River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-10-15

ing rlCueS arose from n nope lfsb IL
might enable them to have more ease.
That evening she seemed to tread on
air, SO light were her spirits.
Even Jabez. at the supper table, with
his everlasting knife. did not seem so
hard to endure. If money could not
make him use his fork. it could at least
do away with the presence of ''hired
hand" at the family table. a fine house,
grand piano, beautiful dresses-all
/ these were on the way TO her.
She sang over her dish-washing as
she had not done for a month.
''Margery seems more like herself to-
night than she has done since she came
home from school," said her mother to
4 her father.
On Saturday afternoon, when the
dOOrbell rang, Margery, arrayed in her
best gown, answered it herself and
showed her visitor into the parlor.
She was rather disappointed in his
appearance. lie was a very young
man, dressed in a checked suit. He
wore a flaming red and blue necktie,
and was redolent of hairoil and musk.
He did not look at all like the gray
haired lawyer whom Margery had eX-
pccted to see, but when he gave her
| his card. on which she read the name
of L. X. Singleton, she forgot her dis
appointment in her visitors appear
ancc an her eagerness to learn what he
had to communicate.
Il understood from your note that
Won are descended from Ephraim Tay-
Tor, who vas one of the early settlers
of Compton county," he began.
"Yes," replied Margery, eagerly.
''My mother is directly descended from
him. We can easily prove our descent
/ by old records
.'IIe seems to have been a remark
able man." said Mr.. Singleton.
YES, indeed, assured Margery. Il
have heard from my childhood stories
of the hardships he endured in that pio-
neer settlement"
Il am truly glad to hear you say so,
Miss Wishart," rejolned the visitor,
because you will be sure to take an
interest in what l am about to show
you"
Margery's heart thumped as he
I opened the satchel he had brought in
his hand What would he bring forth?
L y uftNA 10 a htSrtA estate. OF Il CHECK
on the bank of England?
1t was neither. 1t was a large vol
ume, bound handsomely and with gilt
edges. Margery was astonished. but
said nothing, for Mr.. Singleton had be-
gun TO talk as though he had no idea
of ever stopping.
You. being a descendant of the re-
nowned Ephraim Taylor. will be glad
to peruse this valuable work. 1t is a
/ history of Compton county, lately
published by Ayrton & Co, of New
/ York The best talent has been en-
/ gagged upon it, and no money has been
| spared to make it an attractive work.
/ a leading feature IS an appendix, with
[ biographical sketches of the leading
early settlers of the county. Among
others Is that of the renowned Eph-
rain Taylor, your illustrious ancestor.
Here you sec him engraved in steel"
The bewildered Margcry began to
realize that she was listening to a very
oily-tongued book agent.
She felt inclined to cry over her van
ished hopes, but she forced back the
tears and said. haughtily:
81 do not care for the book. Do not
/ trouble yourself to turn over any more
[ leaves"
ION. Miss Wishart. it's no trouble at
all know you viii want it when you
have examined It more closely. 1t is
only twenty dollars There is a linn
I tied number published, and it is sold
only by subscription; this will he yOur
sole chance of securing this record of
I your illus"
Il do not want it at ALL" interrupted
Margery.
IF you do not feel like paying for it
at once. you can pay for it on the in
stallment plan. BY paying dollar a
week you can in five months secure
this grand work, containing so much
valuable information concerning your
renowned"
/ Il do not care for it at any price, -
reiterated poor Margery.
"Oh, you'd better take it! Everybody
will want one. Fourteen different fam
[ lies have answered my advertisement "
Margery remembered the blue en-
velopes in the post office boxes. Her
wrath broke forth:
You know very well that they an
swered your advertisement because
they thought it related to the inner
itance of property"
well. well, likely they did" he adj
mitted. not all disconnected. ''Busi-
ness Is business, and n man must adj
vertise so as TO catch the public eye.
Here. however, Miss Wishart," he said,
returning TO the charge-''here is some
thing more valuable than a paltry in
heritance. As the Bible says: y good
name is better than great riches. ,
Here is something for poSterity.
Here Is the record of an illustrious an
cestor. who IS hound in half Russia and
gold and engraved in steel, all for
twenty dollars"
Margery was too angry to be amused
az the thought of so queer an ancestor.
II Will ask you to excuse me- she
said. rising.
Gould ] see your mother" asked the
I persevering young man.
My mother is busy"
''Ahi I am sorry for that. But, as
shall be in the neighborhood for some
days. l shall consider it no trouble to
call again and To present to her notice
this priceless work. containing such a
fine engraving of her illustriOus-"
Good afternoon" Margery fairly
snapped at him. determined to end the
interview somehow.
At last the man was gotten out of the
house. though the parlor retained the
odor of musk.
When she was sure that he was real
~ gone. Margery sat down for good
cry. Her English estate had proved to
be only a Spanish castle, after all
How foolishly she had acted all
week, She had neglected her plain,
hOmely duties, leaving them to her al
ready Overworksd mother. She had
almost snubbed Mrs. Thompson. and
had no doubt wounded poor, gentle
Genie's feelings. She had thought un-
kind thoughts of her dear old father.
and had felt ashamed of him because
he couldn't speak good English.
Then. too, she had brought on this
persistent book agent. who would no
doubt haunt the house for days
BY the time she had reached this
point. the humorous side of the whole
thing struck her. She dried her eyes
and went down 10 the kitchen.
"Margery, / wish very much you