Middletown transcript., 1891-05-14


his mind to his business, but wasted
his time over what Adam sometimes
called his menagerie, for the croft
house was almost a Noah's ark in its
way. The chance visitor was certain
to find at every season of the year lit
ter of pups before the kitchen fire, and
an old owl and still more ancient mag
pie carried on an unceasing struggle
for the favorite perch above the
kitchen clock. What had once been
the best bedroom was converted into
fight for canaries, and there were
always hanging about cages containing
fnches, linnets, thrushes, blackbirds,
and even sparrows, for Willie was a
noted experimentalist in the art of
crossing, and could show an assort-
ment Of the most strangely marked
hybrids. The garden was stocked
with bees and the barn with Russian
rabbits. Twenty different kinds of
fancy poultry were allowed to spoil
the crops, and the doYecote was i'm
habited by as many varieties of
pigeons. In the pigsty he had a
tame badger, and there was litter of
foxes in the outhouse and an otter in
another. Whatever had life had a
deep interest for Willie as it had
a deep interest for his father before
him, for, as well may be imagined,
these tastes were inherited. But he
gratifed them at the expense of agri-
culture. Everybody said the croft
would pay splendidly to man who
knew how to work it, but the Allans
were not likely to make a fortune
there or anywhere else.
It was, therefore, not without reason
that Adam was set against his niece
taking up with Willie /; he considered
it would be throwing herself away.
And he believed that he possessed a
powerful instrument for enforcing his
own view, for he had full command OF
Kitty's little fortune-something like
hundred pounds her by her
father, Adams elder brother, who
had preceded him in the occupation
of the Red Lion. Whatever it amount
ed to it was all in the big box that
stood in Adams favorite attic room,
for he had a deep-rooted suspicion of
banks, and, like many other country
folks of that time, held that his saw
ings could not be safer than under
his own lock and key.
g. If you marry Allan" he said to
Kitty, and she knew that no nice
scruples about right and wrong would
hinder him from keeping his word.
not a penny will you get from me-"
The truth was that he had quite
another scheme in his head. Why
should Kitty look beyond his son
Aleck True, they were cousins, but
the prejudice against cousins marry
ing was not strong in the neighbor-
hood, and then what advantages there
were Kate was a splencid manager,
and Aleck, though he had not his
fathers spirit and cleverness, was q
hard worker and very careful-toc
careful, some people said, for whereas
his father was only keen and saving
he was as mean and hard as miser
But in matching these are not defect;
to make party ineligible, and best
of all, thought Adam, /" there'll be no
need to divide the money And ac-
cordingly he spared no effort to en-
force his will, SO that poor Kitty had
a hard time of it, what with hel
unele's threats and the no more agree.
able persuasions of her money.grub-
bing suitor. Yet she was far toe
spirited to yield, and in her inmos'
mind was resolved to haYe both tht
sweetheart and the money, for whit
needed it If not careless, squanderine
Willie?
It was no fault in her eyes that he
lover cared nothing whatever lor he
fortune, though she would scold ant
rate him we'll for his indifference. On
winter night, as she was returning
from a neighboriDg village abou
/ three miles of, to which she had beer
sent by her uncle, Willie quite ac-
cidently met her, and they had 6
happy walk homeward along lane
on the snow covering of which th'
moonlight fell fair and softly, makinI
the hard wheel tracks glitter, AM
silvering the halfblack, half-whiten.
ed hedgerows. Willie never befor'
had seemed SO true and earnest ant
loyal as Kitty poured into his ear tn
story of her persecution.
"Never mind, lass" he said /" lie
him keep the money. I've a little
but I'm not in debt, and if you'll bu
, promise to come to the croft I'll-yes
Kitty-I'll sell every live thing
have and work day and night fo
you."
"No, no, Willie, there's no use 70
| that, but do you think I'll give u
my rights to please that wretche
> Aleck !? It's just what he wants, fc
me to marry you and leave every
thing to himr He would be please
to see me quarrel with uncle, for it
not me but the money he wants. BIT
, if he proposes again, do you know
I've q good mind to take him at b
word, Just out of spite. That's th
worst I could do to him"
) Whist whist r. Willie interrup
: ed her with !; you're jokin', lass
t but / dinna like it. Say anythin
: but that. You would never leave m
: for bit Of dirty gold"
' Would / not? queried Kilt.
, who was an incorrigible tease !" you
= maybe see him make runawa
match of it; aye, and glad you woul
| be after a while to get quit Of m
3 But here's the door. If I'm nj
0 away, I'll maybe be in the wood
Sunday night" and she.was Oft, lea
a ing Willie to go home SO thoughtf'
!, that he quite forgot to feed his tan
o fox until wakened in the night by
j. yelping, thing that had never hal
a pened in his life before.
, Business was verv dull in the " RI