Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1909-07-30
''Deppingham."

But. man, it's an outrage to give all
Of It to those wretehed islanders. Bos-
worth says that rubies aud sapphires
grow there like mushrooms"
"Beswerth also says that the island
ers are thrifty. Intelligent and will fight
for their rights. There are lawyers
ameng them. he says. as well as jewel
digsers and fishermen"
''Skaggs and Lady Depningham's
grandfather were the only white men
whe ever lived there long enough to
find out what the island had stored up
for civilization. That's why they bought
il outright. but I'm hanged ii | can see
why he wants to give 1t back TO the
natives
Perhaps he owes II to them. He
doubtless bought Il for song and.
contrary 10 all human belief be may
have re>urrectea Il conscience. Any
how, there remains a chance for the
heirs To break the will.
1t can't be done. Hare. 1t can't be
done. It's as clean an instrument as
ever survived a man"
Ii is by this time safe for the reader
to assume that Mr. Taswell Skaggs
had been = rich man and therefore
privileged 20 be eccentric. He came of
a sound old country family in upper
England. but seems TO have married a
bit above his station. His wife was serv
ing as geverness in the home of a Ger
tain earl when TasweH won her heart
and dragged her from the exalted posi-
ton of mindlng ether peoples children
into the less conspicuous one of caring
for her own.
Their only son was killed by run.
away horse when he WAS twenty, and
their daughter became the wife of an
American named Browne when she
was scarcely out OF her teens. Ii was
then that Mr.. Skaggs. practically child
less, determined to make himself wife
less as well.
He magnanimously decided the IN
entailed farm to his wife. turned his
securities into cash and then set forth
upon voyage of exploration. Ii Is
common history that upon one dark.
still night in December he said goodby
forever To the farm and its mistress.
but IL Is doubtful II either of them
heard him
To be Jolly well even. with him
Mrs. Skaggs did a most priggish thing
She died six months later. but before
doing so she made Will in which she
Left the entire estate To her daughter
effecfually depriving the absent bus
band of any chance 10 reclaim his
own.
TasweH Skaggs was in Shanghai
when be heani the news. 1t was on
Friday. His Informant was that erst
wblae friend Jack Wyckholme. Nat
uraiiy Skaggs felt deeply aggrieved
with the fate which permitted him to
captfniate when unconditional surren.
der was so close at hand His Ian
guage for one brief quarter Of an houi
did more TO upset the progress Of Chris
tan ersieavor In the far east than all
the Idols in the Chinese empire.
"Theree nawtflin' In England for me
Jackie. My gals a bloomin' foreigner
bv this tire. and she'll sell the bieedin
farm. Of course SHE'S an American
God bless er cart I dare say II I'd
go 10 .er and say I'd like my farm back
again she'd want to fork hover but 'er
husband wouldn't be for that sort of
hextravaganee. Ed boot me of the
hisland.'
THE United States isn't an island.
Tazzy." explained Mr.. Wyckhoime
gulping his brandy and soda.
n 81, ~hS Sa(nn6
of Sir Somebody or other and had mar.
ried the wears daughter. This put
him into such bad odor with his fam
ily that he hurried OF to the dogs-a nd
a goodly siz ID menagerie besides II the
records of the fnebriate's asylum are
70 be credited. His wife. after sndur-
ting him for sixteen years. secured
divorce. Accepting the world as DIS
home. he yentured forth to sisit every
nook and Granny OF Ii. In course OF
time be came upon his Old time
neightor and bsyhood friend Tasweu
skaseu. in the city OF Shanghai Nei-
Their Of Them had seen the British isies
IN two years or more
low do you known demanded Ias
well
Haven't I been there. old chap7 a
year or mores It's rotten big place
where gentlemen aspire 10 sell gloves
and hankerchiefs and neediework over
the shop counters. You know. Iazzy.
I could we'll afford TO starye, and !
wouldn't sell things. SO came away
p,t It's M island
well. that's neither here nor there.
Jaekie. | 'aven't a ONE. and yot
.ayen,t 'ome. and we're wanderers on
the face Of the earth. Ny wife played
me A beasily trick. dyin' Ike that
I say marriage is bsoomin nui-
sance
Marriage. ny boy. is the GONZALES
eenee from a love affair One wants
"a .-af our rhe worst way. but has 10
STAY in tn he's jolly web cured For
ms mart. rm never going back to Eng
land
-Sor 1 II would be Just Ike me.
Jackie. 10 ave q relapse and never ger
out again
The cid friends took an inventory
Jack wyckholme- gentiemans son ana
pe,er-do- well. Possessed To and q nae
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