The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-07-12
He TOLD A WHOPPER.
But Helped His Sister to
Get Rid of the Man She
Didn't Love and Marry
the Man She Did Love.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

o%o%o%o%o#o%o #o%o@o o#o% 0
When old Mr.. Bevans died at Niche
conk, Nathaniel Muddicombe, his grand
son, was the only heir. He was born and
brought up in England and had never
seen his grandfather Six months after
his death Mr.. Muddicombe appeared at
Nicheconk and took possession of the OLD
homestead where his mothers ancestors
had lived for generations and where
many Bevanses were born only to die off
and make way for the son Of the dead
mans daughter, whom he had repudiated
because she married an alien and whom
he had cut off in will which he destroy
ed the very day of his DEATH the man in
whose favor it was having borrowed one
of his dogs to go hunting and accidentally
shot it. So the property went to the re-
pudiated daughters only child, she her
self having died few months before her
father.
Mr.. Muddicombe found that his grand
fathers estate held mortgage for $4,000
on the farm of Squire Culver near by,
and interest was overdue. So he went to
see the squire about it and was bewitch-
ed by the squires daughter, Grace, as
sweet a country lass as ever managed a
i uNNlltbulbt Sdlu not Il WOEu
about the interest either on his first call
or any other, but he began to make love
to Grace, who was in sad quandary
She was just 20, and three years before
Frank Layton, to whom she had plighted
her troth, had started for the Klondike,
and from that time she had never had
word from him, but had learned from the
newspapers that the vessel in which he
chi ln1 /, .a II
on board had persisted.
Her father didn't know of her engage
ment to Frank, and therefore he en-
couraged Muddicombe. He was rich and
was putting the old homestead in splen-
did order and exercising excellent taste
in preserving all the quaint characteris-
tics of the house. He was a good
enough fellow in his way, but he was 40
years old, bald and sedate as deacon.
Poor Grace didn't care just one little bit
for him and let him see it in as polite a
way as she knew how Nevertheless he
persevered, and the squire was happy,
for he saw how his daughters marriage
to Muddicombe might not only wipe out
the mortgage, but make her mistress of
the fine old homestead and the wife of a
rich man.
ne llllle came when De
spoke to the old man, who consented
Grace. Grace, knowing how her father
was situated, didn't say no, but asked
time to consider his offer, with which
she expressed herself as greatly hatter-
ed and so forth. But to her 12-year-old
brother Ned she communicated her de-
cision to run away rather than marry the
e.nlo CHI IL Ill
and Ned encouraged her, vowing that, if
the worst came to the worst, he would
go with her and before doing so help
himself to some of the old mans cash
and a rifle.
Grace put off Muddicombe week after
week until another six months interest
on the mortgage became due. and Mud
dicombe, finding he wasn't advancing
much in his suit, limited to the squire
that he was short of ready money and
that II months interest would soon be
due. Thereupon the squire insisted that
Grace should hurry up and accept Mud
dicombe, and so the very next day she
said yes, and Muddicombe expressed a
desire that the wedding should take
place within a month.
Three weeks passed, during which time
Muddicombe got lots of new furniture
into the homestead. Only another week
was left. and poor Grace was in a dread
full state of mind. Ned went to the
postofiice every day to see if there
was a letter, but there was no sign of
Franks existence. At last, however, he
came into the house one day just at
dark. drew his sister into her room, clos
ed the door and said in gasping whis
per:
Franks outside in the lane" AS
soon as it was dark Frank and Grace
met, and, oh, how sweet it was Water
to a thirsty Observation-Disclosures to a
shipwrecked sailor-food to a starving
characterization to a sinking soul?
Take your choice. Nay, put them all to-
gether, and then you may imagine how
Grace felt.
AS anybody who knows anything of
human nature in petticoats and love
must admit it is hardly necessary for
me to say that Frank and Grace under
the shadow of the hills renewed their
vows and made them as much stronger
as words could do it. When Frank told
Grace that he had made "a big haul" in
the Klondike and had over 100000 de-
posted in bank, she was not sorry and
never for moment experienced dread
of his leaving her for some fine lady.
She understood the value of that pleas
ant sum and told Frank how she appre
GATED it and also intimated that he must
Mt once produce enough of it to pay the
interest on the mortgage
THE INTEREST,"" he said. "Why, III
pay off the whole principal as we'll"
That being settled. she told him about
Mr.. Muddcombe and how she had prom
ised to marry him. believing Frank was
dead and where they neither marry nor
are given in marriage
But, said she. 81 did it to save papa,
and now that you've come I'll fling him
overheard and take you in spite of all
your wealth Come right inside now, and
I'll tell papa. and I'm just as sure as am
that love you that papa won't saw a
word against my taking back my prom
Use to Muddicombe."
"Of course" said Frank, sit would be
much simpler for me to shoot him, but
as you might object to that course as
being too Klondkish I'll agreed to your
So they went inside and surprised the
old man, and each made a clean breast
of it, and the squire said:
How about the mortgage and the in
terest?'
EN- pay EN-" said Frank.
"YouT exclaimed the old man.
THAT'S what said," Frank replied in
that manner which is offensive to some
people.