River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-05-15
NEPHEWS OF RICH AUNTS.
The Prominent Part Played by Them In
Modern English Fiction.

MOueTu Enkfish Ftctiohs
Students of literature have doubtless
remarked that that part of current and
recent English fiction which appears in
newspapers and periodicals in the form
OF short stories consists largely of de-
scriptions of articles, the pains and the
ultimate fate of ncphews with rich aunts.
Here is typical story os this kind.
One of these nephews had a rich aunt.
all whose affections were centered on
cats The cat who possessed those af-
foctions during his lifetime died, and it
became necessary 10 replace him. The
aunt, accompanied by her anxious
nephew, went to cat-dealer's shop and
was much taken with an Angora, the
price for which, however, she thought
was too high. She returned home, but
finally decided that she must have that
cat She therefore charged her nephew
to purchase it and to see that it was
safely delivered at her house. The
young man repaired TO the eat shop
once more, but alasi it was only to
learn that the chosen animal had died
in the me lntime. But, fearing of dis
appointing his all-important relative.
he purch ased the dead cat for small
consideration, procured a common or
back-fence member of the same family
and instructed taxidermist to inclose
him in the Angora's skin. This was
done, and Thomas, looking sufficiently
natural, entered into possession of the
aunt's affections. She was short-sight-
ed, by the way. All went we'll for a
1.,,4 60. no fGf
had found it necessary TO shave the
back-fenee cat in order TO get him into
the Angora's skin. The hair grew, and
one day while the unwilling deceiver
was drinking milk before his mistress
eve his coat burst and he walked forth
in all his native vulgarity of attire.
The result, which is the same in most
of these stories, was that the aunt
never forgave her nephew for deceiving
her, and left all her property to re-
mote cousin
The nephew-and-ri plot I'M
doubtedly figures to q painful extent in
the conventional humorous literature of
England, but such plot is, neverthe-
less, amply warranted by fact The
writer has known many young men who
have passed their lives in humoring the
whims of rich old maiden aunts, and
sometimes bachelor uncles. Usually
they have been rewarded by the inner
itance of lands, chattles, or money, but
sometimes they have suffered disaster,
as in the stories.
Some persons may be at a loss to find
reason for this state of things. The
following figures, which represent the
fortunes left by Englishwomen during
the last year, will explain it TO them.
The ladies named were almost without
exception unmarried or widowed Mar
ried women do not leave fortunes unless
they find them before they are married
and have kept them intact. The wild
ows mentioned, too, had in most cases
lost their husbands many years ago.
Lady Ossington left s., 045, 600; Lady
Ann Hayter, 81, 125, 900; Lady WilloCgh-
by d'Eresby, Sl,OS5, 600; Lady Rose,
$3.50, 600 and Lady Forster, S465, 0OO
Twenty other titled women, whose
wills were admitted to probate in 1889,
beuueathed a total OF more than 50, 1885,
600. Among untitled women Miss Ry-
land. the heiress of the late head of a
great firm of iron-founders, left So, 735,
900; Mrs. Margaret Platt (of Staley-
bridget, s., 06O. 900; Mrs Ellen Walker,
81, 100, 600; Miss Catherine Wood, $780,
600; Mrs. John Wood, 1925, 600; Miss
Sarah Ann Cawston (of Folly House,
Braintree), S545, 900; and Miss Mary
Eason, S565, 900. Nineteen other I'M
titled women enriched their heirs with
sc, 055, 900.
All the ladies of title named were
widows and childless, with the excep-
ton of Lady Willoughby d Eresby. 1t
will be seen that of the seven untitled
testators named four were spinsters.
From all these circumstances it is in
evitable that there must have been a
great many anxious nephews. On the
whole it is a rather fine thing to be a
nephew in England, provided, of course,
that one does not forget the other OBJ
jects of living.-N. Y. Evening Sun.