility do occasionally fall in love
in their youth-a way that brands the
heart for life in a fashion that can nc more
be etfaced than the stamp of hot iron
can be effaced from the physical body.
Such an affection-which is not altogether
of the earth-will, when it overcomes a
man, prove either the greatest blessing of
his life or one of the heaviest, most en-
during curses that malignant fate can
heap upon his head. For if he achieves
his desire, even though he serve his seven
years, surely for him life will be robbed
of half its evils. But if he lose her. either
through misfortune or because he gave all
this to one who did not understand the
gift or one who looked at love and on her
self as u currency wherewith /.
place and the luxury OF days, then he will
be OF all men among the most miserable
For nothing can give him back that which
has gone from him.
Eustace had never seen Augusta but
twice in his life; but then passion does not
necessarily depend upon constant previous
intercourse with its object. Love at first
sight IS common enough, and in this in
stance EuStace was not altogether depen-
dent upon the spoken words of his adored.
or on his recollection of her very palpable
beauty, for he had her books. To those
who know something of their writer-suf-
Hclent, let MS say, to enable him to put an