The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-12-12
MRS. C00PER'S NIECE.

$50 the family record says, father"
responded the elegant young gentleman
addressed; Il am disposed to place inn
plicit reliance upon it.
you have done nothing since you left
college but kill time"
1T is only retaliation in advance, sir.
Some day or other the old chap with the
scalp lock and scythe will kill me.
you are too flippant. Since your
Aunt Priscilla left you $1,000 year you
have done nothing but spend the money.
Your income ought to be enough for
single man, but you draw on me too
"Tll try to draw on you less, sir"
1T is not that, Philip. You are quite
welcome to a check now and then, for /
know that you neither game nor revel,
and / don't mind your horses, your club
your natural history craze, nor your
luxurious tastes But still you spend
more money and get less for it than most
young men of your age; have too much
in fact"
Il don't find it too much, sir. In fact,
] was thinking what graceful thing it
would be if you were to double it, mere
trifie to gentleman of your means.
have to use the most pitiful economy,
assure you.
"Oh. that's it, eh2 Well, there is
mode to increase it very much. You have
heard me speak of Philander Spriggs, of
New York;
money lender and skinhint2 have
heard of him."
Nonsense. Philip. He is quite worthy
as well as very wealthy man, and if he
prefers to invest ready money in short
loans what of that? | lend my money,
or some of it, sometimes.
"But not cent per cent"
"No matter | don't propose that you
shall borrow of him. He has an only
child, a daughter, who will inherit all
his vast property, just as you will mine.
"Does she shave notes, father"
"Phil, be kind enough not to indulge
in chaff. / have seen her and talked
with her. She is young, handsome, well
educated and has good taste, society
gentlewoman with domestic tastes"
"Well, father, you are not so old, and
since you admire her SO much, see no
reason why
''Stop your nonsense and listen. Spriggs
and had a talk over it when | was in
New York, and we have concluded if you
two come together, to chip in equally and
settle half million on you on your we'd
ding day With what you have you'll do
well enough for a while"
"But," demurred Philip, 81 don't like
Spriggs for father-in-law.
"Stuffl You don't marry Spriggs."
"And the name. just think of it'll
Spr-riggs!'
What. Of that? With marriage the
name is changed. | don't think she'll
gain much by it. Spriggs-Briggs. Six
of one and half-dozen of the other"
I'D like to oblige you, father. sup
pose | must marry some day, but it will
be some one love. and then, Philadel-
phia like, insist on woman of good
family"
See here, Phil" exclaimed the father,
who by this time was at white heat,
''you never knew me to break my word.
merely ask you to marry for your own
good / point out a wife in every way
suitable to you. Marry to please me,
and l will not only start you fairly in
/ life now, but leave you all have when
am gone. Marry to suit some foolish
fancy of your own, and I'L-yes, I'll
found an asylum for idiots. Now you
understand me" And Briggs marched
off, leaving his son to his meditatIons
IF stay here" said Philip to him
self, "father and | will quarrel. Better
give the dear old gentleman chance to
cool of. I'll ruralize little"
That afternoon Philip packed port
manteau, and with a fishing rod and
mineral hammer, started off to Mont
gomery county, where an old college
mate of his had married and settled,
and whom he had long promised to visit.
When he arrived there he learned that
Boudinot and his wife had gone to Long
Branch for the season, and their SER
wants with them, the house being in
charge OF a caretaker. Philip heard of
good fishing in a stream four miles off,
and concluded to try it. He found lodg-
ings at farmhouse near the place, owned
by a man named Seth Cooper.
But neither that day nor that week did
he see any woman other than Mrs. Coop
er or the hired girl.
AS he sat upon the veranda one after
noon debating the matter, a wagon was
driven up the lane and stopped at the
door. Lightly out stepped a young wo-
man in neat travelling dress, and the
driver followed her with a large trunk,
under which he staggered, burly as he
was. Mrs. Cooper came from the kitch'
en- and exclaimed: "Why, it's Gwenny,
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