The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-09-25
"And YOU were not Elsie Whitfordp"

"Not myself at all, yeu stupid dear,
but it appears my mother died in my
infancy and was left to the care Of
Uncle Jacob Gregson, the gentleman
who called here to-day, who put me in
charge of Mrs. Whitford, paying her
large sums for my sapport."
Where is your uncle?"
"At the Tiff house. promised that
you would go up to the hotel this even
ing and call on him."
$50 will"
Don't be prejudiccd, Frank, but l
fear he is not a bit nice.r
Rough, ch?"
mo, but, oh, so intensely vulgar
however, you HsHst form your own con-
clusions."
And Franks conclusions were the
same as Elsie's. He had not been in
Mr. Gregson's presence five minutes be.
fore he mentally declared him to be the
most insufferable cad he had ever met,
and only to be tolerated for Elsie's sake.
$50 you're the chap that's caught tho
golden pigcon-rather bit of prlg,
l expect, but might be worse" was the
courteous greeting of the snowy
stranger.
"You are very candid" Frank smiled.
Candid! Jacob Grcgsons truth it.
self. Just ring that bell by your hand
and let us have nip of brandy, for
talllin's dry work"
mot for me-"
"Wcll, l thought you were prig.
Do you smoker"
with pleasure. Thank you."
He took one of Gregson's cigars,
though he distrusted it.
well, that's something IN your fa-
vor. Now, see here, young man, I've
come across the raging ocean-which,
by George! hate with all my soul-to
sec your wife on most important busi-
ness, but now she's married. Accord
ing to English law she's nobody, an
you, her husband, arc everybody; con-
sequently, I'm driven to open matters
to you."
You'll find me kccnly alive to my
wife's interests"
"Dcvil doubt you; but l want to find
you alive to mine, too"
ITO yours?"
YES, the game lies in my hands.
Here's young woman entitled to a
large fortune; here's young man mar
rics her; here's an cntcrprising uncle
a kind, good uncle, on whose bosom she
lay an innocent babe, whose hard-won
ducats have for years supported her.
Now the kind uncle says to the nice
young man, says he: You can never
learn one word of your wifc's fortune
without my aid. An the young man
says"-he paused, and, with drunken
lecr, winkcd expressivcly ut Grey
what do you think the young man
says?"
Frank smiled.
1.-The young man." he declared, "says
he would deal very libcrally with the
kind uncle"
spoken like a brick! Tip us yer
,fipper, old chap. You're the right sort
after ALL"
"Well, what does tho kind uncle pro.
pose to do?"
"Hcncans to give that nice young
man cool fifty thousand dollars a
year
Grey started with incredulous won
derment.
impossible" was all he could ejacu'
late. why, man, you must be dream
ing" He did not say drunk, though he
thought it.
II knew that 'ud take the starch out
of you, but it's gospel truth-ah, you
didn't think you'd gone in for such big
stakes, when you married the little gal
did yer?"
"If Elsie had never cent"
"Oh, yes, know all about that bosh
You're in your calf love now, an life'S
all molasscs an moonshine. She'll be
all the swecter for golden trimmin's
you bet yer life"
Grey felt strong inclination to kicA
his wifc's irrcpressible relative.
Gregson drew from his pocket q
legally prepared contract, securing tc