The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1901-09-07

II HAVE COME TO TELL YOU I LOVE YOUR
DAUGHTER"
dear. No. | would fight man-yes. a
strong man-more soon than | would
go to your father and say, Herr Ma
thuSius, | wish to marry your daugh-
ter"
"Oh, papa is not so terrible. He
roarS more than he bites And YOU
will have to take him at the right time:
just when he has finished together his
cigar, his evening newspaper and the
half bottle of red wine left from din
ncr; before he goes ut those big books
he reads at night, he is really amiable
for him. Then is when YOU must
speak to him"
Herr Bartlemy NIathusius was a
stout, ford German gentleman, so bald
that he had long used a sponge as a
comb. Finding himself in possession of
what he deemed ample fortune he had
ut the age of 60 retired from active
business as the head of Aathusius *
Co, and. to occupy his excessive and
unaccustomcd leisure, taken to much
IL,
mysticism, hypnotism and various 9th
er pcrplcXing things ending in "ism"
His family consisted of his daughter
LicSchcn. his old maid sister Grispl and
Adolf krudcl, a son of his deceased
wife'S widowed sister, who had been
sent over to him from Germany to
learn American business methods and,
IL
country. The cousins had fallen in
love with each other, encouraged and
allotted by Aunt Griscl, whose old
heart still warmed to sentiment and
romance. But they were sensible
enough to know the old man would not
approve of any domestic Arrangement
he had not planned, and nothing would
be less likely than his planning the
marriage of his only child to Il young
man who had just as much CAPITAL as
he started with 70 years ago. which
waS-nothing. Nevertheless. when they
had made up their minds to marry. the
courtesy cOnSdcrate child generally
extends to parent required that they
should 30 through the form of asking
his sanction.
Adolf presented himself for this Dur-
pose at what LoSchcn had Indicated
as I'll" suspicious moment ana was not
badly received, no suspicion of his mis-
sion having vet been awakened. But
when tn" young man, after not Il little
embarrassment, hluntly ANNOUNCED. Il
have come sir, to tell You love your
daughter and want your consent to
make her my wife" the effect was
rather startling.
The old gontlcman's face purpled.
ana he almost chokCd in his efforts to
rcprcss vocal explosion. Happily. he
bcthOught him that to derive any ben.
eft from his books he must 90 at them
with placid mind. 50 he suppressed
his rage and said to Adolf:
when your mother sent you over to
me to be licked into shape as bust
ness man. | did not look forward to
your taking such a short cut to fortune.
If the custom of Kent had existed in
Austria instead of the law of primo
gcnlture. so that you might have inner
tied your fathers estate instead of
your elder brother, Captain Heinrich,
perhaps | might not have said mo- to
you. But now the idea is prcposterous.
You have nothing"
Pardon me, Herr Mathusius. | have
youth, energy, industry, good habits,
fair education. some knowledge of bust
ness, and your daughter loves me. Is
all that nothingF
valuable assets, perhaps, in less
artificial state of society, but as the
world Is, without money it is all moth
ang. No, Adolf, you cannot have Lies
chen. Get the idea out of your head,
or shall have to ship you back to Ger
many. I don't know but what that
would be safest, anyway. I'll have to
ehink about It,"
That idea was too stunning to permit
u reply. Sent back to Germany! The
ocean between him and LieschenI