Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1911-12-08
CHAPTER v.

their owner, were heavy, eminently
respectable, pompous, and quite pre-
tentious.
The household consisted of himself,
his daughter, and his spinster sister
the latter tolerated chiefly because
she made an admirable sheep-dog for
the second, being conveniently deaf,
quite colorless as to opinions, and
capable of complete self-effacement
upon occasion.
Clara Passavant, the daughter, was
commonly accounted handsome
woman, of pale, blonde, stately type
of beauty; she was thoroughly mer-
cenary, brilliant as an icicle and near
ly as cold, heartless, vain, and ambi-
tious Her all-consuming aim in life
was to contract splendid marriage;
in her eyes money was the indis-
pensable requisite for human happi-
ness; and, although she probably
never shaped the thought in SO many
words, she would undoubtedly sell her
self to the highest bidder
Father and daughter were sitting
over their dessert on the evening Of
the day which brought to Wilfrid the
tidings of his stupendous change in
fortune. The scene was far as the
antipodes from the humble interior
over in Macdougal street, where an
other and a more momentous inter
view was at that very moment also
taking place.
Now tell me about this Mr.. Stennis
of yours, papa" said Clara after the
servants had retired rs he at all
presentable?"
Not half bad, my DEAR" returned
the lawyer; "a trifle raw and un-
formed, perhaps, but under the proper
tutelage 1 imagine he will become
very valuable adjunct to society. He
is one Of the richest young men in the
world, remember!"
How rich, for example?" queried
Clara, absently admiring the flash and
simmer of her bracelet.
His income from his mining prop
critics alone is 100000 a year, and
there is capital nest-egg Of at least
twenty-five million back of that"
"a million dollars q year." unused
/ Clara aloud; "ons could support an
establishment anywhere very COM
fortably on that"
Her father gave vent to an excla-
| nation that was very like q snort of
disgust. 'One year of his income is
more than I have amassed in all my
professional life!"
When does he come into his prop
erty?" was the beauty's next ques-
tion.
"Oh, practically Immediately. There
| are but few legal formalities to be OBJ
served"
II should think he would feel very
grateful to you," continued Clara, for
rescuing him from poverty and OBJ
security"
We'll, you see, my DEAR" said Mr..
Passavant, rubbing his double chin
| obviously at this characteristic fem.
mime bit of logic. "the facts being as
they were, we could hardly help find.
ing him; there was really no trouble at
all; any other firm could and would
have done as well. l do not exactly
| perceive why he should be especially
grateful on that score. No doubt the
young man feels kindly towards me-
have every reason to believe that he
does, in point of fact"
What has he been doing for liv
ing all these years?"
His vocation has been that Of 8
bookkeeper in . large export house
downtown"
Il suppose he knows nothing what
ever of society, papa? He could have
no really nice people among his &C
quaintances?"
Highly improbable, should say,
was the rejoinder II was thinking
Clara, that we might do the poor fel
low = signal service by taking hin
up-introducing him in the right quar-
ters, and all that sort of thing" will
an airy wave of the hand.
Very likely he gobbles his soup ant
eats with his knife! Do you suppose
he ever walked through a cotillion IL
his life?" said Clara, with superciliou
disdain. Her father gave a ventra
chuckle.
Come, come, my dear, We must no
be too hard on young Stennis. III
has really quite passable manners
and impresses me as a man VIII
would quickly fall into civilized ways.
"Oh, you men do that better thai
women anyway" commented this ma
ture girl satirically. "Has he an
drawbacks in the way of detrimenta
relatlves-any sisters?"
HE is absolutely alone in the world
my dear. He was the only son of hi
mother, and she was widow Hi
father was civil engineer by pre-
fession."
That's something In his favor" a
mitted the daughter of the house
What is his full name, papa?"
"Wilfrid Stennis."
Does ne spell 1t with an T. or wit
an 'e?'"
with an f-w-i-l-f-r-i-d. Rather
well-sounding name-don't you thin
so?"
"oh. 1t will do" said Clara indiffel
emily.