River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-12-24

1.-THE same time you are the one of my
two nephews who is not a fool You
are an ornament to my family. and, as
| never hold with leaving money away
from ones relations or splitting for
tunes, il is nv intention TO leave every
penny possess to you. lon knew this
vaguely before. fancy. Now you have
the matter in a nut,hell
Perhaps 30. But oh. how to crack
that nut satisfactorily?
Whereupon said sperately:
There is some one else who has cap
tured not only my fancy. but my whole
heart-ali the best of me. IL only you
once saw her. my dear aunt, / know
you could not help loving her, too. II
would be impossible. | verify believe,
not To admire her and grow fond of her.
If you will just let me bring her-if you
will just see her"
Never" Mrs. Upcher banged the
table between rs hard with her fiat
hand; her withered face flushed lit.
tie, her bead-like old eyes glittered
How dare you talk 10 me of gratitude:
4 fine way you have of showing your
affection, indeed, Have | not paid for
your schooling at Eton, and given you
an allowance in your crack cavalry
regiment and made you the promise oi
being my heir? What right have YOU
TO cross my wishes?'
The right of every individual mar
or woman came from IN in as st:fieC
a tone, for we were not of the same
stock for nothing, and my temper hac
risen To no less a height than that OF
my opponent. You did not buy mt
body and soul. even with all these ben
efits. Did | not win prizes at school
and pass third with some honor at my
examination for the army? Have
not distinguished myself sin ce in active
service, and even done so again lately
as you said yourself not ten minut es
ago."
well, sir?''
We'll. Aunt Agg, l may be poor
but can claim To be no beggar. The
money you spent on me | have USED
we'll Please recognize that | have woT
fair place for myself in life; even il
the army l could. and would, support
myself on my pay and by the abilities
it has pleased Heaven TO give me, were
it a necessity"
Yes. You have made use of my
money" the old lady screamed, inter
spersing her words with sudden pauses
and snorts of wrath. you own it! II
has got you on; has placed you where
you are And now you dare turn against
me. and bite me in the heel like ser
pent. You would crow over me-would
your
IL am neither growing nor biting
Only"
Il say you are, Now, listen to me.
Henry Upcher" land my aunt smartly
smacked her old and bony fore fingeI
on the tablet Il tell you this (smackl },
like Margaret Macintosh. She has
been a sort of daughter to me, and
am growing old and lonely. I'm not
going to leave her out in the cold
tsmackl. so either you give up this fool
ishness of yours, or | give you up
There"
A final smack. which made me long
to shout: Cut me off with shilling, il
you like, but stop doing that"
Silently rising, | said, gravely:
There is no choice possible for me
/ cannot in honor give up my promised
wife to please you, and would a thou
sand times refuse if even could. Mar
garet is a good girl. and will bear
her no grudge if you make her You
heireSs'
You are fool-a fool, Harry,
shrielSed my aunt IL won't! I'll leave
il all to Dicky Colson, your cousin
He'll jump at Maggie, though she, poor
goose, would have given her eyes for
you"
''Good-by, Aunt Agg," | interrupted
| firmly and gravely. God bless you.
and | marched straight out of the room
re treating with all the honors of war
Even as closed the door seornfu
grunt or two annoyed my ears, Will
the bitter taunt: lilo! SO we are on oui
high horse; but just wait six months
my fine young man, and see if you dom
come TO your senses" Six months later
was married and on my way out to
India, having got an appointment on
the staff of a friendly general whose
galloper had been in our last cam
paign. And mere ends fyette the first
"a the old poet used 10 say.
Ring nm the curtain now on an In