Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-12-10
CHAPTER ".
Promotion From the North

/
When Sholto Graham reached his
lodgings that evening, he found, as he
expected. letter from his sister. She
wrote as follows:
MY dear old boy, rejoice!
| L am engaged to be married to one
of the richest mem in Great Britain.
Sir Andrew Gwenap, one of the kind
est, dearest, men that ever lived He
has been coming to see uncle lately.
a great deal ON account of some equity
! symptoms in his right thumb. On one
or two occasions [ went into the wait
! ing-room to entertain him until uncle
was free, Then uncle asked him to
dinner, and-well, to cut my story
short, he has asked me to marry him.
You must get leave and come to the
wedding, which will be in three weeks
| time from today. Sir Andrews town
house is at Hyde Park Gate-a fashion
able locality, | am told, and a beauti-
full house. Dear Sholto, | shall be able
to forward your prospects in life now
for Sir Andrew is as influential as he is
kind Something better must be found
for you than a war-office clerkship, he
says. Sir Andrew has given me mag
niflcent set of pearls to wear on my
wedding day-these are only a few of
4 the costly gifts with which he has lad
en- me.
| Il am naturally up to my eyes in
business, SO must cut my letter short.
Believe me, dear SholtO, your affec-
tomato and happy sister
Margaret Graham"
| Sholto read this letter over two or
! three times, and detected in it the gen
uine ring of deep interest in himself
and fair promise for his future ca
reer. He glowed with qualification and
excitement as he dressed himself with
his customary care to go round and tell
the good news to Patrice- Suddenly
but not until he found himself at Capt.
Kelly's door, it flashed across his mind
that his sister had by this time re
ceived the tidings of his engagement to
| Miss Laugherene. He wondered if she
would feel as much pleased in his hap
piness as he did in the prospect of the
brilliant match she was about to make.
Il feel sure you got the specials post.
you look so triumphant" Patrice said
as he took her into his arms and kissed
her, and felt proud OF being honorably
privileged to do so, and before he could
answer she went on with rather trem-
ulous lips:
But, oh, Sholto, what shall I do?
How shall I live without you ali the
terrible timer
1--we withdrawn my application, and
my reasons for doing so-read it, he
said, as he handed her his sisters let
I ter.
She read it thoughtfuIly, and when
she gave it back to him she said:
"She will be very rich, hope she
will be very happy. Sir Andrew is quite
az old man r'
Never mind his age. The disparity
is on the right side. Do you see what
she says about forwarding my pros
poets? Maggie was always an ambi-
tious girl. She won't rest satisfied till
I've made mark"
In what way will she want you to
make a mark, do you think? Perhaps
she will get Sir Andrew to take you
into his house?"
THAT won't be the path she'll wish
NE to follow, you may make your mind
easy on that score. Maggie will not be
content to see me a mere merchant,
even if I could became a merchant
prince
Why not? She seems to be pleased
to marry a mere merchant"
You don't seem to underst and these
matters little woman he said, patron
izingly. Sir Andrew Gwenap will get
a wife with some of the best blood in
Scotland in her veins. She will forget
that she was born a Graham; the
Gwenap money will be a means to an
end. and that will be my success in
life"
Sholto, I can't bear to have you
speak in that way. You don't mean it,
I'm sure, you don't mean you will ever
sacrifice bit of your independence for
the sake of making a success by means
Of another mans money? 1 would
rather you remained war-ofice clerk
and hard-working press man all the
days of your life
mo, you wouldn't, my darling. When
we have 20 face the stern realities OF
domestic life you will infinitely prefer
that l should be in a position to give