Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-03-24
THE WEAKNESS
OF HENRY.
NORTHUMBERLAND
By Arnold Golsworthy.

TT ENRY BIDDOCK lived with his
ii sister Jane in the little cottage
that had been their home always.
While he would hardly be considered
as a rich man, Henry was undoubtedly
well to do, and his wealth was all the
greater since, agreeably with the an
Gent maxim, his wants We're so few.
Beginning life in a small way, with a
general dealers store, retailing every
thing, from Sunday clothes to ginger
beer, Henry had saved money and
bought land and houses, till the extent
of his possessions made him quite a
considerable person in the village. He
owned the half dozen workmen's cot
tages facing the green, and the farm at
the bottom of the road was his as
well. Still, the regular habits OF his
life never varied. His tastes were as
simple as ever, and his industry quite
as sustained as diligent
Sister Jane was a year or so older
than Henry. She was a plain, honest
creature, quite above the ordinary FEM
mime weakness Of Disgusting her age.
If in the course Of conversation the
question of age arose, Jane would vol
unteer quite frankly-almost, indeed.
exultingly-the fact that she was AZ
years and five months old, or whatever
the figure might be at the moment.
the fractional portion of the year be-
ing invariably added with the most
conscientious eXactness. James age
was her one source of pride. AS a
girl, she had been taught by her par.
ents that the Difference other brother
was due to her IN account of her
seniority, and, though Henry might ul-
timately attain to the wealth of a
Croesus or the power of a Caesar, she
was convinced that by the law of ma
ture she must always be rs emphatic
ally his superior as AZ is to A. When
their parents had died, Jane had taken
charge of the home as a matter OF
course, and if Henry sat with his feet
on the polished fender, or strayed SO
far from the path of rectitude as to
smoke in the drawing-room, he was
usually reminded Of his offence with a
fitting emphasis. In spite of her un.
deniable conversational ability, how
over, Jane had always been a careful
and competent housekeeper, and
whether Henry was disposed to admi'
1t or not, much Of his prosperity was
due to- the sterling character of his
watchful sister.
At Al land five months) Jane was
neither young nor beautiful. She Wort
spectacles, her hair was wispy ant
thin, and there was a flush upon hel
face which she herself attributed *
chronic indigestion, and which was pu
down by the uncharitable to bottled
ale. And yet her life had not been en-
tirely free from romance. Once, in
deed, she had been engaged to be mar
ried; but the blissful experience, afte
jolting for the best part Of a mont
along the course of true love, termi
mated abruptly and without appeal o.
q fine summers evening. James stroni
point was her extremely orthodo.
pleuy, anu vi ludI ldIdl cNchlu6 Oh
had been shocked to hear from he
lovers lips the confession that on tn
previous day he had regarded tn
weather as too fine for church, an
had gone fishing instead. Jane almos
gasped for very breath as this fearfu
blow came upon her. She talked to tn
young man as he sat penitently in th
drawing-room-talked to him till b
could feel his ears singing and hi
brain Keeling, and confidently predicte
for him unhappiness and failure in thi
world and acute discomfort in tn
next. When, in sheer desperation, tn
young man made a blind dash for til
door, Jane followed up her advantae
remorselessly. She talked him acros
the hall, up the front garden, and as ff
down the road as she could reasonabl
expect her voice 10 be audible to tt
sinner in his flight. And with thi
moment James omance ended.
Henry had come to The age Of
without romano Of any kind. I'll
trouble that is a long time comm
however. ia generally severe when