The morning news., 1892-02-21

"Wel he answered, why doesn't your
husband bring them here himself instead OF
sending you with themp
My husband !" seid Matilda, feeling very
much inclined 20 cry, "missed tie ship.
suppose he's on his way 10 England now but
haven't had time TO hear about him.
We'll" the lawyer responded. you'll
have 20 walt until be comes here Take the
papers with you and take care Of them"
But suppose" she urged, Suppose he
should have an accidents Suppose be
shouldn't come back for a long timei Sup
pose shouldn't be able 10 find out where be
ism
"Then," said the lawyer, calmly, you'll
have % wait. So long as your husband is
simply missing it will be impossible to ad-
minister the estate. If at any time he
should be proved to be dead you could take
out letters OF administration"
90" cried Matilda, bursting into tears,
'you mustn't talk in that way"
The lawyer took off both pairs Of specta-
cles, polished them. and put them on again,
but returned no answer.
Matilda had cried 50 much during the
last three months that tears came easy %
her. and their suppression, when once she
had allowed them to start, was difficult.
Il don't think" said the lawyer, dryly,
that there is anything more to say at
present. Mrs. Potter When your husband
here. You had best leave your address so
that l can let him know your whereabouts
Immediately"
She was pretty in her way, was Matilda,
and by Sans affectionate care in Mel
bourne, rather prettily attired, and even a
lawyer can be human when he sees a
pretty girl in tears. Her adviser gathered
together all her papers for her, slowed them
away in huge legal envelope, and pressed
ba kaf xvffh
he patted her shoulder with the other
Come, come, my dear madam, don't give
give way. Your husband may arrive at
any moment. There is no reason to think
of anything serious in the accident Of his
delay. There. there. Good morning, Mrs.
Potter. Good morning"
Matilda found herself in the outer cell in
this congeries of legal dungeons before she
had composed herself or had even drawn
down her veil.
This way. sir" said clerk, as the door
opened, and the little woman In her confu-
sion walked plump into the arms OF the
Rev. Jordan Farrell.
my dear young lady" said the clergy
man, Il am sorry to see you in distress.
What ia the matter3 Can be of any service
to you"
tilda. 81 am little bit upset, that's all"
into the square, whence she hurried home
ward. She loved Sam-that was indubita-
BILE. II was hard, very hard, to lose him.
But TO think that for so long as he
might choose or be enforced to stay
away she herself might De compelled to rely
upon her own efforts for a livelihood, made
the loss of Sam no more tolerable. She
married Sam because she loved him-cer-
tainly, but when she married him she had
haara on1 WkuN baa 81, r.. Ia
the rest of her lifetime. A hundred and
forty pounds was a great sum, and she had
never in all her life till now had so vast an
amount at her disposal, but after all it was
q poor equivalent for an assured 9400 a
year. and thoughts of possible poverty be-
act her mind. 1t would be unreasonable to
stay on with Aunt Thoms, eating the ex-
pensive bread Of idleness, whilst her fortune
diminished until at last she should be forced
to put her hand to the plow and extort her
own living from the stony soil Of the
world.
suppose" she said to Miss Thoms on
reaching home, that anything dreadful
has happened to my husband. Ny money
would soon go. aud the lawyers say they
can't give me any more until he comes home
unless | can prove that he's dead OF OlOl
I'd better find something to do, aunt. ]
shan't find time to grieve 80 much as should
If | was idle"
Aunt Thoms concurred, and whilst the
two were still talking there came a ring at
the bell as on the previous day, and, as on
the previous day, the Rev. Jordan Farrell
entered moment later.
81 hope | do not intrude my sympathies
-"he began In his formal, clerical manner,
"but | fear this young lady i:
in some distress. Even in worldly matters
may not be incompetent to advise, and il
1 am really not intruding-"
Miss Thoms would only be too grateful
for Mr.. FarrelIs advice. Matilda was
equally willing to benefit by his experience
The tale was told in sustained duo, but
was brief and simple enough to be under
stood at once. Mr.. Farrell commended the
young-ah-lady's resolution. 1t was com.
mon sense. 1t was indicative of-ah-
courage. He would be pleased if 1t were in
his power to advance the-ah-young lady's
wishes. Had he not, he asked, peerine
doubtfully at her over his glasses, had the
advantage of meeting her somewhere be,
fore2
ut must have been In Melbourne" said
Matilda
"In Melbourneg" asked the clergyman, IN
some surprise. do you know Melbournep
Eyes, sir" Matilda answered. 81 was a,
Mr.. Hetheridge's at st. Kilda, when you
and Mrs. Farrell came to take the child
away"
Dear me-" said JO-don Farrell, "where
you the"
He knew the intense respectability OF
Miss Thoms. aud had already been intro
duced to the young-ah-lady as her niece.
He dared scarcely do Justice to his revivins
memory for fear of causing her offence.
"Yes, SIR" said Matilda. II was the
nursemaid at Mr.. Hetheridges.n
Dear me" said the reverend gentleman.
"In-deed-is that sos indeed"
1--WE got a little money, sir" pursued
Matilda, land of course my husband
might come home by any ship and claim
me. and then l should have to go back to
him, but If he doesn't come home by the
next ship | must Degin to think of doir
something. and If you wouldn't mind I'm
sure the little girl was used to me and shed
take to me again quite kind, Pm sure, and
should be better to her than anybody else
would, because her father was my poor Sau
-Sam-Samueps dearest friend"
This last statement sounded q little
enigmatical TO the clergyman. but 1t might
so easily have been true that he forbare tc
question it for the moment
"The child's father" he said, ''is dead
and am in town on a matter connected
with the administration of his estate Thai
estate, he continued with the complacency
of man who speaks of large sums OF
money, even when they are not his own, ''is
more than considerable. Indeed, may say
without exaggeratlon that it is vast. On
her coming of age at IS my youthful
charge will inherit a sum approaching, ever
II 1t does not exceed, half million sterl.
ing. The educatiop-even the earliest edu
catlon-of child destined to SO large {