The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-20
The Altered Will

! ing the elegance of his manners, the
distinction of his appearance. and many
a feminine heart beat high with hope
| or frightened with jealousy as he stroll
ed along the avenue or held in his
prancing chestnut under the windows OF
some aristocratic mansion in Drouet
Square.
Our lieutenant was owner OF so much
that was captivating-youth, beauty,
birth and fortune. Oh, fortune especial
lyi The mothers of marriageahle daugh-
tiers grew thin with uneasiness lest any
wind should blow this treasure away
from them; and the daughters them
selves (who are no longer wanting in
brains) were kept busy calculating what
numbers Of bracelets. hats and dresses
they would be able to buy from the
millions of this adorable little husband.
Poor innocentsi Albert de Serrigny
never felt his heart throb one beat the
faster for one OF you, not, indeed, that
ne was an enemy to marriage. but, Ike
you, he also wanted TO make good
bargain when he entered the serious con-
tract. And there was quite a natural
reason for this desire on his part; the
brilliant lieutenant had for his sole for
tune-his appearance
He had lately, as last expedient, al
most sold his beautiful young sister,
who had a most passionate attachment
for him, to an old, inflrrn husband of So.
NJ de Lagarde, however, was colossally
rich. and all Albert's fine show was
kept up at his expense.
After having thrown sufficient dust in
the eyes of the word Of V, at the
end of about two years the Lieutenant
de Serrigny thought II was time 10
change from his cool indifference toward
the feminine element. The daughter OF
the general was his selection.
The general was a widower, an old Al
rican campaigner, frank and brusque
Serrigny raised the siege in military
fashion.
General, I love Mile. Jeanne. VIII
you give your consent to my marriage
with her?''
You love her sincerely, truly?"
with all my heart. general, l swear
to you.'
Then give me your hand, lieutenant.
You can be my son-in-law as soon as
you like
LAS to fortune, general" continued De
Serrigny. IT know how much money
adds to happiness. and 1 would never
have thought of Mile. Jeanne if / had
not enough to keep her in a state be-
fitting her rank"
Enough, lieutenant. You are a gen
TENANT understand all that"
Thanks to the complacence of an I'M
scrupulous notary, and the connivance of
his sister, Nine. de Lagarde, Albert was
able to arrange contract showing an
income of $4,000, four of which he made
as a settlement on his young wife. Two
after himself and his young wife
were spending their honeymoon under the
blue sky of Provence.
Albert APPARENTLY was wildly gay and
happy. Nevertheless he was not with
out subjects of preoccupation. TIE fu-
ture was Swallowed by clouds, debts
pressing everywhere around, and for the
present no possible means of paying
them. For Nine. de Lagarde, to satisfy
the exigencies OF the marriage Of her
brother, had exhausted all her resources.
even every possible pretense of obtaining
money from her husband.
The lieutenant's last demand for mon
ey had been without the lzost result
and on receipt of his sisters excuses he
had replied by letter full of vindictlve-
ness and bitterness, containing, among
other things, the following charming
You would not even put an end to the
Did monkey-faced rniser; then we might
10 as we liked with his money"
Then one night at Nice on his return
from the theater Serrigny found a tele-
gram, which had been forwarded from
Husband died suddenly at o'clock.
Come at once. HENR1ETTE."
It was an unexpected piece of news,
1ut not too hard to be borne.
Albert, without a change of express
don, passed the telegram to his wife,
md rs she seemed very much SURPRISED
-r-if lob f,Ytf
# relief as of regret:
What can we do. my darling? 1t is
rery hard on Henriette, to be sure. But
when a couple are so very badly assort-
d such premature separations must be
expected"
The next day, while travelling husband
md wife thought vaguely now and again
hat they were going to see some one
Inferred, but that was ALL
Albert was irreDroachable in the man
Ter with which he performed the last
uties for his brother-in-law. Then the
distressing functions over. he went back
o v with his sister, presumably to
istract her from the contemplation of
Ter sorrow, in reality to wait feverishly,
ervously for the opening of the will.
For there was a will NJ Onesime
saudarey, notary, had announced II on
he day OF the funeral, adding that after
he usual conventional delay he would
make known its contents 10 those inter
sted
The important day came at last. Ser
igny, becoming more and more anx-
ous, got permission TO remain away |
rom parade in order to have the news |
I the earliest possible moment.
At o'clock Nine. de LaKarde was |
Nth her brother, telling in a few words |
he terrible details OF the will.
NJ. de Lagarde left to his widow an in |
ONE Of 5000 francs, which could neither |
G transferred nor negotiated. The re-
lalnder Of his immense fortune was left /
D distant relatives and public charities 4
And detail most overwhelming Of ALL /
.ttached to the will was certain letter |
( Albert de Serrigny's. which ended IN |
hese words:
You would not even put an end TO the |
ID monkey-faced miser; then we might |
0 as we liked with his money!
Across the letter in red ink was writ
IN:
This is the only reason for nv pres
Mt will Were * not for THE letter. my
life would have had all possess"
II was the husband who had received
le letter, and ne took good care never
!, show It 10 Nine. de Iaearde
The Vicomte de Serrigny was Obliged /
QUIT the army. and while his wife is
eeking a divorce from him, II is stiIi
Is sister who. touched with pity. gives
I'm a home and secures him from want
Evils of Good Advice.
(From the Baltimore American)
say" said the man with the worried
,ok. do you remember giving me lot