Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-08-06
CHAPTER xxl1-,uont,nu.a.,


I'd sooner give her to, providing she's
willing to take you"
MY dear uncle, Maude and i"
Pooh! You needn't go on about that.
never doubted that you and Maude had
settled 1t all before you did me the honor
to consult me. But what are you to live
on? Your f400 a year won't keep a
wife, Gren, and can't help you"
No, but we can wait bit; we are
both young, and shall be making two
or three hundred a year at my profession
very soon."
Nonsense, boy; 1 know the law.
thoroughly believe you to be clever and
have no doubt the money will come In
course Of time, but it's slow work-very.
Long engagements are not judicious."
But this Is not to be so very long
and Maude is good to wait a couple of
years or so for me-"
a couple OF years." smiled the squire.
what did the fee-book say last year.
Fifty pounds"
Not quite; very near It, though"
I'm afraid you'll find it will take all
two years to double it, l don't doubt
your doing well at last, but 1t takes time,
1t takes time. Still, Gren, I'll not gain
say the match, and II at the end of next
year you can see your way into something
like f3OO a year, exclusive of what you
have, make a wedding of it, If you like"
Ten thousand thanks, uncle. This
case Of yours will find me practice, see
II it don't. | have no intention Of hid
ing my light under a bushel. I'll take
very good care, through my friends, the
case Is well talked of. Only wait till
the Two Thousand is over, and see what
details the sporting papers shall have
of 1t Good-by. l will just run UP and
see my aunt and Maude, and then I'm
off,"
Grenville dashed into the drawing room,
where he found Mrs. Denison and his
cousin.
I'm JUST of to town, aunt, and have
come to wish you good-by, and to tell you
I'm to be your son-in-law, after all"
Don't believe him, my mother" laugh
ed Maude, her eyes dancing with fun.
ave know better than that don't we? We
mustn't detain him, or he'll be too late
for his dinner. You greedy thing; you
won't live il you gourmandize So"
'Come here Gren," said Mrs. Denison ;
''has my husband consented to your mar
rying Maudel"
"Ies. aunt, as soon as I've got bread
and cheese enough to feed her on"
my dear boy, I'm so glad 1 was
obliged to be your enemy once, Gren-I
couldn't help myself; but I'd rather you
took her than anyone!
"Oh you, mother !" cried Maude; "and
be says he'll feed me on bread and cheese,
end / like, like-strawberries and
cream"
"Sad thing, aunt, but suppose I'd
better break off the match at once. Bet
ter that than come to a separate main.e-
nance. you know. Bread and cheese is
a good lasting dish, but how she's to get
through the winters don't know, on
what she proposes"
"Ah, we'll, never mind" laughed Maude;
"she's yours now, and won't have a sep
arate maintenance. You'll have to feed
her some way and you can't guess how
she eats. When are you going; Gren?"
an very few minutes. I'm going
to walk; will you come with mel Good
by. amt. Don't be afraid. 1 won't run
away with her, at ell events till straw
berries are well in, and threpence a pot
tle."
"Listen we're lovers like that in your
day, mother? l used to dream, little
while back, that when you had lover, 1t
was all you could do to keep him from
running away with you. Now I'm getting
quite clever about it, and know that
Gren would always much prefer to leave
me behind than his portmanteau."
''Come away, Maude, and let's see If
we can shut it; you know we always
have a deal of trouble about that"
"Oh, yes, I always found you and
Thomas despairing over 1t, and 1t takes
all my ingenuity to make those last three
or four packages fit in. Don't you think
he's making wife of me, mother, little
before he's entitled to?"
go away, you foolish children. You
can quarrel and make up all the way TO
the station"
The refractory portmanteau was soon
reduced to subjection under Maude's
clever auspices, and then the two cousins
walked across the fields to the station.
"Your fathers given you to me, Maude,
as soon as 1 can get together an income
that we can live upon"
She, might be coquettish before her
mother, but she was meek enough to her
lover when they were alone together.
81 hope shall be a good wife to you,
Gren. You know I'm not extravagant,
however / may laugh about it."
mo, my darling, know you better;
and if we have to begin with little,
hope you'll be able to spend lots Of money
before long"
Il never had any money to spend" said
the girl, gravely. "I've often had to want
6ve-pound note, both for myself and
my poor people in the village"
"And will have again, pet. Wanting
money is the normal condition of ninety
g,s, l.. 1. Ill.- n Ii. h,,y,, nttN