Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-08-28
AN INDEPENDENT PAIR.
They We're Too Spirited to Marry
to Please Others.

Philip" said old John Briggs to his
son, you are twenty-eight years old
to-day"
80 the family record says, father"
responded the elegant young gentle
man addressed. 81 am disposed to
place implicit reliance upon 1t and on
you"
you have done nothing since you
left college but kill time"
1T is only retaliation in advance,
sir Some day or other the old chap
with the scalp-lock and scythe will kill
me-"
you are too fippant Since your
Aunt Priscilla left you five thousand n
year you have done nothing but spend
the money. Your income ought to be
enough for a single man, but you draw
OH me, too"
'I'll try to draw on you less, sir.
ut is not that, Philip. You are
quite welcome to check now and
then, for l know that you neither
game ror revel. and don't mind your
horses, your club, your natural history
craze, nor your luxurious tastes. But
still you spend more money and get
less for it than most young men of
your age-have too much, in fact"
81 don't find it too much. sir. In
fact, l was thinking what a graceful
thing it would be il you would double
ia mere trifle to gentleman of
your means. l have to use the most
pitiful economy, assure YOU"
"Oh, that's it, ehP Well, there is
a mode to increase it very much. You
have heard me speak OF Philander
Spriggs, OF New York;"
"Money-lender and skinflint? Ihave
heard Of him."
Nonsense, Philip. He is a quite
worthy as we'll as very wealthy man;
and II he prefers to invest ready money
in short loans, what OF thatP lend
my money, or some OF it sometimes"
But not at cent per cent"
mo matter. l don't propose that
you shall borrow OF him. He has an
only child, a daughter, who will in
herit all his vast property, just as you
will mine"
docs she shave notes, fatherp"
Phil, be kind enough not to indulge
in chaff. have seen her and talked
with her. She is young, handsome
well educated, and has good taste "a
society gentlewoman with domestic
tastes"
well, father, you are not so old,
and since you admire her so much, /
see no reason why -"
stop your nonsense and listen.
Spriggs and had talk over it when
i was in New York, and we have con-
cluded, IL you two come together, to
chip in equally and settle half
million on you on your wedding day.
With what you have you'll do we'll
enough for awhile"
But" demurred Philip. II don't
like Spriggs for father-in-law."
"Stuff! you don't marry Spriggs."
"And the name! Think OF It!
Spr-r-iggs!"
What OF thatP With marriage the
name is changed. / don't think she'll
gain much by it. Spriggs-Briggs!
Six OF one and half dozen of the
other"
"Pd like to oblige you, father. /
suppose must marry some day; but
1t will be some one l love; and then,
Philadelphia like, insist on woman
OF good family"
"Somo ono you love! How the
deuce do you know you'll not love her
till you sec herp Good familyl OF
course you're entitled to that. The
pceragc OF England is full OF Viscount
Briegses. The Briggses are found In
the Almanac Won Gotha among the
erlaucht families. Your grandfather
made $500. 900 in hides and tallow, and
II he had not invested il in real estate
that multiplied itself more than ten
fold before he died, should have been
In tho same business to-day, and you
in the counting-room or warehouse.
Family, indeed! You're foolish boy,
Philip, nEd your aunt's legacy has
ruined you"
81 wish, sir, there were half-dozen
more old aunts to continue my ruin
in tho same way. II is OF no use get
ting angry, father. You can't keep II
up. III take to any thing you say
law. physic. or divinity; sell my
horses, drop my club, read by the
n.
SOC hcrc, Phil" exclaimed the
father, who by this time was ut white
heat, ''you never knew me to break
my word. merely ask you to marry