Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1902-08-15
By WILLIAM BLACK y snss
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

You treat the whole thing as serious!
Gracious heavens, But ! must put this
matter right. What's the girls name:
How much does she wantI What size
of a check has she got in her eyer
Mrs. Kingston flushed little.
II wish you to understand, Uncle
Alexander" said she, with unusual
firmness. that the girl is good and
honest girl ana not a designing adven.
turess ut all-that am convinced of
and 30 not see why she should be in
suited simply because of her station In
life, which is perfectly respectable and
honorable, If it comes TO that"
stuff and fiddlesticRs" cried Uncle
Alexander. Indeed, this sharp crisis in
the family affairs seemed to have sud
denly banished all that languor and de-
preston which. according TO his own
account, We're dragging him down TO
the tomb. You're too fond of romance
and poetry, Cecilia, and that's the fact
You want a little common sense to
come in to put matters straight. Where
is this girl?"
AT Holiwell vicarage," Mrs. King
ston answered. Uncle Charles is TAX
ing charge of her for the present.
The China merchant stared ut her
again.
mo" said he solemnly; 'nO, Cecilia,
you cannot mean that there are three
such fools in the family! Two | could
have borne Without three! Uncle
Charles as well! Upon my soul, it's be-
yond belief!'
But the meanest worm will turn.
II wish to say this once for all, Tn
Gle Alexander" observed the little wild
ow, with very considerable dignity,
that | hope you will not speak TO
Richard as you have done TO me this
afternoon. His temper is not so much
under control as mine. He would prob
ably answer you in your own language.
Propose to him that the girl he is en-
gagged to should be offered Il sum of
money, and l know one certain conse-
quence-he would never darken your
door again, nor would you or yours
ever enter our house. AS for my
share in this matter, am not ashamed
of it. | have done what | thought was
right. Richards word is pledged to a
| good and honorable girl, and if he is
| my son he will not disgrace himself
| say, disgrace himself-by seeking to
break that bond, whatever pecuniary
and mercenary inducements may be
! placed before him"
She rose as if to leave the room.
Cecilia" he said, to stay her.
"No," she made answer. Let that
be the last word. wish for peace be
tween the two families. There will be
no peace-there will be n lasting rup-
ture and estrangement-if you propose
that Richard should do anything dis
honorable merely because you have
had certain plans in view. | do not
say that in other circumstances
| might not have wished as you wish,
but as matters stand | hope my son
will act as becomes the name he bears.
And another thing, Uncle Alexander,
neither he nor Florence need know that
word has passed between us on the
subject. They are very good friends
and nothing more. Let them remain
such, if you choose it to be so. If not
then my boy and | can return to Wood
end at once, and we shall not trouble
you again"
She did not wait for an answer. She
forthwith quilted the room, leaving
Uncle Alexander entirely outtalked an(
astOnished. He had not anticipated
this display of firmness, this bold up
standing of what he considered idioti'
sentiment against the rude and dough
ty onslaughts of common sense. Ant
when he began to consider matters h
had to confess that perhaps he hat
been q little premature. That thi
shopgirl could be bought off he wa
convinced, but he had erred in maxim;
the proposition too suddenly to tn,
widow. Then, again, he would have
better right to interfere when the re
latiOnship between Richard and Flor
ence had become developed-in the oil
vious and proper direction, of course
What! Richard marry a pennless lii
tie seamstress in Stafford on Avon
shy, speechless nonentity, as the wild
OW had half admitted, when here wa
his bright and fascinating cousin, a
heiress, gifted with every qualification
a fit helpmeet, one who would do hir
honor in society? Uncle Alexander
seated by the slumbering fire, was S
intent upon these various schemes an
considerations that he forgot he ha
allowed whole hour to elapse sine
he had examined his tongue in tn
mirror, and during that hour he ha
kept his daughter Florence a prisone
up stairs, and when eventually he wer
away to his own room to seek safet
and consolation in his medicine ches
he was still of opinion that the wit
ows quiXotic ideas of duty and he
sons chivalrous resolves with regar
to that wretched little milliner girl
ten-would in time be overcome, f
great is the power of common sense.
Accordingly Uncle Alexander did N
return to this project, and as the Wi
, ow heard no more of it she in her tul
was silent, SO that the two cousil
were thrown into association Just {
heretofore, ignorant of the dan
schemes and designs which had bee
foreshadowed with regard to their f
= ture. And the better to secure his 81
lister end Uncle Alexander declar,
e that for the present he was going
abandon his intention of taking al
y fitting out London house; it was t
c much trouble. He did not know b