Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-07-06

period extending over about six years,
not more and only trifle less-that
will was in Mrs. Dunkirk's possession,
| and, so far as we can divine our senti-
ments in regard to it, she was entirely
satisfied with the document, and was
willing that it should stand as her last
will and testament Now, the next
point that 1 propose to take up this
morning, if can do so without consum-
| ing too much time, is in reference to
| Hamilton Dupont. l consider it i'm
| portant for me to have his history, so
far as it is known to you, clearly in my
mind. His arrangement from Mrs.
Dunkirk, and the uncertainty in
which, to this day, that unhappy affair
has involved the fate Of his daughter,
are matters Of vital Importance to u.s.
Will you, therefore, please tell me brief
" what you know of the history of
Hamilton Dupont?'
And with pencil poised over his note
book, North waited for the recital.
Mrs. Maynard began at once.
CHAPTER XIII
| King-Let US from point to point this story
| know. Ais Well That Ends Well.
| Hamilton Dupont was the youngest
of a large family, of which, by the time
he reached the age of tweaty-one, he
and Mrs. Dunkirk were the only sur
| vivors The eldest Of the children,
| Mrs. Dunkirk, was more than twenty
! years older than Hamilton: a disparity
| in age that prevented them from hav-
ing any common interests or pleasures.
! All the other children died in infancy,
and Mrs. Dupont died when Hamilton
was in his tenth year. He was wild
and ungovernable in his boyhood, and
as he grew older he became so incor-
| rigible that his father, who was a very
| hard, stern man, disinherited him."
"And-pardon the interruption, but
one question, please-how soon after
this did Mr.. Dupont's death occur?'
Il really do not know, positively, but
| it could not have been many months
| after. Hamilton was only twenty-one
when his father died."
''And after this sad event Mrs. Dun
kirk and Hamilton We're the only sur
viving members of the family.
Do you mean by this their immediate
family, their fathers family, or, in a
broader sense, that there were no col
lateral branches, no cousins of any de-
| gree?"
II used the expression as Mrs. Dun
, kirk herself did, in it's broader sense.
She frequently spoke OF the fact that
her family was so nearly extinct. She
had not a relative in the world, she
said, of whose existence she had any
| knowledge"
'She was a widow, was she not, for
many years?"
'She was. DR.. Dunkirk was lost at
sea on his way to Europe, few years
after their marriage. OF course, though,
Mr. North, you know all this" she add
ed, checking herself with a weary little
smile.
| North also smiled.
"Well,'' he said, ''my ono question
has grown to several. I beg your par
don for this long interruption. Will
you please proceed, Mrs. Maynard?''
"Where was L? Indeed, I have for
gotten
"You spoke last" observed North, re-
| ferring By a glance to his notes, ''of
Hamilton Dupont's reckless course,
which resulted in his being disinherited;
and my first question elected the fact
that within comparatively short time
after this event his father died"
"Oh, to be sure. Now don't expect q
| detailed history, Mr.. North, for my in
| formation is extremely fragmentary;
but it is certain that there had always
existed between Mrs. Dunzirk and her
| young brother barrier of cold reserve,
which time and his hayward conduct
only increased. Mr.. Dunlzirk was not a
| woman possessed of warm affections.
Her regard for people was purely mat
ter Of intellectual esteem. If her stern
Judgment approved them, that was suf-
| ficient; if not, there was no tender voice
in her heart to plead their cause.
There was little in Hanilton's hayward
life of which she could approve; hence
her total arrangement from him.
latter the death Of their father. how
ever, she seemed to feel the loneliness
| she turned to her brother Hamilton for
sympathy and companionship. He was
in trouble of every sort, drifting about
in the world without aim or purpose.
| friends or prospects. She offered him
everything-a home, wealth, social adj
vantages, asking only that he renounce
| his youthful follies and strive for the
future to devote his talents and ener-
| gies to some useful and honorable pur-
suit. She finally induced him to accept
this offer; and, having established him
beneath her roof, she made every effort,
| faithfully, if not always wisely, to re-
claim him from the error of his ways.
| His education was fair, although he
had never completed any regular course
of study, having been three times ex-
| PEELED from college. Mrs. Dunl1irk
urged him to enter one of the learned
professions, and, though he had no in
| clination for such career, he finally
yielded to her opportunities, choosing
| the study of medicine; and while he was
pursuing the course at the university,
| she settled upon him a handsome al
lowance for his own personal expenses.
HE was not long in attracting q
large and brilliant circle of acquain-
tances, for his dashin1 manner and
| reckless style of expenditure made him
universally popular. All this, however,
interfered with more important mat
tiers; he could not respond to the con-
slant demands Of society and at the