Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-22
q yellow Qster.
~ 10TH
CHAPTER XVIII.

round for a cab at the street corner.
''If had money | should send him TO
Paris" he went on as soon as he had
settled himself comfortably, the Ken
sington methods are no manner of use
to him It's the deuce of q shame too,
that he has to attempt finished work
for a living when he should be sweat
ing over the primaries; and that color
mania-that will get chronic and over
grow him, and then God help him.
AS it happened Lady Mary was at
home and quite wide-awake. AS a
rule this was not the case until much
later Il th2 day. but just now various
'nin-S confined to keep off sleep.
When Strange was announced. she
was sitting well-screened from the
small bright fire, gazing in soft medi-
tatiOp 1T her plump white hands, with
the corners of her mouth slightly
drawn dow inward, and her smooth
rounG forehead wrinkled up in a way
that would have gone 70 the heart Of
stone to see in such picture of COM
fort rs she was made to be.
''II:in phreyr' she exclaimed, making
a vain try ut u spring and Hopping
down again Imply, Humphrey"
Myself ana no other" said Strange,
receiving her kiss cheerfully. and set
Ting himself into Il chair after he
had shaken it to see if it would bear
II needn't ask you how you are, Aunt
Moll you look just as you always did,
like a catkin"
"A what, Humphrey" she inquired
anxiously.
"a catkin, we used to call them Cos
lings, soft oval, pale gold, silky, fluffy
masses-you have weakness for ad-
jectives / know, judging from the line
in literature you patroDize. The
harshest wind has never been known
to ruffle a gosling, it always skips
them, they always feel warm to the
touch, as If the sun were on them.
they are delicious things. The sun is
always on you, Aunt Moll, amt it?'
"Ah, Humphrey, you little know,
you can make but Il faint guess at my
troubles, the death of my dear
aunt Moll, Well skip that"' inter
runted Strange, with twinkle.
He knew quite we'll what an I'M
mixed relief the deceased peers re
moval was to all his kith and kin,
more especially to his wife.
"If you recollect, before l went to AL
geria we agreed to let my uncle rest
undsturbed in his present retreat.
which, from what we know Of his past.
10 IN hi no toy
his faults may have been no one can
deny tbat he was q most exclusive
person and had Il very just notion of
his position"
Dear Humphrey That fippancy!
l had hoped that the many dangers
you have experienced, the many times
you have come face to face with
death--and, Humphrcy-with Eternity
would have brought the seriousness
of life before your eyes"
Aunt Moll, the sight of you there in
that chair brings that view Of the case
more clearly before me thar ever the
sight of death did"
Lady Mary again looked anxious
her nephew always made her feel like
that, his eyes seemed to rake her from
stem to stern and to find some mute
amusement in the process. Suddenly
she gave a little start.
What have ] been thinking off,"
she murmured. Humphrey" she be
gan again. Eve must speak of your
prospects"
She was bubbling over with them as
it happened, besides, they would keep
him off her.
what are you thinking of doing
now?"
what l have always been thinking
Of doing and have never done yet,
making the result of my face to face
encounters with death-and Eternity
of some practical value to the world
in general and to myself in particular,
by filling my trousers pockets, which
ut this present moment contain one
pound six and three pence, and that's
mostly due for beer"
Humphrey! Have you heard moth
ing? Your letters?"
81 never read them For Heavens
sake. speak. diyulge, I'm ready for
anythingr'
Your great uncle is dead-died last
month. Before he went he confessed
. heavy sin that had lain for years on
his soul, poor dear creature. That
great lanky son of his, about whom. as
you know, | always had a nasty feel
Ing, as If he We're not altogether quite
right, as if somehow he was not one
of us. This now proves to have been
a quite prophetic instinct, he turns
out to Acknowledged and you,
you. Humphrey. are the heir"
81 say! It's beastly hard lines on
Tom!'
Strange was quite as staggered with
the news. as any other younger son in
his condition would have been. 1t vi
brated through and through him. but
as one cannot clothe thunder in
harmonies any more than one can q
tumultLous muddle of sensations in
speech in the presence of a woman in
clined TO gush and stoutness, he swal-
lowed his muddle and was f1ippant.
Humphrey" said Lady Mary with
dignity. wondering a little if Hum
phrey himself We're quite right '"This
minute you have ten thousand year.
and you. my nephew, are Sir Hum
phrey Strange"
"Am I? You'll be astonished to hear
l don't feel a bit like it. feel exactly
as l did before. Is there any differ
ence to the naked eye. if so. do you
mind telling me?"
Lady Mary stirred uneaSily and