Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-11-27
DGE KANSAS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27
Il, tuat 1t would pc better Tor ner 10 marry

All, tust II would De better Tor ner 10 marry
q rich man,
''Then we can destroy these papers, Mr..
Clingstone, and 1 shall be eligible even in
the new view you take of the matter"
~ am afraid not" replied the old man,
who was quite shrewd, musingly. "These
papers are all formally prepared and it
would be wrong to destroy them. Besides,
/ think that man who will sign large
fortune away so readily ought not to be in
trusted with it again. As Gladiola's guard
ian I shall take good care of the property
you have conveyed to her until she marries.
I shall take care that her husband is man
with better business head on his shoul-
ders than you will ever have. Good-day,
Mr.. Sweetwilliam; IL ever you get hold Of
any more money, hang on TO 1t, my boy"
Roderick's face had assumed the express
sion of one who, having placed all his
money on the favorite, sees q dark horse
come in as winner.
"Surely you are jesting," he stammered;
iyou joke with me-"
II never jest, and joke with no one,"
sternly replied the shrewd old fnancier.
..By the way, In order that you may have
something that will keep you from want
until you get a fresh start shall allow you
an annuity of five hundred dollars until you
can get along without it Now, 60 away,
please, and don't detain me any longer. Ny
time is valuable"
Speechless with conflicting emotions,
Roderick picked up his hat and stole away.
At the door he met Gladiola. he started to
tell her OF her fathers doings.
Don't trouble yourself" said she, inter
rupting him. ~ was in the adjoining room
and heard it all. Dear papa is so eccentric;
it's Just like him to do this"
miss Clingstone-Gladiola can not be
that you approve of his action? You will
be true to me, will you notl have re-
vealed to you the depth of my affection;
have entrusted my all to you; surely you
will not desert metz
"I could not think Of marrying you with
out dear papa's consent; that would be un-
dutlful, you know" replied Gladiola, coldly.
'Is this your final decisionp
"Certainly."
'Then listen to me, Miss ClinRstone," /" be-
gan Roderick, in stern, measured accents,
at the same time drawing himself proudly
erect until he seemed to be at least nine
feet high. "You and your precious father
think you have the bulge OH me, but you
are in grievous error. am not nearly so
great fool as l may seem to be to the
casual observer. Those papers which your
father in triumph holds are written in
patent evanescent ink. Long before you
can get possession of my property the writ
ing will have faded; the papers will be
blank. You will perceive, Miss Cling
stone, that he that INDUCES in the final
hilarity derives the greater enjoyment
therefrom."
~ was but jesting, Roderick; it was all a
joke" murmuro1 Gladiola, literally lubri-
eating her words with soiS so.p
81 shall leave you and your father to en-
joy your little jest, and hope you will be
able to laugh heartily over it," replied Rod
erick, as he bowed himself out and walked
away to the railroad station, whistling mer-
rily.
"Gladiola, my pet we have been euchred," !"
grimly remarked Rufus Clingstone to his
daughter moment later, after the two had
compared notes.
'Who would have thought that a man
could be so deceitful," remarked the
maiden with a sigh.-Arthur Lucas, in
Epoch.