Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-09-01
MIR. NELSON'S WILL.
BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.
CHAPTER III.
AUGUSTUS LITTLE SISTER.

which it will be necessary 20 say word
or two about that accomplished young
lady's previous history. Her father had
been clergyman. and. like most clergy
men. net overbnrdened with the good
things of this world When Mr.. Smithers
or. rather. the Rev. James Smithers-
had died he left behind him widow and
two children-Augusta, aged IA, and
JEANNE, aged 2. There had been two
Others. both boys. who had come into the
world between Augusta and JEANNE, but
they had both preceded their father to the
land of shadows. Mrs. Smithers had,
fortunately for herself, life interest in
sum of $1,000. which, being well In
vested. brought her in $3.50 year; and,
In order to turn this little income to the
best possible account and give her two
girls the best educational opportunities
possible under the circumstances. she. on
her husbands death. moved from the
village where he had for many years been
curate into the city of Birmingham,
Here she lived in absolute retirement for
some seven years and then suddenly died,
leaving the two girls. then respectively
10 and 8 years of age, to mourn her loss,
and, friendless as they were, to fight their
way in the hard world
Mrs. Smithers had been q saving
woman, and on her death it was found
that, after paying all debts, there re-
mained a sum of 1900 for the two girls to
live on. and nothing else. for their
mothers fortune died with her. Now, it
viii be obvious that the interest arising
from e000 is not sufficient to support two
young people. and therefore Augusta was
forced to live upon the principal From
an early age. however, she (Augusta) had
shown a strong literary tendency, and
shortly after her mothers death she pub
lished her first book at her own expense.
1t was dead failure. and cost her e52,
the balance between the profit and loss
account. After awhile, however, she re-
covered from this blow and wrote '.Je-
mima's Vow," which was taken up by
Meeson's. and, strange as il may seem.
proved the success CT the year. OF the
nature of the agreement into which she
entered with Nelson's the reader is al
ready acquainted, and he will not there
fore be surprised to learn that under its
cruel provisions Augusta. notwithstand-
ing her name and fame. was absolutely
prohibited from reaping the fruits of her
success. She could only publish with
Nelson's. and at the fixed pay of z per
oent. on the advertised price of her work
elapsed since the death of Mrs Smithers.
and it viii therefore be obvious that there
was not much remaining Of the f600
which she had left behind her. The two
girls had indeed lived economically
enough in a couple of small rooms In
back street. but their expenses had been
enormously increased by the serious ILL
ness from a pulmonary complaint Of the
little girl Jeannie, now q child between IL
and 13 years of age. On that very morn
ing Augusta had seen the doctor and
been crushed into the dust by the express
sion of his conviction that, unless her
little sister was moved to a warmer eli
mate for period of at least o year, she
would not live through the winter. and
might die at any moment.
Take Jeannie to a warmer climatel BE
might as well have told Augusta 70
take her TO the moon Alasi she had not
the money, and did not know where to
turn to get it. OH reader. pray to Heaven
that 1t may never be your lot to see your
best beloved die for the want Of few
hundred pounds wherewith to save her
lifei
1t was in this terrible emergency that
she had-driven thereto by her agony OF
mind-tried to get something beyond her
strict and legal due out Of Meeson's-
Nelson's, that had made hundreds and
hundreds cut of her book and paid her
fifty pounds We know how she Jared in
that attempt. On leaving their Office.
Augusta bethought her of her banker.
Perhaps he might be willing to advance
something. 1t was horrible task. but she
determined to undertake it; SO she walked
Al . h<x
He was out. but would be In at 3 o'clock.
She went TO a shop near and got bun
and glass of milk, and waited till she was
ashamed to wait any longer, and then she
Salked about the streets till 8 3loclock. At
the stroke of the hour she returned, and
was shown into the managers private
room, where dry, unsympathetic looking
little man was sitting before big book
1t was not the same man whom Augusta
had met before, and her heart sunk pro-
portionately.
What followed need not be repeated
here The manager listened to her falter-
ing tale with a few stereotyped express
sions of sympathy. and, when she had
done. regretted" that speculative loans
were contrary to the custom of the bank,
and politely bowed her out.
1t was nearly 4 o'clock upon q damp,
drizzling afternoon, a November after
noon that hung like living misery over
the black slush of the Birmingham streets.
and would in itself have sufficed to bring
the lightest hearted. happiest mortal to
the very gates of despair, when Augusta,
wet, wearied and almost crying, at last
entered the door of their little sitting
room. She entered very quietly, for the
maid of all work had met her in the pas
sage and told her that Miss JEANNE was
asleep. She had been coughing very
much about dinner time, but now she
was asleep
There was q fire in the CRATE q small
one, for the coal was economized by means
of two large fire bricks. and on table
(Augusta's writing table, placed at the
further side of the room was a paraffine
lamp turned low. Drawn up in front,
but little to one side Of the FIRE, was q
sofa covered with red rep, and on the sofa
lay fair haired little form. so thin and
fragile that it looked like the ghost or
outline of a girl rather than girl her
self. 1t was Jeannie, her sick sister, and
she was asleep. Augusta stole softly up
to look at her. 1t was sweet little face
that her eyes fell on, although it was so
shockingly thin. with long curved lashes,
UelCdle uOSlfiAS, duu o uiOuth ohaE INK
bow All the lines and groves which
the chisel of Pain knows so well how tc
carve were smoothed out of it now. anG
in their place lay the shadow of u smile.
Augusta looked at her and clinched hel
fist, while lump rose in her throat ant
her gray eyes filled with tears. How coule
she get the money 10 save herf The yeal
before a rich man, a man who was detest
Lnr bod Tod n
she would have nothing to say to him
He had gone abroad. else she would hav,
gone back to him and married him-at ,
ri, ..-or,l Id