The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-09-01
"That she wanted nothing to %
with anybody of our name"

"That she wanted nothing 70 %
with anybody Of our name"
"Ah, posr girl! am sorry for her.
Do you know Ernest. have a haunting
fear that she will carry out the hor-
rible threat Of hers:"
What! destroy her life? Oh, uncle.
hope not"
"And I am sure 1 do; but it is hard
to say. Women are such uncertain
creatures, so much swayed by impulse,
| so little by reason, that men who have
had most to do with them sometimes
understand them least By-the-bye,
how wonderfully like she is to your
mother, and how nearly you resemble
them both"
II am not sure feel dattered by that
speech" ventured to observe.
Truth is never fattery," said uncle
Sam. However, have done my part
and can do no more II matters work
out we'll, why, well; If III, why then
they must be borne. The real authors
of this mischief are old Wolsey and
your father, who years ago treated me
villainously in respect Of my engage
ment to your mother. Their breach
of faith has. l am happy to think, at
last recoiled on them both. OF course
everybody admits that two wrongs
don't make right; but revenge re-
tains its primitive sweetness despite
that admission. At the same time I
shouldn't have gone out of my way to
| taste of it, but chance set 1t in my
path. When I consider how good
wife | have, how largely her fortunes
have aided mine, and how great Is her
love and care for me, l frankly con-
fess that l regret the whole incident,
and am inclined to regard vindictive-
ness as species of folly to be guarded
| against"
Il am glad 20 hear you say that,
uncle. 1t augurs well for cherished
nope of mine"
Uncle Sam, affecting not to perceive
my allusion, went on:
You have been lucky boy. Ernest,
and 1 congratulate you on your GOOD
| fortune. Without money. experience,
OF talent, you have won for yourself
charming young lady. whose dollars.
beauty, and training make her match
that an English duke might envy. Why
II Is that she has so lightly agreed to
hand over to you the command Of her
self and her large fortune passes my
understanding; for you will pardon
my telling you plainly that l fail TO
discover in you any remarkable ability.
On the contrary, you impress me as
man of feeble judgment and lrresolute
will. Your recent mission to England
was conducted with .lamentable want
of skill; and again, to-day, a man OF
average tact would have refrained
from speaking to Miss Wolsey in the
very heat of her passion: he would have
followed her and exerted his persua.
siveness later. Don't look so downcast;
If I didn't greatly esteem you do you
suppose I would trouble myself to
point out your weak places"
Isn't your rebuke heavier than my
shortcomings deserve" / Inquired
timidly.
Not a bit. Digest it we'll, and yea
will derive inestimable benefit from
ii; it may induce you to cultivate eau
tion. a quality which at present you
greatly need, and will need yet more
when your lucky stars have endowed
YOU with the control Of Comics dol
lars; for you must know that to hold
money is second in difficulty only to
the acquisition Of it: nay. to some ma
lures its retention Is the more dif1cult
feat. would earnestly advise you
not to speculate with any portion OF
Comics fortune. but to be content
with its present disposition, chosen for
the most part by her father-as clear
headed q man as ever owned q rail-
road. With its present investments,
all made with view to security rather
than high rate of interest, you can
draw dividends enormously in excess
Of your utmost requirements. AS
neither of you nor your fathers be-
fore you have ever had any money to.
speak Of, there is some danger that In
your new and luxurious circumstances
you may lose your head; and 1t is that
contingency would warn you against.
Why don't you light cigarT
This speech removed somewhat OF
the depressing effect produced by the
destructive criticism which preceded
it, and under the soothing influence, OF
the weed I soon recovered my eqds
nimity.
Your disposition" continued uncle
Sam, unless I entirely misread 1t, is
affectionate and domestic; and with
so charming wife as yours will prove,
you ought easily to avoid such folly
as mine. If you don't, you will lack
even such excuse as I can make, and
that don't find many people accept
as satisfactory. Besides, you must
never forget that Connie is clever.
IL