Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-03-31
An Accomplish.
7sAY. Uncle Tommy" said Eric,

looking very woebegone. you
might give me helping hand"
l 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-
tiOn.
Have a cigarette?" said l.
''You might just as well help me-"
repeated Eric. You know the ogre
thinks a deuce of a 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 a widower without
children.
''You see. it's this way" he con-
tlnued. Il haven't got a farthing in
the world. barring my allowance, and
the Ogre threatens to cut me off with
the proverbial shilling. or even without
it. If 1 marry. l can't even induce him
to see Betty. or listen to anything
about her"
las far as can make out" said |,
judiciously. 1.-The case stands some
thing like this: You are in love with
Miss Betty Caselet She is in love
with her profession. and incidentally
with you. Your revered uncle hates
her profession for reasons of his own
thinks you, for similar reasons, an adj
jectived idiot, as you so nicely put it,
and bids you choose between marriage
a oo,, lilo iupnmpr
That's about the size OF it,"
groaned Erie.
well, then. which do you intend to
choose, love or lucreT'
Don't be absurd" retorted Eric.
stifly; there is no question of choice.
Nothing will induce me to give up Bet
tv. but at the same time l don't see
what in the world we are to marry on.
That's why I've come to you to see
If YOU can't coax the Ogre into a more
rational and human frame of mind"
| happened to know Betty Caselet;
she was Il particular friend of mine.
She was a lady of birth, and, being
possessed of a strong dramatic instinct,
inherited from her mother. and next
door to no money. she wa; studying
elocution with view to making her
way on the stage. She was a plucky
girl, and a 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
crustv but kind-hearted old uncle was
such a woman hater and so dead set
against marriage. l did. 1t was an old
story. and had been played to o finish
while Erie was still in the region of
memories of bygone days. when Sir
Richard was young man still. and set
me thinking.
u will see what | can do" said I.
The next afternoon / had long talk
with Betty. Three or four days later
I asked Sir Richard TO come ana have
a bit of dinner with me at the Carlton,
and he assented.
by the way" said l, II hope you
won't object, but I've got a young
friend of mine coming too. a very
pretty girl in whom take a great in
terest-a Miss Caselet She doesn't get
much amusement. poor little thing. and
thought it might cheer her up"
Betty was good quarter of an hour
late-girls always are; it is their priv
ilege
However, when she aid come she
looked so pretty / found myself envy.
inc Erie In secret. and wishing | 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 whsre
all of which Betty answered truthfully
enough Finally he wormed out of heI
the story of her engagement TO Erie
and the obstacle of the hard hearted
uncle-names carefully suppressed: FOL
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 genera
ps1yersity Of that uncle was delicious
and when old Sir Richard agreed witt
her Gin al innocencel that such con
duet was ScaudalouS. l thought
should have sllccumber TO the pains o
restrained laughter.
There's no such thing as actin.
nowadays" said Sir Richard. apropo
OF things theatrical
when l was young man. my dear
I once knew a woman who could hav,
acted Rachel's head OF. or Bernharlt's
either. only she made a fool OF herself
threw it 10 and married some parsol
fellow"
what was her namee9 asked Betty
"Her name. chs Never mind he
name" grunted Sir Richard.
But | saw his face witch with pain
it was his lfe's secret that was beinl
touched upon.
WAS IT Viole Tselamaines" said Bet
ty. softly.
Sir Richard jumped as IL he had bee
shot