The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-11-07
A BELATED PRESENT.

'Lamia, my DEAR" said Mr.. Smith
one day to his pretty daughter, ST can
not see what there is that attracts Vol
in DIR. Carious. The more see of hin
the less like the prospect of having
him for Il sOn-in-law."
"Oh, he's just as good as any othel
man, papa; and besides that he's got &
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. I 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 a 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 it4 I've promised to
marry Charles Carious, and mean to
keep my promise, and there's an end of
it," And Miss LAMA 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 a husband had not
been very wise one. However, she
was an honest, straightforward sort of
a girl, and was determined not to visit
her fault on the innocent head of her
tiance. Her heart was untouched, and
she only looked upon marriage as a
means of freeing herself from the re-
stralnts of home, and doubtless Charles
Carious would make as good a 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, who was the son of favorite
sister, as being a very promising lad,
and he had secretly determined, if he
should prove as satisfactory as he
hoped, to bring about a union between
him and LAMA. 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 DIR. Charles Carius.
''Well, uncle" said Michael as he en-.
tered the room, ''there doesn't seem
much chance for me. I 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 LAMA again, and
she seems as immovable, if not more
determined, than ever By the by, did
you dine with Carious when you were
in town7"
"Oh, yes; thought it was the civil
thing to do, and, besides, I've no right
to quarrel with him. He came and
saw and conquered before was ever
in the field 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
curiosties?n
mo, l never heard of it."
"Well, it appears that DR.. John
Carious was 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 a /
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-
cinating little museum of rather CHASTITY
curiosities. But to return to LAMA, |
uncle; do you really think she cares for
the doctor9'
mo, candidly, Michael, between you
and me and 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. I wish to goodness he would grow
tired OF her, but Pm afraid he knows
which side his breads buttered too well
for that"
After this there was a pause, and the
two 1nen Lit cigars and sat silent.
All of a sudden Michael broke out
With
II suppose all's fair in love, uncle,
sn't it?"
But Mr. Smith had fallen into a gen.
lie sleep, and took no heed.
A week later, in response to an invi-
alton from his prospective father-in-
aw, DIR. Charles Carious ran down for
weeks shooting to Rabnet Manor ..
lr. and Mrs Smith and LAMA would
9 away at Eastbourne, the invitation
ad said, but Michael Careless would
e there to do the honors. So it was !,
aat the accepted sutton and his rival t