The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-05-17
The Pretender
[Original.l

A carriage drew up to handsome
country residence in New England and
a young man apparently about eight
cen, with perfectly smooth cheek and
a delicate manner, stepped out and en-
tered the house. He was met in the
hall by an elderly lady, who received
him coldly, though she permitted him
to kiss her cheek.
II will not conceal from you," she
said, chat l have brought up your
cousin Elton to suppose that he was
the heir to this estate, and your appear
ance is disappointment to me. How
ever, 1 will make the best of it and
A man Of thirty, with an honest,
manly countenance, came into the
room and, without waiting for an in
PRODUCTION to the newcomer, went to
him, put out his hand frankly, and said:
81 am Elton Parmeter, and l suppose
you are my cousin Gus. You are heir
to an estate have supposed from my
childhood I would inherit If I bore
YOU the slightest malice I would de-
spise myself
Augustus Parmeter looked ND jpt0
the face of his cousin with a grateful
but panied expression, and tear
glistened in his eye.
Come" said Elton cheerily. Il
want to show you your possessions"
Years before this scene was enacted
Ralph Parmeter ran away With and
married Martha Redmond, the daugh-
ter of a penniless attorney. From the
time of his departure till few weeks
before the appearance Of Augustus Par
meter Ralph's mother heard nothing of
her son. Then one day she received Il
note from lawyer presenting the
claims of one who purported to be
Ralphs son, Augustus. The claim was
supported by affidavits furnished by
Augustus mother, stating that Ralph,
the father, was dead and Augustus was
his son and heir.
Augustus was as delicately made as
Elton was manly. Elton tried to in
fuse more vim into the boy, but his
efforts We're q failure. Augustus also
made a bad return for his cousins
bringing up the matter of the dis
possession. When Augustus mention
ed the subject Elton would knit his
brow or attempt to laugh his cousin
out of his dissatisfaction, but never
succeeded. AS time went on the pos
SCISSOR of the estate appeared to he
miserable, while the one he had dispos-
sessed was happy.
''Gus, my dear boy" said Elton one
day, "if you don't stop bothering your
self and me about this business Eli
leave the place. l confess don't want
to do So because Aunt Caroline would
miss me"
, ''You think only of Aunt Caroline"
said Gus gloomily. ''You never think
of me-"
you! Why, my dear boy, I'm as
, fond of you as my younger brother,
and if you'll only be satisfied to accept
what rightfully belongs to you we may
all be happy together as long as we
While Augustus was an unmanly fell
low, he was so kindly disposed to ev-
cry one about him, SO self sacrificing
that after awhile the household for.
gave him for turning up to dlspossess
their favorite and began to love him
in very different way from what
, they loved Elton. Indeed, the cousins
] were very unlike-the one a typica
i man; the other a sensitive, tende
t hearted little chap with winning way
r Elton became much attached to him
the only fault he had to find with hin
being his constantly bringing up TIL
one unpleasant subject of the dlspos
. session.
u One night they were together whel
r Augustus especially irritated his cous
J. In by proposing some ridiculou
0 scheme by which he might turn owe
!. the estate to him. Elton laughed
: whereupon the boy went to his room
4 and as he departed Elton thought b
g saw tears glisten in his eye. Augusta
: always locked his bedroom door, ad
= hitting that he was afraid Of burglars
u but this time he forgot to do SO. Elto
g finished cigar he was smoking the
t concluded to go to Augustus to apollo
IS gize for laughing at him and than
e him for his proffered surrender. Civ
d ing rap on the door, without waitin
d for reply he threw it open.
There stood Augustus before mil
ror with an uncovered bosom that bt
longed Enthusiastically to a woman. SEE
e ing Elton, she first paled, then til
q blood rushed to her cheeks in a torren
r as she soo.ed cloak and threw it owe
A her shoulders Elton stood looking 9
e