New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-15
A FORTUNE ON FOUR LEGS.

young stock for his sole use and benefit to sell or
continue running, as shall seem most to his adj
vantage at the time of my decease."
So ran the only clause affecting me in the will
Of nv late uncle, Geoffry Dakyn, Esquire, OF
Stockwood, Shcrburton, in the county OF DORSET.
and of Boobies and the Turf Clubs in London
town.
Il fear. Captain Martindale' remarked the
lawyer as he rolled up the document which con-
veyed TO me this interesting legacy, that your
uncles bequest will not prove SO Valuaoie as
might have been the case some twenty years back,
or even when drew up this instrument ten years
ago.
through long run of ill-uck. and his own care
lessness of ways and means, rather than any
diminuton of interest in favorlte pursuit,
had of late years dwindled almost TO nothing so
that il was not likely should take much benent
from the bequest.
Still / was glad to have been remembered
Dear old Uncle Geof, warm-hearted and true,
cheeriest friend OF my bOyhOod, had not forgotten
his nephew. Little else had he 10 leave him be-
yond his beloved nags, remnant OF once large
and fairly successful stable. His only personally
besides consisted of his household furniture, when
was left 20 my mother his only sister-with pict-
ure or two, and some antique china-ware OF no
great value. What money he had ever possessed
had long been spent, with that free-handed l1ber-
ality which had made Geoff Dalxyn while it lasted
(ay and even beyond let il be said, to the credit
of the sporting coterie to which he belonged mosC
popular of men, Even his racing plate had gone
TO pay the interest of mortgage on his real estate;
which being eDtaled, descended now to second
cousin one Richard Dakyn. who was not greatly
10 be envied therefor for StoclIwood Lodge was
fearfully out Of repair, and the bit oil pasture
land about it heavily encountered.
However, there was the legacy such as 1T was,
aud must make the best could of it, The ques-
ton Of course was should sell the horses at once
or whit 90 see what could be made by running
them The sporting instinct which is present,
even il undeTeloped, in most Englishmen, incllned
had seen ana. indeed, suffered much from the in
diligence Of this instinct in her own family siren
uously urged the former indeed she would listen
TO nothing else than the immediate 0sposal OIL INC
IF yox had seen as much of it as have, my
dear boy" the mater said sentenuously, you
would rs ther pack them all off at once to the Ken.
nels than have anything TO do with horseraclng
Ny sister Geraldine, on the other hand, was all
for having run with them, and said must give
her new suit of furs for next winter ou1 OIL my
first win. 49,.
If you ever get so much as new tennis-racket
you will be lucky girl, JILL" reJolned. ana III:
deed thought SO but meant to decide 1of mySell
in the matter all the same
But there was some one whom l was bound to
consider before either mother or sister what
would Ella have TO say about IT. ana Ella peopiIe
NV relations with the Reverend Cholmondey-
Davenport, her father were already someWiaS
" strained and as l had fully made up my mlnd
oe marry the daughter, was naturally aVerse 10
anything that would be likely to increase the
tsnsion.
I The Reverend Cholmondely and had never hit
II off well together at all tried to respect HIM as
much could because Of his dauSnteE ana tbc Ue,
yves nothing in the least unrespectable aDout hlni
So far from that he occupied an extremely good
position; he was rector of Ramplngton, anu
Saeistrate and rural dean and both enthusiastically
and socially held in frst-rate ESTIMATION In ms
own county. Still somehow could not fespecI
him / am not particularly religious, or over
squeamish about such matters, and perhaps; nelng
only a plain soldier, don t much unoersuihd then
but do like man TO be true TO ms colore anu
this did not think the Reverend Cholmondely
could be or why should he once week insist so
strongly upon the absolute nothlngness OF Wofl1ly
possessions and social rank, while upon az Othef
occasions his visible objects In lie were 10 hhu
the most advantageous investments for his money
tof which be had great deal, and TO obtain inc
best settlements for his daughters IN HarrlasE.
Arain il seemed 10 that a man who really
believed in the predestination of fear1uly large
percentage Of his fellOw-mortals to an unhappy
future ought to be more concerned ABOUT IL, am
NOT to be sitting there in his handsomely appomted
dining-room, slipping his port with such conf
,lacent air however we'll assured Of his own safety.
am not much of theological ana d0n 6n0w
but it seemed TO me that if felt so sure OF IT.
as the Reverend Cholmondely did,, the Thought
would almost drive me into an asylum
On tho other hand, / was pretty sure the
Reverend Cholmondely did not respect me aJ
an 1t would not occur to him to respect any
one with small fortune as mine ana, lnueeu;
when came to propose for Ella, he demonstrated
This in sufficiently plain terms. Had he objected
conscientiously 10 giving his daughter 10 one, OF
nv profession could have reverenced his scrupIs
he entertained the highest respect for my pro-
fession it was only my rank IN 1t that he took
exception to, and the absence OF any family interest,"
10 render it likely | should ever obtain any high
military appointment. When L endeaVored 10
point out the inconsistency between his preaching
and his practice in connection with this he be-
came so irritated that had TO drop the subject
for the time and definite arrangement had
been arrived at when l came IN Tor my uncleS
legacy of the horses
Now here knew he would be fully consistent
He abhorred racing, not merely from principle,
but like my mother, from actual experience OF
its EVIL consequences, o az vs spe esmsbe Young
clergyman in a neighboring parish, who was
devotedly attached to her, and whom she would
have married and been happy woman but Tor
her parents' interference the Observation-Disclosures
ports for so his wife insisted on their being styled
though Cholmondely was but his CHRISTIAN hanel
had succeeded in marrying their eldest dauehief
TO the profigate son of gambling baronet;
"a more suitable match" the mother called u,
and persuaded her husband TO dispense Wi'h one
settlements which were not forthcoming, III honor
of the alliance. The result, however, OF tins
Ipanoeuvre Disappointing; the 6aronet was
now living abroad on the worst of terms with
zach other, and mainly on an allowance from hef
father with no prospect on his part 0, i''ieTl'ng
ANYTHING beyond the barren title All TINS on
account of horse-racing and baccaIat, so that 10
hear that was going on the tnrl wo1la hoV DC
likely 10 prolitiate my father-in-hw eject.
/ say elect" because, although l had been lE
a way refused w her parents, neither Ella nor
had any intenetion OF giving esch otler up;
Ella Davenport was tlne girl, ana had lhherlt~u
from her father fine will of her own, quite equal
10 his and she had at this time rather the whip
bana Of her narents by reason of her sisters I'M
fortunate marriage which would not have oc-
Cured lad she been left TO choose for herself.
Accordingly, Ella refusing TO throw me over, the
matter remained In allegiance. There was no
recognized engagement, but we perfectly under
stood one another, and / regarded myself as much
bound TO marry Ella at some tune or Other as IL
we had been betrothed with the full sanction OF
her family. At this time we did not often meet;
The Reverend Cholmondely had never gone 90 lar as
toward me, ] could not bring myself to visit
there, preferring to see Ella whenever could
nubljc balls which took place during the winter
months. We were both young enough to bide