The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-03-14

unhappy ruined mother 1t was my father
who descended after her He advanced
with dignifiei step and the carriage of ore
in authority | observed that his linen
and the lace of his ruffles were of the very
finest. and hi; coat. though dusty. of the
finest broadcloth lie see ned not to
perceive my mothers ,ars; he kissed me
and gave me his blessing h babe the
carter. with majestic air. lead the .'ccacl.
he called the country cart q coach and
take great care of the horse, with he
said was worth forty gu.neas if a , nay
but the horse was 10 year-o "a. Eors.,,
worth at most four guineas, as | knew
very well, because knew the carrier
Amazed at this extraordinary behavior
led my parents to my grandmother, and
then we presently learned the truth Nv
father, # you please. was ruined; he was
a bankrupt, his schemes of greatness had
come to nothing. his vast fortune Law in
his imagination only; he had lost his wife's
money and his own He had returned to
his native county his old friends having
dubbed together and made little purse
for him. and his creditoas having con
scented to accept what they could get and
to give him quittance in full. because he
was known to be man of integrity
otherwise he might have been lodged in
Jail. where many all unfortunate, yet
honest, man lieth in misery
The disaster was more than my father
brain could bear First. as soon as he
fairly understood what had happened he
fell into a lethargy. sitting in a chair all
day in silence. and desiring nothing but
to be left alone After while the lethargy
changed into restlessness. and he must
needs be up and doing something-it mat
tered not what Then the restlessness
disappeared and he became again his old
self. as cheerful. as sanguine. as confident.
with no other change than a more settled
dignity OF bearing. caused by the belief
the complete delusion that now his for
tune was indeed made, that he possessed
bOslndless wealth. and that he was going
to leave London and to retire into the
country. as many great merchants used to
do, in order to enjoy it
Tie was fully possessed with the idea
that he was as wealthy as he ever desired
to be His poor brain was turned. indeed
on this point. and after while thought
little of it. because we became accustomed
to 1t, and because it seemed harmless
craze Yet it was not harmless. as YOU
will hear Indeed, even an innocent babe
in arms may be made the instrument of
mischief in the hands of wicked man
Our first visitor was Mathew Humble
He came first he said to pay his respects
to my father Then he began to come
with great regularity But l perceived
soon. for | was no longer child. but
already a woman. that he had quite
another objec: in view for he cast his
eyes upon me in such way as no woman
can mistake Even to look upon those
eyes of his made me turn sick with loath
ing. Why. if this man had been another
Apollo for beauty would not have re
garded him. and so far was he from an
Apollo that fat and Ioathsome satyr
more nearly resembled him
He was already three or four and thirty
which |. being L. regarded as a very
great age indeed. and most Northumbrian
folk are cert ainly married and the fathers
OF children already tall before that time
lie was man who made no friends, and
lived alone with his sister Barbara No
girl at all, so far as | know. could boast
of having received any attentions from
him. he was supposed to care for nothing
except money and strong drink Every
evening he sat by himself in the room
which overlooks the river. with account
books before him. and drank usquebaugh
But he loved brandy as we'll. or Hollands
or rum. or indeed anything which was
strong And being naturally short of
stature he was grown fat and gross. with
red hanging cheeks. which made his small
eyes look smaller and more pig like. a
double chin. and nose which already told
tale of deep rotations. so red and swollen
was 1t What girl of II could regard
with favor-even if there were no image
OF brave and comedy boy already Inn
pressed upon her heart-such man as
'his' mere tosspot and a drinker7 And.
worst OF all. secret and solitary drinker |
"a gloomy drinker.