Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1899-12-28


Frank sat with his feet upon the fen
der drying his legs, for he had but re-
Gently walked from the Grange, and the
night being stormy, had not escaped
somewhat of wetting.
Edith had just taken her seat upon |
: stool by his side.
Nov, Frank, light your cigar and
tell me all about it, said she. II can
zee by your face that something is
wrong. Has not your uncle left you
mneh?"
ssHe has left me everything"
.'Good gracious! is that what makes
you sad?'
..There are conditions"
s s'sAnd what are those?"
81 must marry within a year"
4 'sWell?"
Al sa.And with the greatest possible lib
crafty. my uncle has given me permis-
sion to choose any one of the many
millions of unmarried females in the
world willing to have me, except one,
and that one is Edith Burtenshaw."
stOh! Frank, how horrible. Why did
he have such dislike to me?"
.sWell, my dear, never told you what
he said when / asked his sanction to
our engagement, for if had thought
you might break it off, and it was too
pleasant for that. He said that no
pauper should have the spending of
his money; that was to marry gen.
tlewoman, and, if could not find one
for myself, he would find one for me.
ST replied that I was quite decided,
and he said so was he. We never after
referred to the subject, though sup
nose it was the cause of his making
4 fresh will"
"a gentlewoman! Why, the Burten-
shaws were gentlefolk when your uncle
was a common laboring bricklayer."
Eyes; but my uncle's idea of a gentle
man OF gentlewoman was one who had
plenty Of money. The more the money
the greater the right to the title. An
impecunious duke would have been
nothing more than a common man to
him. And as to this particular dislike
to you, believe he was in partnership
with your father in his first building
speculation at Eastleigh, was he not?'
eyes, and I have heard that he was
the cause Of my fathers ruin, but my
mother will not speak of it. My father
died soon after the quarrel, for he never
got over it. was only ten then"
Al .sThat is what thought from what
that old hypocrite Wylie mentioned to-
day after reading the will. He and my
uncle were always hand and glove with
each other. My uncle had done you an
injury, and he could never forgive
you. =
.tNever forgive me because he had
done me an injury. Isn't that some
thing Of a paradox"
II don't know exactly what para
dox is, but that is the kind of injury
that is most difficult for man like
my uncle to forgive"
.ll ..And suppose you refuse to marry
anyone but me?"
ssThen am left a thousand pounds,
and the remainder goes to Wylie.'
II Then there is an end to our pleasant
dream, sighed Edith, with tears in her
eyes.
t.To the dream, perhaps. We must
change It to the reality. Don't cry,
dearest, what do care for the money
if I have your
Now, Frank, don't be foolish. How
can we possibly marry on a thousand
pounds? It might with economy last
" year, but not longer with your expen-
sive habits. You must remember that
You have not been brought up to rough
IT.
81 can work.
What can you do?"
Frank stared modify in the fire.
t.It is all my uncle's fault. Many a
time have asked him to let me learn
= trade or profession, but he said he
wanted to be succeeded by gentle
man. There had been enough trades
men IN the family, and there would be
!. quite enough for me without work. I
{ believe he wanted to keep me entirely
under his control, and feared that If I
4 learned any business I might revolt.
But I can surely do something?''
S2z Yes, a thousand pounds would no
& doubt stock q grocer's shop, and could
sand the sugar, replied Edith, with a
I bitter laugh. IT fancy see you with
4 yonr apron behind the counter, and one
ssof your nine-penny cigars in your
\ mouth.n
EssS 8 ow, Elie, don't make fun Of it,
dear boy, it is anything but fun
i 10 me. Il yon only knew with what
anxiety 4 have been looking forward to
Il the end st my teaching you would not
think II fun. How Ihate it-how hate
tsifi
Ard ron viii not leave it and marry
me
NJ! I will not. Tits not for my sake
hi refuse, but yours and mothers. We
4 should only be = drag upon you. But
I on may BE- sure Of this I shall never
I 1narry any one else. Do use a little COM
q mon sense, ran 4
I Then I shall take my thousand
rounds and 81 to Klondike..'