The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-30

letter. mingled itself with these feelings.
and contributed It's share toward upsetting
my serenity for the day. In six lines my
correspondent announced the proposed
marriage; In three more, she told me that
Sir Percival had left Cumberland TO re-
turn to his house in Hampshire: and In
two concluding sentences she Informed
me. first. that Laura was sadly in want of
change and cheerful society. secondly.
that she had resolved TO try the effect OF
some such change forthwith, by taking
her sister away with her on a visit to
certain old friends In Yorkshire. There
the letter ended, without word to ex-
plain what the circumstances were which
had decided Miss Fairlie to accept Sir
Percival Clyde in one short week from
the time when had last seen her.
At a later period. the cause OF this sud
den determination was fully explained to
me. 1t is not my business TO relate II i'm
perfectly, on hearsay evidence. The cir
cumstances came within the personal ex-
perience OF Miss Halcombe: and. when
her narrative succeeds mine, she will de-
scribe them In every particular. exactly
as they happened In the meantime. the
plain duty for me TO perform-before I, in
my turn, lay down my pen and withdraw
from the story-is TO relate the one re-
naming event connected with Miss Fair
lies proposed marriage in which ! was
concerned. namely. the drawing of the
settlement
1t is impossible to refer intelligibly 20
this document. without first entering into
certain particulars in relation TO the
brides pecuniary affairs. l will try TO
make my explanation briefly and plainly,
and 10 keep II free from professional OBJ
scurities and techncallties. The matter is
OF the utmost importance. warn all
readers OF these lines that Miss Fairlie's
Inheritance is a very serious part OF Miss
Fairlie's story; and that Mr.. Gilmore's ex-
perience also. II they wish 10 understand
the narratives which are yet to come.
Miss Fairles expectations, then. were
Of a twofold kind comprising her possible
inheritance OF real property. or land
when her uncle died. and ter absolute I'm
heritance OF personal property, or money
when she came OF age.
Let us take the land first.
In the time OF Miss Fairlie's paternal
grandfather (whom we will call Mr.. Fair
lie the elder the entailed succession 10
the Limmeridge estate stood thus:
Mr.. Fairlie the elder, died and left three
sons. Philip, Frederick and Arthur. AS
eldest son, Philip succeeded to the estate
II he died without leaving a son. the prop
erty went 10 the second brother, Freder-
lex. And II Frederick died also without
leaving a son, the property went 10 the
third brother. Arthur.
AS events turned out Mr.. Philip Fairlie
died leaving an only daughter the Laura
Of this story; and the estate. In conse-
quence. went. In course OF law, 90 the
second brother, Frederick, a single man.
The third brother. Arthur. had died many
years before the decease OF Philip, leav-
son and daughter. The son. at the
age OF eighteen. was drowned at oxford.
His death left Laura. the daughter OF
Mr.. Philip Fairiie. presumptive heiress 20
tho estate; with every chance OF succeed
ing 10 It, in the ordinary course OF ma
ture, on her uncle Frederick's death, II
the said Frederick died without leaving
male issue.
Except I'm the event. OF Mr.. Frederick
Fairlie's marrying and leaving an heir
(the two very last things In the world
that he was likely 20 do), his niece. Lau-
ra, would have the property on his death:
possessing, II must be remembered, moth
ing more than life interest in IL. IL she
died single. or died childless the estate
would revert 20 her cousin MaEdalen the
daughter OF MIR Arthur Fairlie N she
ma rried. with n proper settlement-or in
other words, with the settlement meant
10 make for her-the income from the es-
tate Ga good three thousand year,
would, during her lifetime. be at her own
disposal IL she died before her husband.
he would naturally expect 20 be left in the
enjoyment OF the income. for his lifetime.
| IL she had son. that son would be the
heir, to the exclusion of her cousin Mag
dalen. Thus Sir PercivaIs prospects In
marrying Miss Fairiie $50 far as his wifes
expectations from real property were con-
cernedD promised him these two advan-
tages, on Mr.. Frederick Fairlle's death.
first. the use Of three thousand year
! Thy his wifes permission. while she lived.
and. In his own right. on her death, n ne
survived her)); and, secondly, the inher-