Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-02-14
CHAPTER II.
HOW EUsTAcE WAS DIsINHERIrED.

The fash had left the cloud, but the an
swering thunder had not burst upon the
ear. Mr.. Meeson gasped Then ne took
up the check which Augusta had thrown
upon the table and slowly crumpled it
What did you say, young manY he
said at last in cold hard voice
Il said that you ought to be ashamed
Of yourself, answered his nephew, stand
ing his ground bravely; and, what is
more, meant it"
"Ohl Now will you be so kind as to
explain exactly why you said that, and if
you meant itl''
Il mean it." answered his mel hew,
speaking in full strong voice, because
that girl was right when she said that
you had cheated her, and you know that
she was right. have seen the accounts
of 'Jemimas Vow saw them this
morning-and you have already made
more than thousand pounds clear profit
on the book And then, when she comes
to ask you for something over the beg
carly $50 which you doled out to her,
you refuse. and offer her 60 as her share
of the translation rights-23 as against
your elevenl'
go on, interrupted his uncle. Pray
go on.
"All right am going That is not
all; you actually avail yourself of dis
graceful trick to entrap this unfortunate
girl into an agreement whereby she be
comes literary bond slave for five years
As soon as you see that she has genius
you tell her that the expense Of bringing
out her book and of advertising up her
name, etc, will be very great-so great,
indeed, that you cannot undertake it
unless, indeed. she agrees to let you have
the first offer OF everything she writes for
hive years to come at somewhere about a
fourth Of the usual rate of successful
authors pay-though, Of course. you
don't tell her that You take advantage
OF her ineXPerience to bind her by this in
lquitOus contract, knowing that the end
OF it will be that you will advance her a
little money and get her into your power,
and then will send her down there to the
Hutches, where all the spirit and original
ity and genius will be crushed out of her
work, and She will E2come hat writer
like the rest OF them-for Nelson's is
strictly a commercial undertaking, YOU
know, and Nelson's public don t like
genius, they like their literature duh and
hoIy-and it's an internal shamel that's
what it is, unclel" and the young man,
whose blue eyes were by this time fash
ing fire, for he had worked himself up as
he went along brought his fist down with
bang upon the writing table by way Of
emphasizing his words.
''Have you done?" said his uncle
yes, I've done, and hope that have
put it plain"
Very well; and now might | ask you,
supposing that you should ever come to
manage this business if your sentiments
accurately represent the system upon
which you would procecdI'
of course they do | an not going to
turn cheat for anybody
THANK you They seem to have taught
You the art Of plain speaking up at Ok
ford, though it appears, with a sneer,
they taught you very little else Wei,
then, now it is my turn to speak;
and tell you what it is young man, you
will either instantly beg my pardon for
what you have said, or you viii leave
Nelson's for good ana all =
Il won't beg your pardon for speaking
the truth said Eustace, holly The
fact is that here you never hear the
truth; all these poor devils creep and
crawl about you, and darent call their
souls their own. shall be devilish glad
to get out of this place, | can tell YOU.
All this chickery and pokeTy makes me
sick. The place stinks and reeks of sharp
practice and money malling--lnoney max,
ing by fair means or foul
The elder man had, up till how, at all
events to outward appearance, kept his
temper; but this last flow Of vigorous
English was altogether too much for one
whom the possession of so much money
had for many years shielded from hearing
unpleasant truths pat roughly The
mans face grew like devil s, his thick
eyebrows contracted themselves, and his
pale lips quivercd with fury For a few
seconds he could not speak, SO GREAT was
his emotion When at length lie did,
his voice was as thick and laden with rage
as dense mist is with rain
You impudent young rascal" he
began; you ungl&teIul fOuudlnCl Do
you suppose that when my brother left
you to starve-which was all that YOU
were lit fOr-I picked you cut of the
gutter for this, that you should nave the
insoiCnce to come and tell me how II cen
duct my business? Now young man, I'll
just tell you what it is You can be off
and conduct business Of your own on
whatever principles you choose Get out
of Nelson's S. sir, and never dare to show
your nose here again or I'll give the
premises! And now, that isn't all I've
done with you; never you look to me for
another siXpence! I'm not going to sup.
port you any longer, can tell you And
what's more do you know what | am
going to do just now2 I'm going off to
old Todd-that's my lawyer-and I'm
going to tell him to make another will
and to leave every farthiug have-and
that isn't much short of e. 600 coo. one
way and another-to Addison and Roscoe
They don't want it, but that don't matter
You shant have it-no, not farthiDg of
it, and won't have pile like that frit-
tered away in charities and mismanape
ment. There now, my fine young gentle
man, just be off and see if your new
business principles viii get you a living 3"
"All right uncle, LIN going. said the
young man, quietly Il quite understand
what our quarrel means for me. and, to
tell you the truth, | am not sorry have
never wished to be dependent on YOU, or
to have anything to 90 with a business
carried on as Nelson's is have a hun
dred a year my mother left me, and with
the help of that and my education hope
to make living Still, don't want to
part from you in anger because you have
been very kind to me at times and. as
you remind NE, you PICKED me out Of the
gutter when ! was orphaned or not far
from it. So hope you will shake hands
before | go
All" snarled his uncle, you want to
pipe down now, do you? But that won't
do Off you gol ana mind You don't set
foot in Pompadour Hall" OR Nelson's
seat unless it is to get your clothes.
Come, CUT
You misunderstood me, said Eustace,
with touch of native dignity, which be-
came him very well Probably we shall
not meet again, and did not wish To part
in anger, that was all Good morning"
And he bowed and left the office