Putnam patriot., 1913-10-10

Richard. Sometimes had to tell my Uncle, but oftener I tried to bear il. because I knew Richard was already great distress to him.
 At last Richard was expelled from college. and Uncle was so angry with him that he told him he would do nothing more for him. He must go to work Richards father and mother had not much money. and there were other children to support. Richard threatened me with all sorts of awful things if did not coax Uncle to take him back into his good graces again. told him l would not say word to Uncle. He was very angry and swore at me When I tried to leave the room he locked the door and would not let me so until l screamed for help. Then he almost choked me. but when he heard Uncle coming be jump ed out of the window. The next day he forged check in my Uncle's name. and tried to throw suspicion on me. but he was discovered, and my uncle dlsinherited him. Uncle had intended to educate Richard and start him we'll In life, but now he would have nothing further to do with him. It seemed to work upon my uncle's health. all the disgrace to the family name. although no one ever thought of my uncle in connection with blame As he paid Richards debts. 1t was not known what the boy had done. except by the banker, who was personal friend.
 We went abroad then. and every where Uncle amused himself by put ting me under the best music masters and giving me all possible advantages in languages, literature. and art Three years ago he died at Carlsbad and after his death I went back to my music studies. following his wishes in the matter, and staying with a dear old lady in Vienna, who had been kind to us when we were there before.
 As soon as my uncle's death was known at home. Richard wrote the most pathetic letter to me. protesting deep contrition. and saying he could never forgive himself for having quar- reled with his dear uncle He had a sad tale of how the business that he had started had failed and left him with debts. If he had only few hun dred dollars, he could go on with 1t and pay off everything He said l had inherited all that would have been his hA h..l rss I- nized the justice of it. but begged that l would lend him small sum until he could get on his feet. when he would repay me.
 T had little faith in his reformation, but felt as if I could not refuse him when 1 was enjoying what might have been his. so I sent him all the money l had at hand As l was not yet of age. I could not control all the prop erty, but my allowance was liberal. Richard continued to send me volum- inous letters, telling of his changed life, and finally asked me to marry him declined emphatieally, but he continued to write for money, always ending with a statement of his undy ing affection. In disgust, 1 at last offered to send him a certain sum of money regularly if he would stop writing to me on this subject, and fin ally succeeded in reducing our core spondence to check account This has been going on for three years. ex- cept that he has been constantly ask ing for larger sums, and whenever I would say that 1 could not spare more just then he would begin telling me how much he cared for me. and ed from me I began to feel desperate about him, and made up my mind that when I received the inheritance should ask the lawyers to make some arrangement with him by which l should no longer be annoyed.
 Tt was necessary for me to return to America when I came of age, in order to sign certain papers and take full charge of the property. Richard knew this. He seems to have had some way of finding out everything my Uncle did
 He wrote telling me of a dear friend of his mother, who was soon to pass through Vienna, and who by some misfortune had been deprived of a position as companion and chaperon to young girl who was travelling He said it had occurred to him that per haps he could serve us both by sug- gesting to me that she be my travelling companion on the voyage. He knew I would not want to travel alone, and he sent her address and all sorts of credentials, with a message from his mother that she would feel perfectly safe about me if I went in this wom- ans guardianship.
 q really did need traveliYg com panion, of course. having failed to get my dear old lady to undertake the voyage, so I thought it could do no