Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-01-18
Mr.. NELSON'S WILL.
BY n. RIDER HAG0ARD.

THAT" began James, IN MS iloS' ooieiiiIi
and legal tones, lis view OF the matter
in which | am glad to be able to heartily
coincide, although it seems 10 me Chat
there are several points, which VIII touch
on one by one"
Good gracious! no." broke in Lady
HoImhurst. but think it is rather mean
of them-don't you, Mr.. Short:'
James looked puzzled. 81 do not quite
take Lady Holmhursr's point" he said,
plaintively.
"Then You must be stupid" said Eus-
tace. Don't you see the joke?-'Hesne
profits racdn Of them,'
"Ah" said James with satisfaction; 81
perceive Lady Holmhurst does not seem
TO be aware that although 'mcsne'-a total
" erroneous word is pronounced 'mean,'
it is spelt m-e-s-n-p."
81 stand corrected" said Lady Holm
hurst, with little curtsey. 81 thought
that Mr. James Short would take my lg-
noranCe into account, and understand
what | neGHr
This feminine sally turned the laugh
against the learned James, and then, the
telegram 10 News & News having been
despatched, they all went in to the wed
ding breakfast.
not particularly lively affairs There is
mock hilarity about them that does not
tend to true cheerfulness, and those of the
guests who are not occupied with graver
thoughts are probably thinking of the
dyspepsia that comes after. But this par
ticular breakfast was an exception. For
the first time since her husbands unfor-
tunatc death, Lady HOlmhurst seemed to
hive entirely recovered her spirits and was
her old self, and Il very charming self it
was, 50 charming indeed, that even james
forgot his learning and the responsibilities
OF his noble profession, aud talked like an
ordinary Christian. Indeed. he even went
so far rs to pay her an elcphantiue com
pImcmt; but rs it was three sentences
long, and divided into points, it shall not
be repeated here.
Aud then ut length, DIR. Probate rose
to propose the brides health; and very
nicely nc did it, as might have been eX-
pcCtcd from n man with his extraordinary
familiarity with matrimonial affairs. HIS
speech was quite charming, and aptly
Bprinl1lcd with classical quotations.
II have often" he ended, heard it ad-
vanCed that all men are in reality equally
favored by the Futns in their passage
through the world. Ihave always doubted
the truth of that assertion, and now ! am
convinced Of its fasty. Mr. EustaCe Nee
son is II very excellent young man, and, If
! mny be allowed to say so, "A very good
looking young man; but what, | would
ask this assembled company, has Mr..
Mcrson done above the rest of men to
Justify his supreme good fortuncH Why
should this young gentleman be picked
out from the multitude Of young gentle
men to inherit two millions Of money, and
to marry the most Charming-ycs the
most charming, and the most talented,
and the braycst young lady that | have
ever met a young lady who not only car
rics twenty fortunes on her face, but an
other fortune in her brain, and his fortune
on her shoulders aud such ii fortune, too,
sir, and he bowed towards Eustuce-
Lovely That's siti bcsid the
Iuh" hc go Il tia gods prOvi 10 thee
] salute you, as all men must salute one
80 suprcmcIy favored Humbly / salute
you; humbIy pray that you may contiu-
ually deserve the almost unparalleled good
that il has pleased Providence to bcstow
upon You"
Aud then EustaCe rose and made his
speech. and IL very good speech it was
considering the trying circumstances I'M
der which it was made lie told them
how lee had fallen in love with Augusta's
sweet face the very first time that he had
set eyes upon il in the Office OF his uncle at
Birmingham. He told them what he had
felt when, after getting some work in
London, he had returned to Birmingham
to find his Iady-lOvc flown, and Of what he
had endured when he heard that she was
among the drowned on board the kanga-
roo. Then lac came to the happy day of
the return, and to that still happier day
when lac discovered that hc had not loved
her In v3tiu. finally ending thus
DIR. Probate has said that | am n SUI
prcmely fortunate man, and | admit the
truth of his remark | am, indeed, for
truiutc ahuvc my deserts, So fortunate that
feel afraid When | turn and see my be-
loved wife sitting at my side, feel afraid
lest should aItrrall be dreaminGa dream,
and awake to find nothing but emptiness
And then ON the other hand, in this colos-
sal wealth, which has come to me through
her, aud there again | feel afraid But,
please Heaven, hope with her help to do
some good with it, and remembering al
WAYS that il is great trust that has been
placed m my hands. And she also is u
trust and n far more inestimablc one, and
ns | deal with her SO may be dealt with
here and hereafter" Then, 10y IN after
Thought, he proposed The health of the
legal twins, who had so nobly borne the
brunt of the atIray single handed, and dis
concerted the Attorney General and all his
learned host
Thereon james rose to reply in terms OF
elrphautmc cloquencc, and would have
gone through the whole case again had
not Lady lIolmhurst in despair pulled him
BY the sleeve and told him that he must
propose her health which he did with sin
Certty, lightly abiding To the fact that she
was "A widow hy describing her as being in
"disrovcrt condition, with all the rights
and responsibilities of femme sole"
Every body burst ont laughing, not eX-
crpting poor Lady Holmhurst herself and
James Sat down, not without Indignation
that a Eiddy world should object to an cX-
act aud legal definition of the status of the
individual rs set out 10y the law.
And after that Augusta went and
changed her dress and then came the hur-
ried good -hyCs, and, to escape observation,
they drove oil in Il hanson cab amid a
shower of old shoes.
And there in that hanson cab We will
leave them.
CHArrER NNuL-MEESoN's ONCE AGAIN.