The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1913-10-30

broke a rare Uresoen vase that Uncles
priced. and told him had done IT,
Mother did not live long after Fa-
ther died. and after she was gone.
had no one to stand between me and
Richard. Sometimes | had to tell my
Uncle, but oftener l tried to bear Il,
because knew Richard was already a
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 20 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 | would not say word TO
Uncle. He was very angry and swore
at me. When l tried to leave the
room he locked the door and would
not let me 90 until l screamed for
! help. Then he almost choked me, but
when he heard Uncle coming he Jump
ed out OF the window. The next day
ne forged check IN my Uncles name.
and tried 20 throw suspicion on me,
but he was discovered, and my uncle
disinherited him. Uncle had intended
10 educate Richard and start him we'll
In lie, but now he would have nothing
further TO do with him. 1t seemed to
work upon my uncle's health, all the
disgrace 10 the family name although
no one ever thought of my uncle in
connection with blame. AS he paid
Richards debts. Il was not known
what the boy had done. except by the
banker, who was q personal friend.
We went abroad then, and every
where Uncle amused himself by put
ing me under the best music masters.
and giving me all possible advantages
in languages, literature, and art.
Three years ago he died at Carlsbad.
ana after his death went back to my
music studies. following his wishes In
the matter, and staying with q 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-
relied with his dear uncle. He had a
sad tale OF how the business that he
mad started had failed and left him
with debts. If he had only a few hun
dred dollars, he could go on with IL
ana pay of everything He said / had
inherited all that would have been his
| II he had done right, and he reeog-
/ 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.
Il had little faith in his reformation.
put felt as If I could not refuse him
/ when was enjoying what might have
been his, so l sent him all the money
] had at hand. AS / was not vet of
/ age, l could not control all the prop
erty, but my allowance was liberal.
| Richard continued to send me volum-
nous letters, telling of his changed
! life, and finally asked me to marry
him. | declined emphaticaIly, but he
continued to write for money, always
ending with statement OF his undy-
ing affection. In disgust. / at last
! offered to send him a certain sum OF
money regularly if he would ston
writing to me on this subject. and fin
ally succeeded in reducing our CORE
| spondence to q check account This
has been going on for three years. exz
cept that ne has been constantly asky
/ ing Tor larger sums, and whenever %
| would say that l could not sparee
more just then he would begin tellina<
me how much he cared for me. an&
now hard it was for him to be separat@
ed from me. / began to feel desperate
about him, and made up my mind thai
when l received the inheritance n
should ask the lawyers to make some|
arrangement with him by which n
should no longer be annoyed.
1t was necessary for me to returnI
TO America when I came of age. inl
order to sign certain papers and taxed
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 chaperoni
to young girl who was travelling HeI
said it had occurred to him that per
/ haps he could serve us both by sug|
costing to me that she be my travelling
companion on the voyage. He knew
| would not want to travel alone, andS
he sent her address and all sorts of
credentials, with message from his
mother that she would feel perfectly.
safe about me if went in this WON
ans guardianship.
Il really did need a travelling com
panion, of course, having failed to get.
my dear old lady to undertake thel
voyage, so l thought it could do no,
S-e.zssgg1ra q ~