The national leader., 1889-03-23
MRS. COOPER'S NIECE.

MOOs OUOI Ele - N1GOGs
sPhilip," said old John Briggs to
his son, ''you are % years old to-day" !"
$50 the family record says, father"
responded the elegant young gentleman
addressed. 81 am disposed to place
implicit reliance upon it and on you"
'sYou have done nothing since you
left college but kill time"
''It 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 fiippant. Since your
Aunt Priscilla left you five thousand a
year you have done nothing but spend
the money. Your income ought to be
enough for a single man, but you draw
on me too"
.'I'll try to draw on you less, SIR"
SIT is not that, Philip. You are
quite welcome to a check now and
then, for know that you neither game
nor 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
have too much, in fact"
81 don't find it too much, sir. In
fact. | was thinking what graceful
thing it would be if you were to double
it-a mere tri1e to gentleman OF your
means. / have to use the most pltlful
economy, l assure YOU"
"Oh, that's 1t, 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 skinfint? Ihave
heard of him.
s'Nonsense, Philip. He is quite
worthy, as well as very wealthy, man,
and if he prefers to invest ready money
in short loans what of thatp lend
my mony, or some of it, sometimes
'But not at cent. per cent"
s'No matter. l don't propose that
you shall borrow of him. He has an
only child, daughter, who will inherit
all his vast property, just as you will
mine"
'sDoes she shave notes, father?"
''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, l
see no reason why"
''Stop your nonsense and listen.
Spriggs and / had talk over it when l
was in New York, and we have con-
cluded, if 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 well enough
for while"
''I'd like to oblige you, father. l
suppose / must marry some day; but it
will be some one | love, and then,
good family"
s'Some one you lovel How the deuce
do you know you'll not love her till
you see her. Good family! Of course
you're entitled to that. The peerage
of England is full of Viscount Briggses.
The Briggses are found in the Atnondch
ron Gotha among the ertducht families.
Your grandfather made $500, 900 in
hides and tallow, and if he had not in
vested it in real estate that multiplied
itself more than ten-fold before he died,
I should have been in the same busi-
ness to-day, and you in the counting
room or warehouse. Family, lndeedl
You're foolish boy, Philip, and your
aunt's legacy has ruined YOU"
81 wish, sir, there were half-dozen
more old aunts to continue my ruin in
the same way. 1t Is of no use getting
angry, father. You can't keep it up.
III take to anything you say-law,
physic, or divinity. sell my horses, drop
my club, read by the cubic foot, but to
marry-excuse me-"
''See here, PHIL" exclaimed the
father, who by this time was at white
heat, ''you can marry to please me,
and will not only start you fairly in
life now, but leave you all 1 have when
I am gone, Marry to suit some foolish
fancy of your own, and I'll-yes, 1'll
found an asylum for idiots Now you
understand me-" And Briggs march
ed off, leaving his son to his medita-
tionS
sIf stay here" said Philip to him
self. s'father and 1 will quarrel. Bet
ter give the dear old gentleman a
chance to cool off. I'n ruraliZe a
little"
That afternoon Philip packed port
manteau and with fishiug-rod and
mineral hammer started OF to Mont
komery County, where an old college
mate 6f his had married and settled,