The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1907-04-26

ne dQQeQ. vi course us Oily lalI,
is it not, that the heir should help me
in some ways? There are SO many
things to be done, and it is very
strange and very fortunate that you
should be an American. Because it is
your government that bias my money.
When they pay me VIII: they owe me
shall be very rich man. OF course
in the meantime l must see what
can do about arranging for you and
your expenses"
The last was said with a quaint and
pathetic dignity. Charles Edward
thought of the house in Fifth avenue,
the cottage at Lenox and the bunga-
low at Cookham; and wondered rather
shamefacedly just what part of the
expenses of these establishments it
vas likely that Mr.. Felix Arncastle
could conveniently bear. For it was
gradually dawning upon him that in
stead of being very rich man, his
benefactor was an extremely poor
one.
Something like $50 years ago a branch
of the Arncastle family went out to
America. Contrary to the usual rule,
the American branch died out, and to
Felix Arncastle came in due course
that forlornest of forlorn hopes, one of
the French spoliation claims. The
history of these claims is a rather I'M
happy chapter in American records.
The French. exercising the right of
search over which there was SO much
controversy in those days inflicted
great losses upon American merchant
men, among them, upon the brig
Eleanor sailing under the command
of her owner. Captain Thomas Arm
castle. Later the United States was in
a position to exact reparatiOn from
the French government for the injur-
les done to American citizens. And
large sum of money In satisfaction
of all claims was actually paid from
Paris into the treasury at Washington.
There it unfortunately remains, and
neither entreaties nor threats have
availed with congress to induce the
government to disgorge IT'S illgotten
gains. The affair is now so old that
almost no one takes it seriously.
and what do you do to prosecute
the claim" asked it's prospective in
heritor.
Il write to America, TO the presi
dent, to the secretary Of the treasury.
and to some of the senators. And /
often try to see your ambassador here.
But it's a longtime .sincesI. have man
aged to see anyone except secretary
five years, I think. Then other peo-
pie have tried to help me, but they
h, IL
have cost me good deal.
Il had more once than have now.
My son took most of my money when
he went out to Australia. He was to
invest it. And while he was alive. he
sent me so pounds quarter. Then
when he died-he was killed by a
horse-it seemed that he had invested
1T badly, or hadn't invested it at all,
could never quite make out At
any rate it was gone, and besides,
was alone. That is why thought Of
an heir when read your advertise
ment. What do you think of the
p1an?"
It is almost unnecessary to say that
Charles Edward accepted with alac-
rity, even though his inheritance
seemed to consist merely of RESPONSE
bilities and the 20 pounds he would
win from Paul Cary.
Mr.. Arncastle then held out his hand
to Charles Edward. There was
golden sovereign in it. RI
"The payment ON account" he said
with an apologize smile trembling on
his mouth. 81 hope it is enough for
the moment. l must arrange some
thing more at once"
The following morning the heir and
his wife came up to town and Charles
Edward had consultation with the
law firm of Henderson and Hender-
son, who have so extensive an Ameri-
can connection. He was scarcely sur
prised to find that they considered the
payment of the French spOilatiOn
claims among the three or four NEST
possibilities in the world
Upon learning this he drove direct to
the corner of the very street in which
Mr.. Arncastle lodged.
Keeping the sketch Of his mornings
in mind, 1t is little diff
cult to see how he had found time to
do some of the things of which he
told his benefactor. For Mr.. Arm
castle was led to understand that a
talk with the American ambassador
disclosed the fact that there was
growing feeling in Washington that
something ought to be done about
these long-neglected claims. More
than this, it appeared that the hank
Of London and New York had such
that something was sure to
happen that it was willing to advance
Mr. Arncastle so pounds quarter
upon the security Of his claim, pay
ment to continue until the bill passed
congress, at which time the money
was to be repaid with interest at ten
per cent.
my dear boy, this is wonderfully
burst from Mr.. Arncastle.
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