The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-12-01
the proud creature

many-headed editorial department.. She
looked and was filled with reflections on
the mutability of human affairs.
Alas! how changed that Meeson!
YES" ho went on, recovering himself u
little, II am going to die in this horrible
place, and all my money will not even
give me a decent funerall Addison and
Roscoe will get it--confound theml-as
though they had not got enough already.
1t makes me mad when think of those
Addison girls spending my money or
bribing Peers to marry them with it, or
something of that sort / disinherited my
| own nephew, Eustace, and kicked him ont
to sink or swim, and now / can't undo it,
and would give anything to alter It'll We
quarreled about you, Miss Smithers, be-
cause i would not give you any more
money for that book of yours, l wish l
had given it to you-anything you wanted.
| didn't treat you WELL but Miss Smithers,
a bargain is q bargain. 1t would never
have done to give way, on principle. You
must understand that, Miss Smithers.
Don't revenge yourself on me about it,
now that am helpless, because, you see,
! it was n matter of principle"
al am not in the habit of rcvenging my
| self, Mr. Meeson," answered Augusta,
with dignity; but think that you have
done very wicked thing. to disinherit
/ your nephew in that fashion, and L don't
wonder that you feel uncomfortable about
| it."
| The expression of this vigorous opinion
served to disturb Mr. Nelson's conscience
all the more, and he burst out into laments
and regrets.
WELL said Augusta at last, ''if you
| don't like yodr will you had better alter
it, There are enough of us here to wit
ness n will, and, if anything happens to
you. it will override the other-will it not'"
| There was new idea, and the dying
man jumped at it.
"Of course, of course" he said; ~ never
| thought of that before. / will do it Mt
once, and cut Addison and Roscoe out al
together. Eustace shall have every farth-
| ing Incver thought Of that before. Come,
give me your hand; I'll get up and see
about it."
stop minute" said Augusta. How
are you going to write will without pen
or pencil, or paper or ink?"
| Mr. Meeson sank back with n groan.
This difficulty had not occurred to him.
Are you sure nobody has got a pencil
and bit of paper?" he asked. 1T would
do, so long us the writing remained legi-
BILE"
II don't think So" said Augusta, but
will inquire" Accordingly she went and
asked Bill and Johnnie; but neither of
them had a pencil or single scrap of pa
per, and she returned sadly to communi-
cate the news.
AZ have got it-I have got it!'' said Mr.
Meeson, as she approached the spot where
he lay upon the rock. If there is no pa
per or pen, we must write it in blood upon
some linen. We can make n pen from the
feathers of bird. l read somewhere in a
book of somebody who did that 1t will
do as well rs anything else"
| Here was an idea indeed, and one that
Augusta jumped at. But in another mo-
ment her enthusiasm received n check.
Where was there any linen to write on?
Yes" she said, 'if You can find some
linen. You have got on n flannel shirt, so
have the two sailors. and little Dick Is
dressed in flannel, too"
1t was fact. As it happened, not one
of the party had n scrap of linen on them,
or anything that would answer the pur-
pose. Indeed, they had only one pocket
handkerchief between them, and it was a
red rag full of holes Augusta had had
one, but it had blown overheard when
they were in the boat. What would they
not have given for that pocket handker'
chief now?
YES" said Mr.. Meeson, lit seems we
have none. | haven't even got n bank
note, or | might have written in blood up
on that; though have got hupdred SOW.
ereigns in gold-I grabbed them up before
l bolted from the cabin. But / say-ex-
cuse me, Miss Smithers. but-um-ah-oh
hang modesty-haven't you got some linen
on, somewhere or other, that you could
spare bit of? You sha'n't lose by giving
it to ME. There. promise that will tear
mp that agreement If ever get cut of this
which l sha'n't-which l sha'a't-and
will write on the linen that it is TO be torn
up. Yes, and that you are to have five
thousand pounds legacy, too Miss Smith
ers. Surely you can spare me little bit
just off the skirt, or somewhere, you
know, Miss Smithers? 1t never viii b,
missed, and it is so very important"
Augusta blushed and no wonder 90
am sorry to say have nothing of the sor
about me, Mr.. Accommodating except
flannel" she said. II got mp in the middle
Of the night before the collision, and ther,
was no light in the cabin, and / put or
whatever came first, meaning to come
back and dress afterward when it got
light"
''Stays!'' said Mr.. Meeson, desperately
Forgive me for mentioning them, but
surely you put on your stays? One coulc
write on them, you know"
! II am very sorry, Mr.. Meeson," she an
swered, "but did not put any on"
mot a cuff or collarr' he said, catch
ing at last straw of hope
Augusta shook her head sadly.
| 'fnhau there ia an and pf iftf yrnop af
} Mr.. Meeson. "Eustace must lose tn,
} money. Poor ladl poor lad! have be
J haved very badly to him."
! Augusta stood still, racking her braiI
for some expedient, for she was determ
ined that Eustace Meeson should not los,
the chance of that colossal fortune if sh,
could helpit. 1t was but poor chance a
the best, for Mr.. Meeson might not be dy
ing, after all. And il he did die, it was
probable that his fate would be their fat,
also, and no record would remain of them
or of Mr.. Nelson's testamentary wishes.
! AS things looked at present, there wa!
every prospect of their all perishing miser