The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-04-13
X. ROBERT BUCHANAN call

ed on his old bachelor uncle one
- afternoon In answer to note.
He was not in particularly pleasant
frame Of mind. AS he rang the bell he
was thinking what a very weary world
this is for a young medical gentleman
who has not enough of this world s
goods to fell justified in asking the
loveliest girl in the world, Enid Hum
phrey, to become his wife.
When ushered into the library, how
ever, he answered his uncle's greeting
with as CHEEKY nod as he could man
age, the two being really fond of each
other.
well, Robert" said the old gentle
man, getting down to business at once.
Il want to talk to you about your med
ical practice; how Is it progressing
Il am glad to be able to say that
progressing Is the right word, Uncle
Tom, but 1t is slow"
"Of course 1t is slow; what else did
you expect? Let's see. you have been
back from the university three years"
Yes, sir"
snow, will tell you what the trouble
is: you need wife. You must marry
and settle down.
II have known that for some time"
DR.. Buchanan gloomly assented.
"Have you? That is n good sign.
When man knows what he wants he
Is halfway on the road to its posses
sion. Why don't you get you wife"
Money" said DR.. Buchanan, brief
ly.
you mean lack Of money, suppose?
Now, how much would you consider
necessarily
with $4,000 and my practice-for
that is sure to increase-I would feel
safe In making the venture"
Yes. that ought to start you. l sup
pose you haven't picked out the girl
yet? Now am going to make you
an offer. The day you tell me some
nice, sensible girl has promised to
marry you will give you my check for
$4,000, along with my blessing. What
do you sayT"
81 say Il is CO." and Robert grasped
his unch's hand.
every good. but that Is not all. OF
course, my boy, do not want to inter
fere In your affairs. but-you know
Enid Humphrey, of course?"
"Yes"
"Well, her mother and I We're great
friends; 1t amounted to deal more on
my part, and that Is your old uncle's
romance. Now. my boy, l could not
get the mother. but If you. my nephew.
should happen to get the daughter |
should be very glad-and Robert. not
meaning to use any undue influence,
you understand, | would make that
check. say $25,000"
Robert seized his uncle's hand and
worked it up and down 800 to the min
ute his face bcamlng with delight and
gratitude.
"Uncle Tom" he gasped. you are n
brick of purest ray serene. You sit
right down and fill out that check. and
will be back for it in twenty minutes"
and he was gone.
Lord bless my SOUL said the aston
ished old gentleman. Il was evidently
mistaken about his not having yet pick
ed out girl"
Twenty minutes after leaving his
uncleA house he was sitting by her
side, an engaged man and one of the
happiest in the universe. He told her
the exact day and minute when he first
knew he loved her. she reciprocated, all
was bliss
Finally Robert declared that he must
go. you see" he said, II have very
important engagement with Uncle Tom.
In fact. my dear" with grin. ut Is a
matter of bread and butter for two"
81 don't understand"
"Of course not; women never do I'M
derstand that part Of it. But l am
going to clinch that very necessary ad-
5unct to matrimonial happiness this
very afternoon.
what on earth are you talking
about, RRobertT
at Is very simple. About an hour
ago Uncle Tom made me an offer;
promised to give III" a check for sos, 900
the instant that | could tell him that
you had promised to be my wife,
"Oh, indeedr'
"Yes, real clever In the old boy,
wasn't itT' said Robert, with a dim
perception that somebody had blum
dered.
Every clever. indeed. And very clever
in you to take such quick advantage
Of so generous an offer"
"Why, great goodness"
"But you are not so shrewd," she hur-
ried on. "ln telling me so soon Of the
great inducement that brought you
here this afternoon"