Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-05-18

gambling debts, and these might be
concealed from him. Her fortune
could be relied on to win him to the
plan.
TweeZerdale proposed to Mildred
that they should thus unite their for
tunes. 1t did not occur to him that both
the estates were lin the bush" Mil
dred threw herself into his arms and
told him how happy she would be to
do her part restoring the glory of the
earls of Tweezerdale. Young Tweezer-
dale responded by expressing his joy
at being able to pay her gambling
debts
The transports over the two settled
down to business or, rather, what they
called business. But one item of seri-
Gus Importance engaged their atten-
tion-Mildred's gambling debts. Twee-
Zerdale arranged plan for putting
them out of the way until after the
nuptials and the double accession to
fortune. He had bank account.
True, it was usually overdrawn, but
he would get money from his bank to
pay Mildred's most pressing debts by
giving a draft on Paris. Before the
note was due in Paris he would meet
it with one on New York. The New
York matter would be arranged by one
on London. Thus he would keep chas.
ing it around like a dog running after
his tail till the day of the wedding
The draft having been sent out on
it's first journey. TweeZerdale went to
his uncle and announced his proposed
marriage with an American heiress, to
be followed by his settling down-no
more comic songs, no more highland
fling. Miss Strang was without re-
prOach in London society. and her for
tune would be forthcoming on the nup-
tial day Mr. Foster, who was a bust
ness man, told his nephew that he
would look into the matter and let him
know.
"There are certain reasons" the old
gentleman added. why | shall feel it
best to impose conditions in reference
to this union | shall not consent to
your marriage with any girl whose
family record is not perfectly clear.
don't mean to restrict you to marrying
girl of noble family, for the Ameri
cans have no nobility. But | shall eX
pect that her prOgenitOrs shall be or
have been honorable people, standing
we'll in their own community"
The preliminaries to this marriage
in high life led to an attorney travelling
from America to London. He brought
with him a copy Of the will of Edward
| Strang and met Mr.. Foster, who was
to make settlements for Tweezerdale.
Before you mention the contents of
my nepheW'S case, which | admit is
| somewhat peculiar. You will then be
able to say at once whether this match
can be made. The mother of the groom
was variety actress and was met by
| the boys father, the last Lord TWee-
zerdale, when she was singing and
dancing at London music hall He
wasted half his fortune on her before
their marriage, and she got away with
the other half after marriage; divorced
him. or he her-it doesn't matter which
and their son was born into the
world inheriting a title with nothing to
support it.
ut is on account of this misalliance
and it's results that | am not willing
! to settle on my nephew a fortune un-
less he marries girl on whose lineage
there is no such faint. Now that you
have heard the only condition essential
on my part l shall be happy to hear
those made in the will"
The attorney smiled a grim smile
and said:
miss Strang's father, George Ches-
ter, like that Of her proposed husband,
comes from the British aristocracy.
At the time of her marriage to the
daughter of the testator in the will he
was heir to the Marquis of Butter
minister. But the marquis, who was a
widower with no children, married
second wife. who bore him children to
inherit the title. At the time that he
was heir to the marquisate he went to
America for an heiress wife and mar
ried the testator's daughter. Mildred
Strang's mother. Like others Of your
British aristocracy, he turned out bad
ly. He gambled away the settlements,
drank hard and i'll treated his wife.
She divorced him, and after the birth
of an heir to the title he had expected
he went to the then wilder part Of
America, where he sank lower arr
lower till he became lost to his former
acquaintances. He met his death at
the end Of a rope thrown over branch
of a tree"
The attorney paused; the two men
sat for few moments looking at each
other; then the former resumed:
''The testator has provided that his
granddaughter shall inherit only in
case she marries one who can show
record for steadiness, sobriety and in
trinsic worth above the average man
Of his age; otherwise his property goes
to charity"
After q few moments silence Mr..