The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-08-04
EIIAIrIltR ".

IlNIHS III EDHIt sly IT, dh may
gathered from what 1 have already
narrated, it may be supposed that 1
was rich. | was not / paid no rent
for the house in which we resided,
neither was 1t mine; and the money
which supported IL came not from my
own resources. | viii briefly describe
the peculiar nature Of ny private al
! fairs.
Ny father, for some years Of his life
an opulent man, lost his fortune when
1 was very young, partly through the
treachery Of "A friend, partly through
unwise speculation, and from the daY
OF his ruin was dependent upon his
| wife's brother, a gentleman OF great
wealth.
Mr.. Wilmot was ut once generous
and eccentric. lie never had any great
ideas Of my fathers business Cap1ci-
! ties; and 1t is doia= h'n no injustice
| to say that he was self-willcd and Oh.
stinatc, and that be entertained the
! idea that he should not only be Il Jaw
unto himself but to other people as
well. 1t was through his assistance
| that my father cxtricated himself hon
| oraby from his business difficulties,
and when they were settled my uncle
refused TO rc-CstabliSh him.
You shall have life Of ease and
happiness said M Wilmot and
shall run no more risks
TO this end he promised ny father
an income sufficiently large 90 main
! tain the social standing 20 which he
! had been accustomed. The promise
was faithfully kept. At the end of
| every six months Il sum was placed
i'm the bank TO my fathers credit, in
| fultlImeut OF the arrangement, and Mr..
| Wilmot. who was and who remained n
| bachelor. gave us TO understand that
ut his death we should inherit the
whole oe his wealth. Neither Of my
| parents lived long 10 enjoy the life OF
| luxurious ease for which Mr. Wimot' 8
| generosity provided, and /, their only
| child, remained the sole recipient of
his kindness. lie paid hbtraily FOR my
support and education; ard il was with
! his concurrence that | became cn.
gagged TO the lady l married. On that
occasion he purchased the little estate
in Sevenoaks. TO which | took my wife,
| and devised il 10 me in his will, which
made me his sole heir Therefore, as
will he seen, was entirely dependent
upon him during his lifetime.
| At the time Of my daughter S engage.
mcnt Mr.. Wilmot was absent from
| Is nk Of nj
! ing myself in communication with him.
! His habits Of life were a sufficient in
! dication of the eccentricity of his char
! actcr. He lived life of absolute Sc
! cluSion, rs far rs we were concerned,
who would have gladly welcomed MS in
our house. aud rejoiced to receive long
| and frequent visits from him. We
! owed all we possessed 10 him; and the
unsclhshness of his generosity insured
! for him The highest need Of respect
| and esteem. But we saw him very
! seldom. and. indeed, for the last three
years had not seen him at all lie
| was pasSionately fond of travel and
was in tie habit of making long dis
! appearances. During these periods ii
was his whlm 10 be troubled by no
/ correspondence whatever, either from
his friends or business agents. lie
wrote To them from time TO time, but
never gave an address, nor would he
| consent TO receive replies from them
except upon matters of the highest
private Importance. All letters for him
were addressed. Ivy request, TO firm
OF lawyers in London, who conducted
his affairs. and there they accumu'
lated until his return home.
TO be ContinuedD