The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-04

| EAsRGWEl@A sure of it, Joe?'
SJ@}3E=h IS Sure a
@.@=t-hs taxes" said Joe
RTIIITTim1ES~ Poppinger, with
a confident nod
of his head. "He's taken that old
stone house, the Haunted House, the
neighbors call it, and he's moved into
it, bag and baggage, which amt much,
by the way"
Sand servants With him, Joe?"
"Only one, a crooked old N as
threw a porringer of hot water owe
me when I came around to ak if I could
be of any use. IF they only owned g
black cat, I'd have the whole kit and
Doodle of 'em up for witchcraft.
never did come across such a queer
lot in all my life"
"Did you see the old man yourself,
Joe?"
"See him, Mr.. Herman? I seen a
bundle of old bones tied round the
middle with a palm leaf patterned
dressing gown and a flannel night-cap
on his head, and I s'posed there
couldn't be two s1ch outlandish old
customers going. He was a runnin'
in and out from the furniture van like
a crazy spider"
"That will do, Joe. Here is a dol
lar for you"
THANK zee, sir. Much obliged to
you, sir"
And the stable boy, who belonged
to the hotel, shambled away, ~grinnina
and pulling at the front of his cap,
while Herman Franklyn leaned, whist
ling, against the pillar Of the front
piazza.
SO old Miner Molineux had arrived
at last-the rich and eccentric rela-
tive, on the reversion Of whose for.
tune, real or supposed, he had all his
life been building aerial castles. At
last-and Herman resolved the very
next day to call and pay his respects,
although the old woman with the hot
water did not add to the delights of
contemplating this visit.
eff I hadn't heard from his lawyer
that he had taken a lease of the Stone
House," unused Mr.. Franklyn, II GER
tainly never should have buried myself
in this out-of-the-way place awaiting
his advent; and if I hadn't thought I
could work into his good graces never
should have taken the trouble to hunt
him up. Heigho! Sometimes I think
it would be easier to work for money
than to inherit it."
And so the next day Mr.. Franklyn
called.
Miner Mollineux received him very
coolly, sitting among his treasures,
like Marius amid the ruins of Garth
age. But FRANKLIN noticed that he
kept one hand on the ring Of a pad
locked iron box beside him as he
talked.
"Well, young man, and what do
you want?" he asked, impatiently,
when the old woman, who evidently
considered that MI. Franklyn was no
subject for the hot water treatment,
showed him in.
"To inquire after your health,
Cousin Miner" said the young man,
smoothly.
"Humphl My health is we'll
enough! Better than you wish it, I
dare say!"
L my dear sir"
"But it will make no difference to
you," acidly went on the old man,
still n~ervouslJ lingering the rings of
the iron box. "I don't deny that I
have a treasure to leave behind me
" Herman Franklyn's eyes glist-
ened-sBut it will be to those who
consult my wishes more than you have
done"
"But, my dear cousin"
"Words are very WE'LL" said the old
miser. Struggling his shoulders, 'tbut
deeds speak the loudest. You know
very we'll my aversion to matrimony
and you go and engage yourself to
get married to a girl who hasn't a
penny. Eli! Don't you?" in a rising
infection like a bark. "And then,
after coolly ~disregarding all my wishes,
you expect me to leave you this
this" tapping, as he spoke, on the
lid Of the box.
""But, Cousin Miner, if you wish
me, I will certainly adapt myself to
your opinions! l do not know that
-
'sStuff and nonsense" yelled the
old man. "What you know OF didn't
know is immaterial to me. Leave me
to my books and writing. That's all
I ask of any man living"
So Mr.. Franklyn went moodily
away.
81 must break my engagement"
said he to himself. "That's the first
thing. What the second will be de-
pends entirely on fate and fortune
Josie Hall was sitting in the farm
house kitchen. peeling potatoes. She
was o black-eyed, damask-cheeked
girl, with velvety eyebrows, and .
round red dot Of amouth; and in these
dark eyes glittered q light half resent
full, half anguish, as she looked straight
at Herman Franklyn.
ST understand" said she, 'you
want to break the engagement. Now
that your rich uncle has come to the
neighborhood I am no longer worthy
of you" :,
cit isn't that, Josie; believe me,
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