Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-03-16
malicious laughter-why malicious, why
laughter, who could say?


laughter, who could say?
When | say that the elderly gentlema
for whom the cane was bought was m
uncle, the uncle also by marriage of IL
girl wished to marry, and, that Ion
promised inheritance from him was I'll
only prospect had in view beyond m
profession, the conclusion that my littI
offering was prompted purely by sell
interest might be q natural conclusion {
draw, but it would not be true one.
had been fond OF the good old fello,
from the time wien | was half-starye
youngster at a well-known boardin
school for would-le naval cadets and h
had tipped me maly half-crown. 1 an
sometimes inclined to think that hall
crowns positively ae not what they wer
in those days, and when am told tina
silver is too cheapjust now am sure tina
it is fact.
L had the cane nounted in solid silve
gilt and looked it yer proudly when i
came home.
packed it carfully and sent it of
with note to my dear old uncle. Al
answer would cone, was sure, by re
turn OF post, and was fully convinced
that the cane w0ld have given mueh
| pleasure.
Picture my disnay and sorrow, then,
when on the veryhext day came tele-
gram from docbr well known to me,
announcing the sTlden death of the APP
parently hale oil, gentleman. He had
been, as l knew afterwards, delighted
with my present. had handled it with
hearty appreciat,n and was actually
writing his acknowledgement co me when
he had fallen wit, his head on the desk,
a dead man.
put away the half-written letter as a
memento of vailed friend and attended
the funeral as chit mourner.
His lawyer, VIII was an old acquaint-
ance of mine, me me with a very long
face. 81 must til vou,' he said, "that
your uncle had tn very common fancy
of putting off maing his will, and had
only done so on he day of his death.
Even then he woul not sign it at once
on the pretext hat the witnesses he
meant to have wee not at hand. l was
to come at nine CLOCK that evening.
did so, and it wa too late. 1t was in
your favor, as he lad always promised it
should be-"
| was considerably taken aback "That
MEANS" said, that all the property
will be equally diided among his fifteen
nephews and niecs.'
mo-, he answred gloomily. SIT goes
in two portions TO his only surviving
brother and sister the two who behaved
so badly to him.
sat down rater abruptly. "There,
then, is an end O it ALL" l said, as |
thought of Mario.
The Malacca care was the only belong
ing of nv good ucle that fell TO nv
share-nobody waved it.
Some time aftertards, while was still
waiting for an appointment, which was
as coy in answer @ my wooing as such
matters usually are, a friend looked in
with evidence of some other object in
view than merely u smoke a pipe with
me and to complaa of the service.
81 say, old chap he began, "you re-
showing that queer stick of
yours to old Hadhy the other day, and
what fancy he took to it? Well, he's
going to be marrhd-funny affair-said
it was time he had some one to write to
when he was away and to keep a snug
home for him whd he came back. so he
went about with list of suitable women
IN his pocket, andhas struck the bargain
1t last with widcw-rather good sort.
Now | intend mixing him a wedding
present, so wan you to let me have
hat cane"
WE'LL sold hin that stick-that is,
it for some cigars of a brand
fancied, and my friend carried it off. |
oolled out for Hadley's wedding, but
very shortly afte, to my regret, came
upon notice of lis death instead.
1t seemed that upon the very day my
friend had himself called, and presented
he Malacca cane, lie had been seized with
| sort of fit, from which he died after
lingering few days.
My friend returned the cane to me. SIT
seems rather an unlucky gift" he re-
l thought the same, and put it
'y, but some time later, on going out to
south America, took it with me. thinking
would use it myelf.
| went inland tospend couple of days
With very old friend who was working
IN estate. He hadtwo sons just growing
Up with him, an agreeable wife and
pretty daughter. fancied the latter was
like my Marion; at any rate
he sang; so did Marion, and they both
lad cockly sort o. light hair, and l am
ure that these wGe my reasons for the
ender feeling l experienced when | was
n her company. [ quite forgot her af-
prWar1c That fana Uac lilya N x,a,,,