Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1890-09-28


Jane. who had never ceased for one
instant 90 comment on the event OF the
night. positively Shrieked when she
saw me shaking the bag free from tea
leaves.
Good gracious. the burglars. she
Ievclaimed .Why. they might nave
taken them If they had only known.
OF course they had not known as l
had been particularly secret ABOUT
them. but / wished all the same l had
mon left them there all night, as Jane
wouId insist. and continue 10 insist,
that they had been exposed TO great
danger. argued the matter with her
mn first. but women. find, are impervi-
ons rs a rule. TO masculine argument
and 10 is a mistake TO reason with them.
/ Ii is. i'm fact. putting the sexes for the
moment on an equality 10 which the
weaker one is unaccuStOmed and conSe-
Quently unSuited.
A few hours later was rolling swiftly
toward Stoke Moreton in comfortable
smoking carriage, only occupied by my
self and Mr.. Charles DanverS, a hand
some Young fellow with pale face and
that peculiar tired manner which
though. as soon found, natural to HIM
is SD often affected by the young men of
the day.
And so Ralph has come in for a
legacy i'm diamonds" he said, liStleSSly,
whom we had exchanged the usual ciVili-
ties and had become TO a certain degree
..,uainted. Dear me. how these
rood. steady young men prosper in the
world. When last l heard from him he
|bad prevailed upon the one perfect
,..,,,or Inn the universe TO consent TO
,.,,rry him. and his aunt (by the way,
r,r vir meet her there, toO-Lady
Mary Cunningham had murmured
something vague but gratifying about
r.s-ameutary intentions. A week later
Providence fills his trimming cup with
"a Legacy of Jewels, estimated at?'-
Charles opened his light, sleepy eyes
wide and looked inquiringly AT me.
..What are they estimated at?' he
asked. as ! did not answer.
Ircauy had mo- idea. but 1 shrugged
my shoulders and looked wise.
Estimated at a fabulous sum, he
said. closing his ewes again. All. had
they been mine with what joyful alacri-
tv should have aScertained their exact
money value. And mine they ought 10
have been if the sacred law of primo
geniturc ,that special providence which
watches over the interests of eldest sons
has been duly observed. Sir John had
mo-, the pleasure of my acquaintance,
but fear he must have heard some re-
sortS-uo doubt entirely without foun-
respecting my career, which M
duccd him to pass me over ia TINS man
uer What moral NV father ana
my Aunt Mary are always delicately
pointing out the difference between
Ralph aud myself. wish were a good
young man. like Ralph. Ii seems TO
pay best in the long run; but l may rs
well inform You. Col. Middleton. of the
painful fact that I am the black sheep
of the family.
-Oh. come. come" l remarked uu-
easily
81 should not have alluded TO the
subject II YOU were not likely 20 become
fully aware of 10 ON your arrival, so l
viii be beforehand with my relations.
was brought up in the way / should
ro. hc continued with the utmost UNI
concern. as If commenting on something
that did not affect him i'm the least. but
I did not walk iu 10. partly owing 90 the
.uuconrcnial comauiOnShip that 10 ln-
volved. especially that of my Aunt Mary.
who took up SD much room herself i'm
the narrow path that she ettectually
Kept me ont of IL. From my earliest
youth. also. I took extreme interest IN
the parable of the prodigaL ana rs
soon - it became possible l eNemplihed
&c myself. I may even say that / acted
the part In manner that did credit 10
beginner: bat the wind mp was ruined
bv the lamentablc inability of others,
who shall be- nameleSS, 90 throw
themselves into the spirit of the
piece. At various intervals, he
continued. always lis IL speaking OF some
oneelse. ''I have returned home, but /
regret to say that ON each occasion my
reception was not I'm any way what
could have wished The flavor of fat
ted calfis absolutely unknown TO me;
and SD far from meeting me half way,
have. inn extreme cases. when lmpelled
homeward by urgent pecuniary conSld-
CREATIONS. found myself obliged TO walk
uu from the station.
Dear me. hope il is not faro
said.
"A mere matter of three miles or SC
mo hill" he resumed; nothing TO d
healthy Christian. though trying 10 the
trembling legs of the ungodly after
long course of huSkS. There. now.
think YOU are quite au fait as TO our
family history. always pity a Stran-
ger who comes Co house ignorant of
ittle domestic details of this kind
Tho is apt 70 make mistakes.
ION. pray don't mention it's
murmured some words of thanks
emo trouble. assure you;
trouble is thing I don't take. By the
way. are YOU aware we are going straight
Into net of private theatricalS at Stock
Noreton9 To-nightiS the last rehearSal'
perhaps had better look over my part.
I took 10 once years ago, but l don't re-
member a word of it"
And after much rummaging in a mag
nifcent silver mounted travelling bag
the Pr0digal pulled out paper book
and carelessiy turned over the leaves.
Ibid not interrupt his studies, save by
"a tcw passing comments ON the weather
.rbe state of the country and my own
health. which ] am sorry 20 say Is not
what 10 was; but as l only received
mono>yllabic answers, we had no more
conversation worth mentioning till we
reached Stoke MoretOn.
CHAPTER Y.
Stoke Moreton is a fine old Elizabeth
.an house standing ON rising ground. As
we drove up the straight. wide approach
between two rows of ancient, fantasia
cally clipped holieS, was impressed by
tLn .tntnI,. lirrft- III tho nlncn which