The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1892-09-10

Wouioii dcccpG Charity IfOm you IL
were starving! And it is not neces-
sary, as am engaged, and Mr.. Horace
is amply able to see that do not come
to want"
Dot retired, overcome by the stupen-
dous intelligence, as Miss Marvale in
tended she should be.
II am sure congratulate you," she
murmured, "and l hope if you ever
need friend you will not hesitate
Bother your friendship" exclaimed
the irate lady, rising; 81 think we can
dispense with each others company,
and as cannot ask you to leave your
own house will take the liberty of re-
firing myself"
That evening the will was discussed
over hundred tea-tables, and many
queries, wonderings and II told you
so's'' passed to and fro. What the old
lady had seen to admire in Dot SO
much, what had become of all the
wealth she was supposed to have
owned, why she had left paltry old otto
man to Bertha, who had been so faith
full. and SO forth, were all dutiful-
ly discussed, and left as unsatisfactory
ly disposed of as before.
In little meager private Office down
town Mr.. Peter Horace sat, with
his head resting dejectedly in his
hands and a general air of forlorn de-
spondency in his attitude. He had for
forty years loved himself, his money
and his single blessedness more than
anything else on earth. If ever a wom-
an had stirred the region under his
shirt-front where his heart is supposed
to beat it was pretty, saucy, gay little
Dot Mayburne. And yet he had delib-
erately engaged himself to marry a
plain, prim, elderly maiden, who pos
sessed nothing in the world more valua-
BILE than wornout foot stool.
What donkey he had been! And
how had it come about? Why was not
Bertha Marvale the heiress, as he had
calculated upon2 The old lady's money
seemed not entirely accounted for,
either. Bertha had lived in the house
for years, and he had deemed her per-
son of great good sense; yet she must
have bungled in her management some
how.
Then he burrowed deeper in his out
stretched arms, and thought it all over
again. Suddenly bright idea struck
him. Did not people invariably, in
stories and romances, who had queer
old legacies left them knock them to
pieces, sooner or later, by accident, or
in f1t of i'll temper, and find them
uffn1 full Of rro1J x>;ona.o
This was certainly the solution of the
eccentric gift, and also accounted for
the missing wealth which every body
seemed SO sure existed some where. He
sprang up and paced the room in a
sprightly manner quite at variance
with his former moody demeanor.
II will play the disinterested lover"
he said; II will swear to be true, come
veal or come woe, and thus gain the
appreciation of the entire community.
I'll marry the poor, disinherited Bertha
Marvale, and at the very first dawning
OF matrimonial infelicity I'll kick that
beastly footstool viciously across the
floor. Then won't be astonished to
see the papers and gold roll out? Won't
l clasp my fearful companion in my
arms, magnanimously forgive her, and
calmly take possession of her fortune?
What lucky idea of mine that was!"
Miss Marvale was deeply gratified at
being assured of her lovers devotion
and disinterestedness, and her spirits
and dignity rose in proportion. Indeed,
she carried herself in the presence of
her unpretending cousin as though she
were the heiress and Dot the insignifi-
can't possessor of a footstool She
claimed the right to remain In the house
which had been her homo so long till
she should be married from it, and, as
far as appearances went, might as well
have been the mistress of Marvale
Mansion.
Mr.. Horace rented a pretentious
house and furnished it completely, re-
ferring with beautiful Difference to his
betrothed's taste in everything.
"Be sure and bring your footstool,"
he said, playfully, land we will dedi-
cate whole corner to II. would not
keep house without it for the world"
And Miss Marvale thought this very
delicate in him, as it might naturally be
supposed the stool would be a disa-
greeable object
They were married, and the wedding
was the event of the season." Dot was
not invited, but she was busily engaged
elsewhere, and did not mind the ne
glect; and, when Bertha left the old
house to enter her brand new home.
Dot and her happy husband, Willard
Hayes, moved in.
For few weeks everything went on
smoothly. Mrs. Horace carried herself
with great deal Of dignity, as became
the newly-wedded wife of well-to.do
money lender and the mistress of a
handsome new residence. Indeed, the
people of the place paid her
more attention than they did the real
heiress, who was so little like a wealthy
matron that the fact was almost for
gotten.
Mr. Horace bore his happiness quiet
" and contained himself with patience.
Perhaps he was little irritable in the
privacy Of the domestic circle, but he
was only preparing for the grand mo-
ment when it would be appropriate to