Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-09-26
A BELATED PRESENT.

''Lamia. my dear" said Mr.. Smith
one day to his pretty daughter, 81 can
not see what there is that attracts you
in DIR. CariOus- The more see of him
the less Ike the prospect of having
him for a son-in-law
'Oh, he's Just as good as any other
man, papa and besides that he's got a
very good practice.
That's quite beside the mark, La
mia. You know very well that | am
rich enough and willing to give you and
any husband of yours sufficient to live
upon, and what you want with two
penny -halfpenny Sawbones can't
make out. tell you what. it is, if you
would only marry your cousin as
wish, would undertake to give you a
better income than you will ever get
with Carious"
Mr. Smith had amassed large for
tune in New Zealand, whittier he had
been shipped off as young man forty
years ago.
What is the good, papa, of going on
worrying about it2 I've promised to
marry Charles Carious, and mean to
keep my promise, and there's an end OF
| it. And Miss Lamia Smith flung her
self out of the room, rather more out of
temper than she otherwise would have
been, because she was beginning to feel
| that her choice of husband had not
been very wise one. However she
was an honest, straightforward sort Of
girl, and was determined not to visit
her fault on the innocent head of her
lance. Her heart was untouched, and
she only looked upon marriage as a
means of freeing herself from the re-
straints of home, and doubtless Charles
Carious would make as good husband
as anybody else.
Scarcely had she left her father when
he was Joined by her cousin, Michael
Careless, for whom Mr.. Smith had the
greatest affection and whom, for want
of son, he would gladly have made
his heir. He had always heard of
Michael yho was the son of favorite
sister, as being very promising lad,
and lie had secretly determined, if he
should prove as satisfactory as he
hoped, to bring about union between
him and Lamia A year ago Michael
Careless had made his first visit to Eng
land from Canada, both his parents be
ing dead, and in every respect he had
come up to his uncle's most sanguine
expectations. But his advent was too
late. Only six weeks before his arrival
his pretty cousin Lama had engaged
herself to Dr. Charles Carius.
well, uncle, " said Michael as he en-.
tered the room, there doesn't seem
much chance for me. think had
better be getting back to the land OF
the Kanucks
Upon my word, Michael, / am in
clined to think your are right. I've
just been speaking to Lamia again, and
she seems as immovable if not more
determined, than ever. BY the by, did
you dine with Carious when you were
in town"
"Oh, yes; thought it was the civil
thing to do, and, besides, I've no right
10 quarrel with him. He came and
saw and conquered before | was ever
in the tS'ld at all can't say that |
like him, though doubtless he is clever
at his profession. BY the by, did he
ever show You his fathers collection of
curiostiesf"
mo. | never heard of it,"
well, it appears that DR.. John
Carious was a well known professor of
forensic medicine, and held a retainer
for what answered To the public prosecu-
tor OF forty years ago. In that capacity
many curious pieces de conviction, as
they call them, ! think, in France,
passed through his hands. Some of
them were returned to the police,
while Others remained in his posses,
sion, and these, with everything else
having reference to his profession as
doctor, he left to any son of his who
should adopt medicine as a calling.
oh, yes, Carious has splendid labora.
tory and library, besides this most fas
little museum of rather CHASTITY
curiosities But TO return to Lamia
uncle; do you really think she cares for
the doctorr
mo, candidly, Michael, between you
and me aud the post. don't think she
does rap, but still there's no chance
of her throwing him over. She's made
up her mind to that, and she'll stick to
IT, | wish to goodness he would grow
tired OF her but I'm afraid he knows
which side his breads buttered too we'll
for that.
After this there was pause, and the
two men lii cigars and sat silent.
All Of sudden Michael broke out
with
Il suppose all's tair In love, uncle,
isnt ltf
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