Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-07-25

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to Darlington and at the same time
rope in you as beneficiary, thus SEEM
ing to have regard for her own fam
lily. ! don't know why she should have
cared about that" he went on, disre-
garding apparently Miss Rodney s beau
tifully undisguised look of disgust.
"She never minded us while she was
alive But people funk 80 when they
are going to die, he observed philo-
sophically. However, as was observ-
ing, Matilda foolishly thought that you
were degenerated niece and might
balk at the prospect of marrying bag
of disease and thousands of pounds Of
debt. So che ties up your mothers and
| your sisters good fortune with your
consent. Marry this titled blackguard,
and your mother and sister will be in
dependent and comfortable for life.
They won't have to live with him, you
know. So there is no reason why they
shouldn't be happy"
josiah cried Mrs. Rodney, "this
is brutal l cannot endure it. If you
continue like that, shall have to leave
| the ROOM"
"There's no reason why you should
not, my dear" he replied cheerfully.
"You can cry and plead with Florence
later on"
"Donst be silly, mamma" said Miss
Rodney prosaically. "Uncle Josiah is
putting it as badly as he can, but even
he cannot do more than justice to this
vile, miserable echeme of my aunt. I
am thankful to you for letting mamma
see the thing just as it is" she said to
her uncle.
ooh, don't mention it," said the old
cynic. SIT is pleasure to help you out
in this trying moment. can see you
with the coronet of countess stuck on
top of your head. They wear coronets,
don't theyP
"But you will note our dear NATL
da's forethought, he went on. 81 am
| almost proud Of her. You might kick
over all this debt and disease. So she
brides you with your mothers and sis.
ter's happiness. Why she should have
thought that Darlington would possibly
halk at bestowing his distinguished self
on you don't see, unless she knew
that his favorite type Of woman was
the chorus girl. ffhe refuses, you get
it all. But he won't refuse, I promise
you. You refuse, and he gets 1t. And
if he gets it, he has got to tack the
name Of Gardner on to his own. Oh,
Matilda was corker for family pride.
The idea of perpetuating the family
name in that wayl Hitching it.on to
an earl's titlel It was great Why
couldn't you, If you accept him and
become the mother of little earl to be.
name him Josiah, after met That is
new name in the British nobility. It
would probably be the only strong,
healthy thing about the poor little
chap. He would surely be scrofulous as
filial compliment to his papa"
"This is a little disgusting" said
Miss Rodney, looking at her venomous
old uncle in way that even he felt.
81 decline to hear any more on the sub
ject. You have really in your coarse
freedom Of language expressed the plain
truth. have never SO agreed with you
in my life. l simply refuse, without the
need of another moments deliberation,
my aunt's infamous proposition. The
only thing that can palliate her daring
to make it is that she did the same
thing herself. And she. heaven save the
mark, was an American grill Don't
let the subject be mentioned In my
hearing again"
"But. Florence" demonstrated her
mother in an injured way, "don't be
rash. There is no need Of any hasty
conclusion. You are taking all that
your uncle says about this young man
as true. He may be a very nice young
fellow"
Mammal" said Miss Rodney ex-
plosively. Gas if the vileness Of the
Earl Of Darlington was not known to
everybody who reads even the Ameri-
can newspapers onlyl I have heard Of
him again and again. Even the decent
men in his own set despiss him and cut
him. 1t is hard that when this wretch
ed woman could have done her duty by
us she should have left SO degrading a
proof Of her utter hard heartedness and
unwomanly feeling. Why, mother, "
exclaimed the girl, wrought up by the
melancholy dissent that was visible on
Mrs. Rodney's face, "you would not
have me degrade my womanhood be-
yond all self respect if you were to have
millions by it. That is what this course
would be. 1 want independence as
much as any one living, but will not
forfeit one bit of my self respect to Sc
cure 1t. would work as a shopgirl
sooner than marry this Earl Of CARING
ton. and I hate my aunt for insulting
American womanhood in this way.
You know me enough to feel sure that
when l say this is my last word on the
subject it Is useless to think Of 1t any
i more.
"Bravol" said Uncle Josiah. "You
are credit to the family. approve Of
your sentiments. Don't mind your
mother. I shan't live forever, and then
you'll all be independent. I am no
Aunt Matilda, countess Of Darlington. Z"
enc; you.couldn't be quite as bad as
she, admit, said his niece, Win Be-
freshing candor.
Uncle Josiah shifted at this. Mrs.
Rodney heaved sigh, as if her lot was
particularly uncomfortable one, and
Rose looked a little like whiting La
France rose. But they all felt that
Florence would be as good as her word.
At this moment the servant entered
with card. Mrs. Rodney picked 1t
from the tray with the air Of Niobe
gathering further harvest Of tears.
"Rev. Arthur Kimball," she observed
despairingly. ~ did not know he was
back from Europe We must see him.
suppose. You can show him in, Will
liams.
"This is very appropriate time for
a parson to call, when family Is pros
trated with grief over the loss Of a near
relative Of fortune and Of title" said
Uncle Josiah. with placid sarcasm.
Rev. Arthur Kimbsn was fashion
able pastor, whom Mrs. Rodney respect
ed as such. He was this somewhat
despite himself, for he was not half
bad sort. His favorite way of spending
his vacation was to go to Switzerland
4 11s L N