Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-08-11


Its out Of the question-out OF the
question altogether; it's absurd, an
swered Mr. Porcher. 1t would give
mortal offence to Sir Henry Flowerby.
with his racing stables absolutely in the
vicinity; while as to the money market
news, 1 never heard such utter rot in
my life" And the great local man. who
had made his pile in stocks and shares,
never caring who bought the worthless
scrip he parted with. or who sold the
good stuff he cheapened in the market
and then bought in at panic price,
waived the idea away with his stubby
jewelled fingers.
1T seems to me-" he added. that this
fellow Osborne will soon make the place
too hot to hold him II he goes on like
this. There's no arriving at a proper
magisterial decision when he Is on the
bench. He has got that young scoun-
drel of a tramp hanging about his place
COW. Well, l wish him Joy of him,
that's all Mark my words. Lechlade,
that boy will repay him some day."
1T is my wish to live in charity with
all men," answered Mr.. Lechlade. "os-
borne has ideas. and, as this is free
country, | suppose he has right to air
them: but wish he would restrain his
ardour a little and would pause to re-
feet How are the majority-the com-
mon herd, mean-likely to regard this
last move of his with regard to Abel
Prices widow, for instance?'
whats that?" demanded Mr.. Porch
er. 81 haven't heard Of 1t.
swell. it's a very painful story" re-
piled the vicar, and really one don't
care to have to handle, but unhappily,
these things come in our way. The wo-
man has six young children all bound
10 attend school, and unable to earn
ANYTHING themselves, and of course she
has been receiving parish relief: SIX
sbillings and SIX loaves per week. Now
she is in the way to lose that assistance,
and Mr.. Osborne has made her case the
theme of one of his TRADES against our
national poor law
"oh." said Mr.. Porcher, not much in
terested. 1.-The fool of woman has got
into trouble, l suppose. Well, she knew
what the law was and what the conse-
ouences might be, and now they've
come she must take them. Surely Os-
borne isn't going to try to tell us that
she deserves sympathy
HE is so astute,' returned the vi
car. with vexation. 81 never saw such
man for skating round thin ice. He
has such a painful way, too, of making
every question personal. Now, In my
opinion, the personal element ought TO
be carefully avoided in public matters
II we are to be free to act at all. As
regards the woman, he said he didn't
feel equal to the task Of throwing
stones; but that her children cher hus-
bands children, of course, mean
would be the same a fortnight hence
when she will lose the parish relief, as
they are now, and that it is a mon
etrous and UBIQUITOUS law that leaves
them no alternative but starvation or
the workhouse. Miss Rayne, his cous-
in. has sent the woman's only daughter
to that cottage home Of hers at Dry
field; and Osborne has promised to do
something for the two eldest lads
"In my opinion, Mr.. Osborne is put
ing premium on that kind Of thing"
sneered Porcher. 81 dare say there's
many an honest widow who will begin
to envy this fortunate Mrs. Price
Il represented as much to him" said
Mr.. Lechlade. 81 pointed out the grave
public danger, but he only wanted to
know If such scandals were unheard OF
before in our district. If so, he said
he would stand by and let us make an
example, even though the dead mans
children had to go to the wall. If not
he saw no reason to alter his course.
Look here" cried Mr.. Porcher, 1.-The
mans insufferable! Who wants to
make an example, I should like to
know? We can't be expected to stop
the wheels of justice because a woman
of that sort has family she can't keep.
II she can't keep them we'll keep them
for her We have to pay rates Tor
them, don't we? Then why should ne
OUTAGE us all and make a bid 1or
cheap populority by putting his hand
into his own private pocket for these
children? l tell you what 1t is Lecn-
lade. begin to detest the man."
The. fact of the matter was that MT
Porcher had long had, as the ambition
of his life. those magic letters M. r.
To afix them to his name Samuel Por-
cher, was his dream. Little by little
he had hustled his way into society,
just as he had in the times gone by
hustled and elbowed his way into the
inner commercial ring. The borough
of Overdean was his by right OF pur-
chase, he thought, as his was the great
esf Ianded interest. and now in one