Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-08-23
THURMONT. FREDERICK COUNTY. Md. THURSDAY AUGUST
That she wanted nothing to do

| Do you know Ernest, have haunting
fear that she will carry out the hor-
| rible threat of hers"
What! destroy her life? Oh uncle,
hope not"
| "And l am sure l 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 tiattered by that
Speech" l ventured to observe.
Truth is never tlattery," said uncle
Sam. "IIowever, l have done my part
and can do no more. If matters work
out well, why, well; if i'll, why then
| they must be borne. The real authors
of this mischief are old Wolsey and
your father, who years ago treated me
vllanously in respect of my engage
ment to your mother. Their breach
| OF faith has, am happy to think, at
| last recoiled on them both. OF course
| everybody admits that two wrongs
| don't make Il right: Dut revenge re-
| tains it's primitive sweetness despite
| that admission. At the same time
| shouldn't have gone out of my wa" to
| taste of it, but chance set it i'll my
| path. When l consider how good
| wife have, how largely her fortunes
| have aided mine, and how great is her
| love and care for me, | frankly con-
fess that regret the whole incident,
and am inclined to regard vindictive'
ness as species of folly to be guarded
| against"
Il am glad to hear you say that,
uncle. 1t augurs we'll for Il cherished
hope of mine
Uncle Sam, affecting not to perceive
my allusion. went Oh:
You have been II lucky boy, Ernest,
| and | congratulate you on your good
| fortune. Without money, experience.
| or talent. you have won for yourself
| Il charming young lady, whose dollars,
| beauty. and training make her 4 match
| that an English duke might envy. why
| il Is that she has so lightly agreed 10
| hand over to you the command OF her
| self and her large fortune passes my
understanding; for you VIII pardon
my telling YOU plainly that | fail to
discover in you any remarkable ability.
| On the conlraly you impress me as
man Of feeble Judgment and irreSolli'e
| will. Your recent mission to England
was conducted with lamcntaDle want
Of skill; and again. to-day, a man OF
average tact would have rcfraincd
from speaking - Miss WoiScy in the
| very heat Of her passion he would have
followed her and eXertcd his pcrsua-
sivcness later. Don't look 50 downcaSt;
| if | didn't greatly esteem You do You
suppose | would trouble myself to
point out your weak places"'
Isn't your rcbuke heavier than my
shortcomings deserve" | inquired
limidly.
"Not Il bit. Digest it well, and you
will derive inestmallc benefit from
it; ii may induce you to cultivate eau
ton, 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 difficult
| feat | would earnestly advise you
| not to speculate with any portion or
| Comics fortune. but to be content
with its present disposition, chosen for
| the most part by her fa,her-as clear
| headed Il man as ever owned 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-
torc 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 cigar
This speech removed somewhat of
the depressing effect produced by the
destructive criticism which preceded
1t, and under the soothing influence or
the weed | soon recovered my equa-
nimty.
Your dispositions" continued uncle
Sam, unless | entirely misread it, is
/ affectionatc and domestic; an 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 can make, and
that l don't find many people accept
as satisfactory. Besides, you must
never forget that Connie is a clever,
observant girl When | say clever. |
| don't mean you to infer that she knows
| anything about Greek quantities, or
that she has projected any new theory
| for the sewing on of shirt buttons
| or the reconstruction of society, but her
| discernment is such that it would not
! be easy for Il man of your parts to play
her false, while it would be eminently
rnprotitable for you to be folled III
the attempt"
Nothing is further from my thoughts
than such baseness," protested warm
ly.
II don't in the least doubt it; but for
your own sake as well us for Comics,
watch that you may not lapse from
your present right thinking Have you
arranged when the event is to come
off, and do you intend to acquaint
your father with the important step
IL. 4..I.