The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-28
A STRANGE MONEY-LENDING CASE.

y0u come into the title. Ronald, you Will
not have a shilling to support it with"
Il can't help it. mother. You know I've
demonstrated with the governor often
enough. but nothing that 1 can do will stop
him. He's raised more than thousand In
the last month"
The speakers were Hon. Mrs. Browning,
wife of Hon. George Browning, brother and
heir of the Earl of st. David's, and her only
son. Ronald. They were now discussing
the extravagant habits of the aforesaid
George, whereby he babe fair to anticipate
the whole of the ST. David's property be-
fore he came into it at all. This property,
which was not entailed, was left in an un-
usual manner. The present earl had only
life interest IN 1t. the reversion being left
to his brother and heir out-and-out-what
the lawyers style in fee simple" But by
a codicil to the will it was ordered that.
should the Honorable George die before his
brother the earl, the latter should acquire
the fee simple" of the property. and be
empowered to leave it to whomsoever he
chose. Now, the earl was fond OF his
nephew, Ronald. and had frequently stated
his determination to leave the whole prop
erty to him IN the event of his fathers de-
mise. On the other hand, if the Honorable
George Outlived his brother, he would
naturally leave the property to his son
when his end came. Thus. whichever
event happened, Ronald appeared sure to
succeed to the family estate.
But this was not really the case. for the
Honorable George, being of an extrava-
CANT turn of mind, and unable to subslst
on his younger sons allowance, was rapid
ly involving the St. David's property by
post-obits, at rate which IN q very few
years would mortgage the whole of lit SO
that if he outlived his brother, and sue
ceeded to the property, he would have to
surrender every acre OF 1T to the money
A ftr,rf laos ax-il in fhA
that the Honorable George, being very few
years younger than the earl, and having
lived fast, disspated life, was regarded
as by no means certain to Outlivo his
brother. And thus the money had to be
raised from Jews at an exorbitant interest
Mrs. BrOwning's brother, James Godfrey,
senior partner in the great banking house
of Godfrey, Jones * Godfrey, 100l Lombard
street. had lent his brother-ip-law money
at per cent, until he discovered that he
had an affection of the heart, when he
promptly refused to accommodate him with
another shilling and the Honorable George
accordingly took refuge with the Hebrews
and cent. per cent.
1T was aridicuIous thing" Mrs. Browning
argued, for the property ever TO nave Deen
left In that manner. Your only chance, Ron
aid. is that your father should not outlive
the Earl"
Hang il, mother can't poison the
governor-as the old Romans used to treat
their obnoxious relatives! Such conduct is
out of date"
"ron't Joke about the matter, Ronald. 1t
is nothing to laugh at, / assure yOu."
Il know that well enough, mother, and
wish to goodness | could do something to
stop the governor in his headlong extrava-
gance. 1t is not only the loss of the prop
erty that fear. but my Uncle James has
let me see pretty plainly that, if this sort
of thing continues, he'll make AmaDel
break off her engagement with me-"
Amabe1 was Mrs. James Godfrey's only
daughter, and cousin and tiancee of Ronald
Browning.
James is very strict on the point of
money Mrs. Browning answered. And
only two days ago he gave me to under,
stand what you have just said"
oh it, mother, it's rather hard lines
on young fellow like me to be cheated by
his governors confounded extravaganza,
not only out of fine estate. but also out
of the prettiest girl in London
Your father must be stoppedw his moth
er said emphatically.
But HOWE It's out of the question;
Uncle James has pitched into him, the Earl
has pitched into him, you have alternately
blown him up and appealed to his better
feelings, and have sulked and growled at
him till Pm tired of 1T. But all TO no pur-
pose. He promises amendment every day.
and every day commits some fresh extrava-
-gance- Not down yet, you see, and nearly
II O'Clock. That means he was late at the
club last night, where. / dare say, he lost
no end of money at loo, or pOker,or some
other internal game.n
81 wish. Ronald. that You would go and
see your Uncle James. and consider with
him whether some plan cannot be devised
to stop your father"
Ronald pushed his chair impatiently back
from the breakfast table. Its perfectly
useless he said; but i want to Anna
bel, so I'll 60 round there to luncheon. If
my uncle is at home. III take occasion to
you, mother. But, of course, he'll be unable
to do anything
Your uncle is a clever man, Ronald and
have great faith in him."
Ronald shrugged his shoulders and made
no answer; ne evidently did not share his
"a mothers opinion.
At that moment the Honorable George en-
tered the breakfast-room. He was an old
fsh man, nearly seventy. and the marks of
fast living had stamped themselves very
clearly on his once handsome cOuntenance.
But his dress his elegant figure and his
sprightly manner were all twenty years
junior to his face.
The surly reception which he had from
his wife and son did not affect his urbanity
In the least; he was perfectly suave, cheer
full and good-humored told them what a
pleasant evening he had spent at the club
last night (Omitting TO mention that he had
lost several hundred pounds at cards.; asked
what news there was in the morning paper;
inquired whether Ronald was seedy this
morning. as he looked so devilish grave.
Towhich inquiry his son replied by leaving
the room to make his morning toilet. His
fathers unassailable good humor only made
his conduct the more provoking, for no one
was ever known to see the Honorable
George out of temper. This was partly
what rendered him so utterly incOrrigible
When he was dressed Ronald walked leis-
urely round TO his uncles house in Hanul-
ton place. AS the foOtman opened the door
TO him his uncle CHANGED to be crossing the
hall. and stopped.
"Ah, Ronald" he said, shaking hands
with him not very warmly. come to see
me. eh~
II came to see Amabei especially; but
did wish to have a word with YOU"
THAT is lucky, for Ihave something i'm
portant to discuss with you. Just step in
here. There is still twenty minutes before
lunch"
SO speaking, the banker ushered the way
into his private study, and shut the door.
lie was a stout rather handsome old gen.
tleman, with a certain pOmpOus dignity of
manner. After pacing the length of the
hearth rug several times, with his hands
beneath his coat-tails he said:
what do you think the st. David's estates
are worth. Ronald. eh.n
Twenty-Five thousand year, under
stand, uncle"
$50 they are-every shilling of it. And
10 be an earl. with f25.000 year, is noble
thing, Ronald. and gives a man high stand
thought you would one day be. when con-
scented to your engagement with Amabel
But from what can Judge now, by the time
you become Earl of st. David's, you are
likely not TO have EDS, 600. or $4,000, or even