The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-08-09


Students OF literature hare doubtless
remarked. says the N. X. EveniDg Sun.
that that part Of current and recent
English fiction which appears In news
papers and periodicals In the form OF
short stories consists largely Of descrip-
tons OF articles. the palms. and the
ultimate fate Of nephews with rich
aunts.
Here is typical story Of this kind.
One OF these nephews had rich aunt,
all whose affections were conferred on
cats. The cat who possessed those AZ
fections during his lifetime died, and
It became necessary to replace him.
The aunt. accompanied by her anxious
nephew. went to cat-dealer's shop
andswas 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 il and to sec
that il was safely delivered at her
house. The young man repaired to the
cat shop once more. but alas! II was
only to learn that the chosen animal
had died In the meantime. But, fear
ing of disappointing his all-important
relative. he purchased the dead cat for
n small consideration. procured COM
mon 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 suifi-
GENTLY natural. entered into possession
of the aunt's affections. She was short
sighted. by the way. All went well
for time. but unfortunately the tax
idcrmist had found 1t necessary 10
shave the back-fcnce cat in order TO
get him into tho Angora's skin. The
hair grew, and one day while the un-
willing decciver was drinking milk be-
fore his mistress eye his coat burst and
he walked forth in all his native vul-
garity OF attire. Tho 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 prop
erty 10 remote cousin.
The Observation-Disclosures plot un-
doubtcdly figures TO painful extent in
the conventional humorous literature
Of England. but such plot Is. never
theless. amply warranted bv fact. The
writer has known many young men
who have passed their lives in humor-
ing the whinis of rich old maiden aunts,
and sometimes bachelor uncles. Usu-
ally they have been rewarded by the in
heritance of lands. chattels. or money.
but sometimes they have suffered dis
aster. AS in the stories.
Some persons may be ut loss to find
reason for this state of things. The
following figures. which represent the
fortunes left by Englshwomen during
the last year. will explain il TO them.
The ladies named were almost without
exception unmarried or widowed.
Married women do not leave fortunes
unless they find them before they were
married and haye kept them intact.
The widows mentioned. too. had ia
most cases lost their husbands many
years ago. Lady Ossington left 81
O45. 900; Lady Ann Hayter. Sl,125.-
600; Lady Willoughby d'Eresby. $l.-
035. 600; Lady Rose, $3.50, 900, and
Lady Forster, $i65, 600 Twenty other
titled women. whose wills were adj.
mitted TO probate during 1889. be-
queathed total OF more than s.. 2S5,-
600. Among untitled women Miss
Ryland. the hciress of the late head OF
great firm of iron-founders, left $3,-
735, 900; Mrs. Margaret Plat (of Staley.
BRIDGE 81. 060. 900; Mrs. Ellen Walker.
81, l20. 600; Miss Catherine Wood. $500.
900; Mrs. John Wood. 1925. 900; 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
So, 055. 900.
All the ladies of title named were
widows and childless. with the excep-
ton OF Lady Willoughby d'Eresby. 1t
will bo seen that of the seven untitled
testators named four were spinters.
From all of these circumstances it is
inevitable that there must have been q
great many anxious nephews.