The Somerset reporter., 1909-08-19

And Browne already mas one MIS-.
Browne to his credit, don't you see
Well. that settles It, I'd say. It's hard
ly probable that Browne will murder or
divorce his wife. nor is 1t likely that
her ladyship would have the courage
! to dispose of her incumbrance In either
way on such short notice."
But it means millions to them,
| Hare"
That's their unfortunate lookout
You are to act as an executor, not as
matrimonial agent"
"But, man, it's an outrage to give oil
of 1t to those wretched islanders. Bos-
worth says that rubies and sapphires
grow there like mushrooms"
"Bosworth also says that the island
ers are thrifty, intelligent and will fight
for their rights. There are lawyers
among them, he says. as we'll as Jewel
diggers and fishermen"
"Skaggs and Lady Deppingham's
! grandfather were the only white men
who ever lived there long enough to
find out what the island had stored up
for civilization. That's why they bought
it outright. but I'm hanged If can see
why he wants to give 1t back to the
/ natives"
Perhaps he owes 1t to them. He
doubtless bought 1t for song, and,
contrary to all human belief, he may
have resurrected a conscience. Any
how, there remains a chance for the
heirs to break the WILL
1T can't be done, Hare; it can't be
done. It's as clean an instrument as
ever survived a man."
1t is by this time safe for the reader
to assume that Mr.. Taswell Skaggs
had been q rich man and therefore
privileged to be eccentric. He came of
sound old country family in upper
England, but seems to have married
bit above his station. His wife was serv-
ing as governess in the home of GER
tain earl when Taswell won her heart
and dragged her from the exalted posi-
! ton Of minding other 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. 1t was
then that Mr.. Skaggs, practically child
less, determined to make himself wife
| less as well.
He magnanimously decided the un-
entailed farm to his wife, turned his
securities into cash and then set forth
upon q voyage Of exploration. 1t Is
common history that upon one dark
still night In December he said goodby
forever to the farm and its mistress,
but 1t is doubtful If either of them
heard him.
To be Jolly well even" with him
Mrs Skaggs did most priggtsh thing.
She died six months later but before
doing 80 she made q will In which she
left the entire estate to her daughter,
effectually depriving the absent hus-
band of any chance to reclaim his
own.
Taswell Skaggs was in Shanghai
when he heard the news. 1t was on a
Friday. His informant was that erst-
while friend Jack Wyckholme. Nat
urally Skaggs felt deeply aggrieved
with the fate which permitted him to
capitulate when unconditional surren-
der was 80 close at hand. His Ian
guage for one brief quarter Of an hour
did more to upset the progress of Chris.
tan endeavor in the far east than all
the idols in the Chinese empire.
There's nawthin' in England for me,
Jackie. My gals bloomin' foreigner
by this time. and she'll sell the bleedin'
farm, of course. She's an American.
God bless 'er cart. / dare say II I'd
go to 'er and say I'd like my farm back
again she'd want to fork hover, but FER
husband wouldn't be for that sort of
hextravagance. ED boot me Off the
hisland."
1.-THE United States isn't an island.
Tazzy," explained Mr. Wyckholme,
gulping his brandy and soda.
Mr. Wyckholme was the second son
Of Sir Somebody -or-other and had mar
ried the Wears daughter This put
him into such bad odor with his fam
lily that he hurried of to the dogs-and
goodly sized menagerie besides II the
records Of the inebriate's asylum are
to be credited. His wife, after endur-
ing him for sixteen years, secured
divorce. Accepting the world as his
home, no ventured forth to visit every
nook and Granny of 1t. In course Of
time he came upon his old time
neighbor and boyhood friend. Taswell
Skaggs. In the city Of Shanghai Mel
Their Of them had seen the British isles
IN two years or more.
"Ow do you known demanded Tas-
well.
Haven't been there. old chap?
year or more? It's rotten big place
where gentlemen aspire to sell gloves
and hankerchiefs and 'needlework over
the shop counters. You know. Tazzy,
l could well afford to starve. and
wouldn't sell things, SO l came away.
But It's no island"
"Well, that's neither here nor there,
Jackie. l 'aven't a 'ome. and you
'aven't 'ome. and we're wanderers on
the face Of the earth My wife played
me beastly trick, dyin' like that.
I say marriage is bloomin' nui.
sance."
Marriage, my boy. is the Gonzales
cence from a love affair. One wants
to get out the worst way. but has to
stay In till he's jolly well cured. For
my part. I'm never going back to Eng