Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-15

Of solicitors"
and l did so. They began by trying to
cross examine nae. but that was an
abjcct fail-re. Seeing that whatever
they had to say must stand on It's OWL
! legs, they told me an extraordinary
story. 1t appears that at Il place called
| the Hall. Dcltham. Devon. lives an
elderly baronet named Sir Philip Nor.
land"
"Morand. Philip Morand"
"Ah. You remember the name, II
was given to a young dcrelict who once
| figured in the dock before you on q
charge of being in unlawful posses
SION
The matter is not serious. them"
at is very serious. Tho real Philip
Morland is my uncle"
"Do you mean TO say that YOU learn
ed this fact for the first time today
from Sharpe & Smith,"
Philip laughed. BY this time they
were seated ut the table, and their talk
depended 10 certain extent on the
comings and gongs of servants. At q
| =.
ponderous butler and solemn lackeys
was dispensed with.
! ooh, you lawyers"' he cried. That's
a nice sort of leading question. But
marvellous as it may seen 10 you.
must answer Yes My mothers maid
en- name was Morland. Her brother
was much older than she, and it ap
| {I,n
please herself, thereby MORALLY offend
! ing tho baronet.'
"N'hy the 'oifcnsc""
because my fathers social position
was not equal 10 that Of the aristocrat
ic Morlan,ls. Moreover, her brother
had an accident in his youth which
rendered him irritable and morose
From being n pleasant sort of man
which, indeed. he must have been did
he share aught Of my mothers nature
he grew into misanthrope and gave
his life to the classification Of Exmool
beetles. He treated my mother very
badly. so Wiley that even she. dear
soul. during her married life held NJ
further communication with him anC
never mentioned him to me by name
Now. one day on EXmoor he found
| lady who also was devoted TO beetles
at least she knew all that the Encyclo
paedia britannica could teach her Sh,
was Il poor but handsome widow
"Ah"
at is delightful TO talk with you
| Abingdon. Your monosyllables hcl,
tie narrative along. Sir Philip mar
ried the widow. She brought him
son, aged five. There were no children
born of my uncle's marriage
OH
when poverty overlook my dear one
she so far obliterated a cruel memor,
as to appeal, not once. but many times
to the human coleopterus Of Exmoor
but she was Invariably frozen off eithe
by Lady Louisa Morland or by Messrs
Sharpe * Smith"
Did they admit this?"
'By no means. I am telling you tn,
facts. l am still on top Of the Pyre
nees"
Then how did you ascertain thu
facts:"
Il have In my possession ever sine,
my mothers death the letters the,
wrote to her. They We're fresh in IN,
memory when you and first met il
the Clerkenwell police court That i
why the name Of Philip Morland wa
glib on my tongue"
$50 l have only heard historical
events-events prior to the last tel
years."
Exactly. My uncle Is now sixt.
years of age Lady Louisa Morland
son Is twenty-four. Her ladyship'
whole aim in life has been to secur
him as the baronet's heir. The title, o
course, he cannot obtain But, mos
unfortunately, he has no penchant 70
beetles Indeed, Lady Loulsas re
searches have long since diminished IL
ardor Her sons interests are divided
between the Sports club and the cory
phees OF the latest musical comedy
Moths are more in his line apparently
My uncle, who is preparing n mono
graph on the feas which patronize FIX
moor wild ponies, came to town las
week to visit the British museum Tn
happily he heard something about hi
stepson which disturbed his researches
There was row."
"Why do you say 'unhappilyY"
"Because ! am dragged into tn
wretched business on account OF II
After lapse Of more than twenty -fiv
years he remembered his sister, wen
to his solicitors, made fearfn, buh