The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-01-28

geous prospect to his eyes. 1t was a
piece of good fortune that he had never
dr. ,amed of. But he knew his man by
this time WELL What was the price he
was to pay for this? He said nothing,
but inwardly his brain was busy in vain
conjecture as to what Pearman would
demand as his guerdon for producing such
| a transformation scene. The idea of that
worthy solicitor ever doing anything with
out an Interior motive was one he never
entertained for an instant. What would
he want? What did he mean?
CHAPTER V.
| A silence of some FIVE minutes ensued
between the two men the old lawyer
was anxious that the tempting bait he
held out should be thoroughly gorged be
fore he was called upon to state upon
what terms all this might be brought
| about. His best experience of men told
him that there was no such mistake in
| life as hurrying-an axiom most of us
learn, though generally too late but to
| derive minor advantages therefrom.
This sounds too good to be true, Pear
man." at length remarked the squire. IF
it can be done, you must have some in
| fernal rider to the proposition. that it is
hardly possible l should assent to-
1T is not likely that this can be brought
about without some valuable assistance
from yourself" rejoined the solicitor.
But will you bear steadfastly in your
mind the great advantages that will ac-
crue Immediately to yourself, and ulti-
mately to Miss Denison? Will you. more
over, be good enough to hear me patiently
to the end?"
The squire nodded an impatient as
sent.
You must, of course, be quite aware
that now Miss Denison has arrived at q
manageable age. her great personal at
fractions have claimed the attention of
good many young men in the county.
The attorney paused. but his auditor
looked grimly at the fire. and expressed
his feelings by neither word nor gesture.
"Well, young gentleman of consider
able property, and still better expecta-
tons. who has had the privilege of meet
ing Miss Denison, is so struck with her
charms and accomplishments that he has
commissioned me to ask your permission
to try whether he cannot succeed in in
On the point of family he is quite aware
that he has no pretensions to Miss Deni-
sons hand but as regards income, |
think there would be nothing to be de.
! sired
who do you mean?'' broke in the
squire. HAS Maude given him any en-
| couragement, that you come with this
story to me?'
MY dear sir, his acquaintance with
| Miss Denison is far too slight for any
thing of that kind ever to have been even
thought of on his part. He is merely
anxious to have your permission to try
his luck Without that, believe me, he
| would never dare to aspire to your
daughters hand"
All this show of Difference induced the
squire to listen to the proposition. at all
events, quietly. Who on earth Pearman
could have in his eye he had no idea
That he could mean his son all this time
never entered Harold Denison's head He
certainly knew he had son. but, mix.
ing so little as he did in the county now
he had barely seen him, nor had he, but al
odd times, even heard of him.
But who is it, man? Let's know the
|
quality one sees little enough of in these
days."
my son, Mr. Denison, is the gentle
man who solicits your permission to dc
his best to win your daughter"
"Your son Why"-and here the squire
stopped. perfectly thunderstruck. 1t was
dwelling age, he knew; that the tide
of democracy was at the food, he was
aware; that our cherished institutions
were looked on with disdain. that there
were people who saw no virtue i'm coro
nets, and thought an Established Church
worn-out institution that it would bs
as we'll to do away with, he had heard
but that the son of a COMPOUNDED money
lending attorney should presume to dream
of mating with a Denison of Glinn he
mad never contemplated. For a few min
utes he was literally speechless then al
the pride of race surged up. He came
of line of whom it had been often said
that their tongues were as sharp anG
ready as their swords.
Excuse me- he remarked; 81 was not
aware that the times were so far advanc
ed that our daughters were regarded as
salable commodities out of their own
class of life. | was not aware that thu
social gap between myself and my solici
tor was so effectually bridged over. Your
son, sir, will have to take his chance
with the young man from the butchers
and Mr.. Muffatee, who keeps the draper's
establishment in minister. / shall moi
presume to influence Miss Denison in her
choice"
Old Pearman had many times in the
| course of his career moraliZed upon the
weakness of losing ones temper about
anything. but the squire's sheer brought
the blood to his pale temples.
'You take a high hand, sir-a high
hand. i asked you to listen to me pa
tiently, and you insult me. l spoke to
you humbly enough to start with bu,
l tell you now that wealth chooses its
mate from blood in these days, and that
many as well-born as Miss Denson have
married not a bit better lineage than
| mine"
Perhaps so. People forget themselves
in all classes, and forfeit their socia
status: bur it's getting time for money
grubbers to learn one thing, and that Is
that possession of all the gold in Cali
fornia does not constitute a gentleman
or entitle a man to claim alliance with
| gentle blood ~
The old soliciter's lips quivered, and
his lean fingers Sd nervously with his
watch chain, az replied:
Il did not come here to argue our
mutual social position. l came here tc
afford an embarrassed man, for whom
have sincere regard, in spite of all the
hard names he heaps upon me, Gs1 oppor
tunity of freeing himself from those en-
Engagements. | advanced proposition
which gave him chance of in some way
repairing the evil that the early follies
Of his youth had entailed on his child
destined to pay her full share of such in
discretions The days of such prejudices
are past, / tell you. Mr.. Denison; and
once more / ask you not to give me an
answer now, but to reflect upon the pro
posal / have made to you"
You do us too much honor, Mr.. Pear
man. Permit me to observe that / must