Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-03-25
An Accomplish.

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7sAY, Uncle Tommy" said Eric,
looking very woebegone, you
might give me a helping hand"
shook my head. It's against all
my principles to middle myself up in
other peoples concerns. 1t is thank
less task at best, and induces indiges-
ton.
Have cigarette?" said I.
you might just as well help me-"
repeated Eric. You know the Ogre
thinks deuce of lot of you"
The ogre. should explain. is
Eric's disrespectful way Of referring
to his maternal uncle, Sir Richard AL
lotson, whose presumable heir he is,
Sir Richard being widower without
children.
You see. it's this way" he con-
tinued. II haven't got farthing In
the world, barring my allowance, and
the Ogre threatens to cut me Off with
the proverbial shilling. or even without
1t, II marry. can't even induce him
to see Betty. or listen to anything
about her"
''As far as I can make out" said I,
Judiciously, 1.-THE case stands some
thing like this: You are in love with
Miss Betty Caselet. She is in love
with her profession, ana incidentally
with you. Your revered uncle hates
her profession for reasons c. his OWN
thinks you. for simlar reasons, an ad-
jectived idiot, as you SO nicely put 1t,
and bids you choose between marriage
and a comfortable income"
That's about the size of It,"
groaned Eric.
well, then. which do you intend to
choose, love or lucre?'
Don't be absurd" retorted Eric,
stiffly; there is no question of choice.
Nothing will induce me to give up Bet
ty, but at the same time don't see
what in the world we are to marry OH.
That's why I've come to you to see
II you can't coax the Ogre into n more
rational and human frame of mind"
happened to know Betty Caselet;
she was particular friend of mine.
She was lady of birth. and. being
possessed of n strong dramatic instinct.
inherited from her mother, and next
door to no money, she was studying
clocution, with view to making her
way OIL the stage. She was plucky
girl. and pretty one into the bar
gain; also she was devoted to Eric.
All this he knew, too, but what he
didn't know was the reason why his
crusty but klnd-hearted old uncle was
such n woman hater. and 80 dead set
against marriage. did. 1t WAS an old
story. and had been played to finish
while Eric was still in the region of
the nursery. And this fact conjured
memories of bygone days, when Sir
Richard was young man still, and get
me thinking.
II will see what can do" said 7.
The next afternoon had long talk
with Betty. Three or four days later
l asked Sir Richard to come and have
bit of dinner with me Mt the Carlton.
and he assented.
by the way" said l. Il hope you
won't object, but I've got young
friend of mine coming, too, very
pretty girl in whom take great In
terest-a Miss Caselet. She doesn't get
much amusement, poor little thing, and
/ thought 1t might cheer her up"
Betty was good quarter of an hour
late-grls always are; 1t is their priv
ilege.
However. when she did come she
looked SO pretty found myself envy
ing Eric in secret, and wishing l was
some twenty years younger. She made
herself so pleasant and agreeable, and
was SO witty and apt in her remarks,
that before we had finished the entree
even Richard himself was betrayed
into series of approving grunts.
Sir Richard piled her with more ques-
lions as to how she lived and where,
all Of which Betty answered truthfully
enough. Finally lie wormed out of her
the story of her engagement to Eric
and the obstacle of the hard hearted
uncle-Dames carefully suppressed; for
Betty, forewarned by me. was perfect
~ aware who he was. and the situa-
ton aroused her dramatic talents.
The way she pitched into the selfish
ness. narrow-mindedness and general
perversity of that uncle was delicious;
and when old Sir Richard agreed with
her dn all innocence) that such con-
duct was scaudalous. thought
should have slccumber to the pains of
restrained laughter.
'There's no such thing as acting
nowadays" said Sir Richard, apropos
Of things theatrical.
when was young man, my dear,
l once knew woman who could have
acted Rachel's head off, or Bernhardts,
either, only she made fool of herself,
threw it up and married some parson
fellow"
what was her name?" asked Betty.
Her name, Ell? Never mind her
name." grunted Sir Richard.
But saw his face twitch with pain;
1t was his life's secret that was being
touched upon.
WAS 1t VIole- D.lamaine?" said Bet
~. softly.
Sir Richard jumped as IL he had been
shot