Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-07-11
UNCLE CoTTLES WOOING.
Tim Gave Away His Prospects, His I'm
Gle and the Bride.

chair and spoke with an air OF invinoi-
bic decision.
"What, again." drawled his nephew
YEARLY
Again sir? When was married be-
fore?"
But this isn't the first time you We
been going to DO it, uncle; that's what
meant" Tim explained. DO l Kno"
the favored LADY,"
cts Miss Sibyl Holt, Tim" said IN
Gle Cottle. confdentially. The most
,ovely-the-the-oh-h! l met her the
ether evening at Mrs. Dynham's silver
wedding party. and she quite seemed TO
take TO me. I'm older than she is, ne
sighed pecsively, but look good ten
wears Younger than l am; don't you
think 500"
Young Tim regarded him crltlcaliy
without hazarding an opinion. lie was
past middle age. and locked lt-a 1uii
bodied little gentleman, with snort
dumpy legs and a bland, moon-hKe lace
whose prevailing expression was OF I'M
perturbab,e simplicity.
Have you propOsed?'
"Why. no. I've only seen her once
Besides" Uncle Cottle sighed again
Pm so shy. you know, Tim-so INFER
nellv shy, The only time | ever man
aged to propose was when l wrote 10
that widou-you remember, you help
ed me with the letter-and she never
answered. You didn't say, he ADDED,
whether you knew Miss Holt
Il don't remember to have met her.
All, If you had you couldn't forget
her. She's an aunt you'll be proud OF,
my boy
But she may not appreciate the hon
or Of obtaining me for nephew.
eff she refuses me, Tim-if | lose her
as I've lost al the Others cried Uncle
Cctte wildly, Il shall think there's a
curse on me, and I'll give inr-Ill never
love again, I'll live and die single!'
Young Tim hoped he would. Uncle
Cottle had been his guardian ever since
he was quite a boy. but since he came OF
age. some six years ago. he had rather
reversed the position of affairs, and
looked upon Uncle COttle with the jeal-
Gus eye OF a sole proprietor who didn't
want anybody to NEEDLE with his bust
ness.
I'm his only relative" he complain
ed TO his crony, Ted MerrowS as they
sat at breakfast next morning in the
chambers they tenanted in common.
whats his is mine. He's said so lots
of times. If he gets married, though
his wife viii expect at least half, and il
he has children-there'H be no meat left
on the bone for me-
They were both reading for the bar
but Ted Merrows put aside his paper for
the moment and placed all his intellect
al the service Of his friend.
Whats the use looking black about
it? Don't put on the poultice prema-
turely-frst catch your cold He's
been gcing to marry often enough be-
fore"
But he's never seemed SO determined
as he is now. He's dying his hair and
cultvating a figure"
Gone so far as this" exclaimed
Ted. Then I'm afraid nothing will
stop him"
q shall try, anyhow" growled Tim
"If can't hit On anything better
shall tell him I've found out she's en-
gagged. I've stopped him twice like that
he's so nervous and afraid Of seeming
presumptuous. That widow was the
most daneerOus-three months ago.
really thought I'd ,ost him that time
He was so bewitched he was going 10
call at her house, only | persuaded him
it wasn't etiquette AID that he ought
TO write first and disclose his sentiments
and ask permission to call. l under
took to post the letter on my way home
here TO the Temple. and | put it in the
fire. When he got no answer he wished
he hadn't written-felt that he had been
impertinent and that she was offended.
Suppose he meets her and mentions
ito"
He daren't. 7 know him too we'll
He'd be so ashamed and panic-stricken
he'd run away at the sight OF her
"Well. you've been lucky so far, but
it can't 60 on like this forever OBJ
served Ted Merrows. Take my tip
and make hay while the sun shines.
How do you mean?'
you are old enough to marry, and as
your uncles sole heir you'd be valu-
able article in the matrimonial market
But if he marries, you'll find yourself
on the shelf among the damaged goods
ard remnants. Dispose Of yourself
while you are still an heir and the fit
ting lord for an heiress. You cant
stop the old man marrying, but you car
take care he doesn't spoil you by marry
ign first
But l don't know anybody" remon.
Stratad Tim How am | to find thS
heiress. get introduced and engaged anC
marry her out of hand in
''YCu might find one through the mat
rimonial journals
NONSENSE Heiresses don't adver
tise."
Don't they? All heiresses are not il
society. Some OF them want to ge
there. and they advertise. They would
MT marry a gentleman with nothing
perhaps, unless they happened to bC
old or ugly; but they would be glad K
snap up a man like you, moving in goct
society. with a liberal allowance from
your uncle with hopeful prospects
Then if your uncle deserts you after
wards. her money will keep the vol
from the door and save you from work
ing yourself to death"
Young Tim had a morbid horror o
poverty and overwork and that stcr!
haunted him all day. 1t shone through
his dismal forebcdings like the moor
through a mist; it seemed almost to-
good to be true. He dined alone tina
evening at a restaurant in the Strand