The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-07-02

chances In life. For her 10 persist ia
the folly they have arranged win be- 90
deprive him 81 a quarter If q million
OF property and n brilliant career
" Pardon me, said aunte with a
narrow escape from a snort 10 win bo
your iault and yours only II these
losses be visited upon your SON. 10
is you who threaten 90 cast him ont
pouuiloas No one else has thought Of
being cruelty unjust toward him
You are mistaken, madam.
have told this young lady that the
matter rests entirely in her hands
She has the deciding power
You are accusing yourself Of
moral eowardice, sir. You profess Dc
love your son, yet you stand ready o.
cast him out as a pauper provided
you can blind your conscience by nc.
cusing someone else Of the enormity.
Laura's love is such that IL will cling
10 him after You have stripped him
Of what appears to have supreme
value IN yOur eyes. You propose to
difown your own flesh and blood.
When you have done your worst, she
viii share the fate you so unnaturally
inhict'
You employ strong language,
madam. But IL Is not for you to say
how much my heart enters into this
affair. There are social considera.
tons that you cannot appreciate. To
ignore them by permitting this mar
riage 10 take place would be 10 place a
milestone about my sons neck. But !
see a possible way out Of the difficulty,
and have presented it to your daugh-
ter. II she will 60 at my expense to
any Of our more select seminaries,
where she can acquire the education
and the accomplishments such as
should be had by the wife Of brood
Harris, the objections I now urge will
be withdrawn. But she fatty re-.
fuses
"Now auntie was grand in her an
ger OF course she resented as well
as refused, sir. Such an offer was an
insult 10 a Wilcomb. Social consider
atoms, indeed Then she opened
with grape and canister. DO you
speak French, German and italian in
addition to your native tongue, Mr..
Harris? Are operate managers be.
sieging you to sing on the stage?
Were you ever abroad three years at
a time improving your mind and ming
ling in society at the European capi-
tails? Can you tell me the name Of
your great-great grandfather? How
many of your direct antecedents fought
in the revolution? What is your fam
lily coat Of arms? What dignitaries Of
state are attracted here because Of
your provincial greatness? What one
Of your proud race in either branch
ever sacrificed a million to help loyal
friend? ~
Il tried to stem the rushing current.
Why go into family matters, auntie?
"'Don't interrupt, Laura. This
man invited it. For him to raise the
question of family when I took such
credit to myself for waving it in his
behalf hope, sir, that you will in.
form yourself before you again under.
take a matter so delicate, and if you
do withhold that boys patrimony We
will not be without compensation.
, " How so, MADAME" asked Father
] Harris, who was more nearly van
pushed than he had ever been before
, " 1T will not be necessary for us tt
; meet his father again.
30, auntie, 1 exclaimed, that is
not like you.
I think that madam is very con
! sistent in her language Then turn
: ing to me he calmly admitted that ht
! might have underestimate me ant
: asked me if I would sing for him.
"'She could scarcely be expected t
sing for a quarter of million Of dol
lars under existing circumstances, de
clared auntie sarcastically. had NJ
! idea that man of his Temperament
: could be passionately fond of music
but felt that he had gone through
I, very bad half hour, thought of DrooC
! and sang an old Scotch love song
= sang as L never sang before, for it wal
the cry of my heart to its lover.
could scarcely believe it, but Fathe.
y Harris has since admitted that Their,
: were tears in those cold grey eyes o
:, his, and he had me sing until ring q
! the door bell announced some one els
= to be entertained. Then he put hi
~ arm around me, looked down into m,
L face with smile that had lost every
I thing but tenderness, and told me HOY
proud he would be to have me for
! daughter. 4 was foolishly mistaken,
y he said, but my son should be a sufi
= cient peace Offering Then he added
y disconnectedly; Your aunt is certainl,
= a remarkable woman
" TT was only little later, yor
!. know that I unexpectedly came into
% fortune which we had given up a
lost, but in the meantime it had bee
! arranged that auntie was to becom
my mother-in-law How those tw