Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-12-03
CHAPTER VII.

binary ideas in his head as to my daugh-
ter. You must see that it is out of the
question that this marriage can go on
II suppose sol suppose So" said
Ned. ngly--"unless, of course
they are bent ON it. God help them. it is
a poor lookout for them anyway"
But you are not serious. ! am aston
ished to hear such folly from the lips of
man like you. First, tell me about
this precious state Of things. Is all as
bad as he saysP
cit is most disastrous blow indeed.
have only three thousand pounds--a
younger sons portion-and even all that
must go to pay our debts, if my brother
does not behave generously Nothing
could be worse
"A charming state Of things, to be sure
--quite delightful"
And that reminds me. Mrs. Forager.
l am going to put myself in a most hui
initiating and Notifying position, ind
speak TO you Of those jewels that we gave
your daughter the other night"
Mrs. Forager was aghast with anger
and establishment well, really! l did
not think you could descend to that mean
ness-to ask back . present"
at is degrading | own; but l am
obliged to ask you for them"
"Oh. bnt / cant, really, enter into
matters of that sort You chose to give
them, and there's an end of it,"
And do you mean to tell me that you
will keep them?" said Ned. warming up
into a rage; why, you have no feeling.
or delicacy, or heart-I suspected it long
ago--nOr gratitude. either"
Il must beg you will not forget your
self, Major Burton. You have injured
us already, without insulting US"
Here entered Tom, very hastily. He
had heard the storm rising.
My father would be the last man to
Insult woman. Mrs. Forager; that is not
his character
He did insult me, by proposing to take
back those trumpery gew-gaws be gave
us the other night, and ! decline to give
them up on any terms Whatever. They
are ours in law and courtesy
They are worth nearly a thousand
pounds, said Tom, eoolly. land cannot
be called trutupery. You are not to give
them back to us. but to the jeweler who
sold them. They are his! neither ours
nor yours. 1t must be done"
She was awed by this GOODNESS and his
sensible statement.
Again, too he went on, ''they were
given to Lucy, and she will make no OBJ
lection"
Il have been speaking to her about this
marriage" said Mrs. Forager, and it
seems your son is ridiculous enough TO
persist, | wish it to be understood. /
cannot suffer it. | am sure you could
not wish to force the thing on after all
that has happened | would call it mean
TO take in family like ours"
Take in! How dare you, woman p
said Ned, starting up in fury. but /
suppose, as we are down, people can say
anything they please"
Mrs. Forager is showing herself in her
true colors," said his son; but what the
matter comes to is this, and we NAV as
well understand it. The whole rests with
Lucy, and with no one else. III she wishes
to withdraw she may; if she wishes TO
stand by her engagement. / shall stand
by her, and so shall we ALL"
This was the only announcement that
Mrs. Forager could obtain by her visit,
Tom saw her down to the door. and as
he parted from her said: 'You must not
detain those ornaments. / am sure when
you reflect you win see the necessity If
returning them. Otherwise. il would lie
awkward to have the jeweler writing.
But | know what Lucys ideas on the
subject viii he, and we can trust her"
As Mrs Forager walked home she be-
gan to think that this young man. after
all, would have been most unsuitable
person as son-in-law. He wanted the
necessary Difference.
Soon it became known that Mr.. Burton
and family We're on their way home Now
they had arrived at Marselles-now at
Paris--at last at a genteel family hotel
In London. The interest about them in
the neighborhood was considerable. and
its steady increase brought home the
sense Of their situation to the elected
family in the most notifying way. The
iovial doctor. Phelps, had grown cautious
and reserved while the obsequous Mr..
Hunter had contracted sort of hardness
and want Of geniality in his bearing. The
poor family, indeed, contributed not a
little to this treatment by their ,!isas-
trous bearing, which as Mr.. Hunter in
his graceful way remarked gave enc
the idea that they were passing throlgh
the bankrupt court"
Really" he said. to his friend Mrs.
Forager, there was no need to nut on
this hang dog air. One feels quite I'M.
comfortable in their society. and don't
know what to say. After all, it is only
fit and proper that the rightful owners
should have their heir. A little disap-
pointment may be at first allowed for.
but this gloom and misery will expose
them to awkward misconstructious."
Then Mrs. Forager enlarged on the
way in which she had been treated; her
daughters affections "trepanned" in the
most shameful way. herself taken in: and
MS for the treatment she had since re.
ceived. the insults. especially from the
young man. size did net W iSh to speak OF
them. The rest of the family were fools
and she had some pity for them; but they
were incapable of taking care of them
selves, and it served them right SUI
was fair specimen Of the style in which
the fall of this unhappy family, wht
had been kindly, generous, hospitahl
during their long years of occupation
was received by the neighbors.
Ned Burton ana his wife held man,
councils on the question, What was &
become Of them?" and what they wer
to do, Both had sensitive and delicat
natures. and both shrank with agon,
from tie idea of coming in contact Wit
the new mistress of the mansion, tn
idea Of being patronized by her. As Mrs
Burton said piteously, even a lodsin
would be better than such dependence
Ned's view was much the same. and the
agreed it would be better to fly from tn
old Dlace and get fhe worst over. Blu