Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-11

satin and Grape, that became her well, as her
hair and face were fair. OF this she was aware,
and she took the opportunity of surveying her
self in every mirror that she passed. Really in
her mourning she looked young again. The
black seemed to produce on her much the same
effect as the photographers stipple, wherewltn ".
he effaces the wrinkles of the negative: 1t was
as though the life of Pennycomequick were
capital of which, when Jeremiah lost hold. his
heirs had taken possession. Not Mrs. Side
bottom only, but also her son seemed to nave
come in for bequest of vitality. The captain
looked brighter, less languid than he had Tor
long.
Philips suspicious nature had been dispieased
by the statement of Salome that the will was
in her possession. 1t appeared to him strange
that the old man should have intrusted so inn
portant document to the care of a girl OF ~
or 20. 1t reused in his mind that mistrust which
had been laid. He asked whether the fact OF
this consignment did not show that the Gus
worth family were deeply interested in the
will; whether this taking possession of it were
not the conclusion of a conspiracy to get the
old man to make testament altogether in their
favor.
He did not on this occasion, move to meet
Salome when she entered the room, but took
his position apart with arms folded, and face
imperturbable, and set hard, as if frost had
CONCEALED it.
Philip was not by any means unconcerned as
to the disposition of his uncles property. He
would have been raised above the passions and
ambitions OF human nature had he been un-
concerned, for the disposition was likely to
auecL maCer1ally MS whole after lie.
Philip was now aged "a years and'was only a
solicitors clerk. The utmost he could expect,
without windfall, would be when well ad-
vanced in years to be taken into the firm OF
Pinch Squeeze for his mastery Of the details
of the business. He would be incapable OF
purchasing partnership, as he was wholly
without capital. Wharmeans his father had
possessed had been thrown away, and there
with his prospects.
Philips only chance of recovering his proper
position was through bequest from the uncle
whose will was about to be read
If Jeremiah had died intestate, he would have
come in for share of the business, and for a
good lump sum of money, for it is quite certain
that his uncle had saved money He might
then have either purchased partnership in a
good legal house, or carried on the factory, re-
1t was true that he knew nothing of the
technique of linen weaving, but his training
had taught him business habits, and he was
confident that in a short time he would be able
There is tool sold by lronmongers, that con-
tains in the handle, saw, file, gimlet, turn
screw, chisel, bradawl and punch. The nozzle
of the handle is provided with grip that holds
or discharges such of the tools as are required
or done with. Thus the instrument can be
converted at pleasure into whatever is desired.
A business education makes man into such
a convertible tool. ready, as required, to be
saw, file, turnscrew or punch. Philip was con-
scious of his mental fexibility, and confident
that if he resolved to make new departure he
could fit himself to it. The knowledge that he
had been without means had not soured him as
it had his father, but had hardened him. His
profession had conduced, as this profes-
sion does in many cases, to foster in him q
strong and touchy sense OF rectitude. Brought
into contact with mankind in its ignoble as
poets, seeing its sordiness, selshness, laxity of
principle where self-interest is concerned, he
had framed for himself a rigorous code of
honor, from which nothing would make him
swerve by a hairsbreadth.
In the past he had made no calculation on
receiving anything from his uncle, but now that
the possibility of his getting something was
presented to him, he could not contemplate
the decisive moment with eQuanimity. The
tiger that has tasted human blood, ever after
disdains the food that previously satisfied its
NAV; and the young lady who has been through
a London season, or only ventured into a first
ball, will not afterward return to the sobriety
and monotony of country life. If Philip had
been left to plOd on at n Nottingham without ex-
pectations, he would have accommodated him
self to his situation with dull resignation; but
now that prospect of independence had been
dangled before his eyes, he could not return to
his old career without intensified distaste.
Yet he was far from forming great hopes. He
knew that jeremiah had been a vindictive old
man. never forgiving his brother a mistake
than it had jeremiah. 1t was more probable
that the old manufacturer would leave every
thing to his sister and her son, with whom he
had always maintained unbroken connection,
than that he should favor him. Whether Jere-
miah liked and trusted his sister and her son,
and to what extent he liked and trusted them,
Philip had not the means OF judging, that alone
could be revealed by the will.
If he should be disappointed, his disappoint-
ment would be more grievous to bear than he
cared to acknowledge to himself He was, in
deed, angry with himself for feeling any hutter
of hope. If he should be disappointed he
would return to Nottingham, to his former
routine of life, and spend the rest of it in a
subordinate position destitute of that bright