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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..33e7f19 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #64993 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/64993) diff --git a/old/64993-0.txt b/old/64993-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 35589d9..0000000 --- a/old/64993-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2313 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, -Science, and Art, Fifth Series, No. 7, Vol. I, February 16, 1884, by -Various - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, - Fifth Series, No. 7, Vol. I, February 16, 1884 - Volume 18 - -Author: Various - -Release Date: April 05, 2021 [eBook #64993] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Susan Skinner, Eric Hutton and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, FIFTH SERIES, NO. 7, VOL. I, FEBRUARY 16, -1884 *** - - - - -[Illustration: CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL - -OF - -POPULAR - -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART - -Fifth Series - -ESTABLISHED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS, 1832 - -CONDUCTED BY R. CHAMBERS (SECUNDUS) - -NO. 7.—VOL. I. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1884. PRICE 1½_d._] - - - - -HOW LIFE-OFFICES PAY THEIR DEATH-CLAIMS. - - -The difficulty and delay in obtaining payment of the sum -assured, when death occurred, was at one time urged as an objection -against the system of life-assurance; but of late years the percentage -of cases in which this objection could hold good has been reduced to -a mere fraction, and offices now vie with each other in facilitating -prompt and satisfactory settlement. This and other material -improvements in the practice of life-assurance which have been recently -introduced, have tended to obviate many popular objections, and greatly -to increase the number of the assured. While it is sadly true that -there are thousands of homes in our country without adequate protection -against the suffering and distress which the death of the bread-winner -would entail, it is gratifying to find that by means of existing -policies a provision has been made to the extent of four hundred and -thirty-five millions sterling, for the maintenance and comfort of the -widows and orphans of the future, and this amount does not include what -is known as industrial business. It is difficult to realise without -a strong effort of the imagination what a vast alleviation of the -sum of human misery is shadowed forth in the fact just stated. The -humble cottage of the artisan, and the stately hall rich with heraldic -emblazonry, are alike destined to draw comfort and solace from this -beneficent treasury. - -We do not propose to give the history of life-assurance, or, at this -time of day, to demonstrate the great advantages of the system, but -to give some information which may be useful and interesting to the -vast brotherhood of persons who have already availed themselves, or -who intend to avail themselves, of its benefits. Notwithstanding the -vigorous efforts put forth by more than a hundred competing offices -to give their terms publicity, there are still men to be found who -have very crude ideas of what life-assurance is and does. One man -in all seriousness proposed to join one of our Scottish offices, -thinking he could draw half the sum at once, and the other half -later on; quaintly remarking: ‘What use is the money to me after I am -dead?’ Another proposer for a policy suggested that in lieu of his -annual premiums being paid as they fell due, the office should allow -them to remain unpaid, and at his death deduct the sum of the unpaid -premiums as a debt from the policy! Life-offices, like men, must, -in order to live, find the means of living; and we are afraid that, -under present conditions, no means of escape can be afforded to the -public from satisfying the necessity under which all assurance offices -exist—namely, that of requiring the payment of premiums, and these -payments to be made punctually as they fall due. - -There was a time when non-payment of the premium on the due date meant -forfeiture of all benefit and all past payments; but now these hard -conditions have been almost entirely abolished; while certain offices -have adopted a plan by which a policy is kept in force automatically, -by applying to the payment of premiums the value that would be given -on surrender of the policy, so long as the value is sufficient for the -purpose. There are many other points in connection with which needless -restrictions have been relaxed; but there are certain well-considered -regulations which must be rigidly adhered to by every well-managed -office. The medical and legal faculties are essential allies of the -offices, both at the commencement of the contract and at the close of -it. The doctor must examine a proposer, and report on his family and -personal history, before he can be admitted to benefit; and when death -takes place, the doctor must certify the fact and report the cause. -Again, the lawyer may prove a most successful agent for the Company -in inducing men to join by advocating the benefits of life-assurance, -and has an opportunity, when preparing marriage settlements or making -wills, of suggesting a policy of assurance as an excellent subject for -settlement or bequest. - -During the last few years, the interval between death and the payment -of claims has been greatly shortened; and most of the enterprising -new offices have made it a point to offer settlement of the claims -arising from death with the least possible delay. This is as it should -be; and many of the older and more conservative offices have seen it -to be to their advantage to abandon the three or six months’ interval -which usually had to elapse before payment of the sum assured was made. -When we consider what prompt settlement in many cases implies, this -acceleration of payment is a movement which will be much appreciated, -and, like every other policy of the kind, will eventually benefit -those offices adopting it. It is plain that when the assurance money -is the chief resource of the bereaved family, early payment by the -office is of immense advantage, enabling immediate steps to be -taken in some measure to supply the place of the bread-winner; and -even in cases where there is other property left, the early—almost -immediate—possession of ready-money must be a great boon, often -enabling other effects to be disposed of at leisure, and without -the loss which frequently attends a forced realisation. We observe, -therefore, with satisfaction that a large number of offices now pay -the sums assured either on proof of death and title, or, what is -practically the same, in a month after proof of death. Not one of the -seventeen Scottish offices, for instance, now retains the old style -of paying six months after death. Two of the Scottish offices pay on -proof of death and title; four, one month after proof of death; two, -three months after date of death; and nine, three months after proof of -death. Many of the English offices also have within the last few years -agreed to pay their claims sooner than heretofore. This acceleration of -the payment of claims has long been a desired reform, and will no doubt -result in an increased flow of business to those offices which have -adopted it. - -In order that full advantage may be taken of this concession, -co-operation on the part of the assured is needed. For instance, there -is one form of ‘self-help’ which could be practised by all—namely, the -production of evidence of age. When proof has not been produced to the -office and admitted, there is often delay caused in getting payment. In -many cases, there is among the nearest friends an astonishing absence -of knowledge as to the place and date of birth of their relatives, and -therefore the proper person to clear up such matters is the assured -himself. If born in England after July 1, 1837, an extract from the -general Registry at Somerset House, London, can be got for a small fee. -At Somerset House, there are also preserved the non-parochial registers -of baptisms or births kept by various bodies and congregations of -Nonconformists prior to the general system of registration which -commenced at the above-mentioned date. In Ireland, registration -commenced only in 1863. In Scotland, the registers—with the exception -of those for the period from January 1, 1820 to January 1, 1855, which -are in the possession of the local registrars—are preserved at the -Register House in Edinburgh, and an extract can be got on application; -or the assurance office can, if requested, take an extract from the -register there on payment of one shilling. Seeing that, as a rule, the -correct date of birth can easily be certified, every policy-holder -should do so without undue delay, and have a marking made by the -office on his policy that ‘Age is admitted.’ A mistake of a year or -two is easily made, and although the deficiency in annual premium may -be small, the operation of compound interest, which is so essential -a part of the system of life-assurance, causes the accumulation of -these little sums to assume sometimes a startling appearance, when it -comes to be deducted at settlement from the sum assured; and it is -unpleasant for all concerned that such deduction should have to be -inflicted. There is not now the fear which is said to have existed in -Henry VIII.’s time, that a government register of births might be used -for the purpose of a poll-tax; and as the operation of our registration -system goes on, the difficulty in getting proof of age will be reduced -to a minimum. When no official proof of age can be produced, offices, -as a rule, co-operate with those interested, and admit the age when -they have been satisfied that reasonable endeavour has been made to -establish the correct date of birth. In all cases, it is evident how -desirable it is that the assured should themselves see to this. - -When death has occurred—that is, when, technically speaking, the -policy has become a claim—intimation should be given to the office -at once, which will issue two simple and easily understood forms, one -to be filled up and signed by the doctor who attended the deceased in -his last illness; and the other by a friend who has known the deceased -for some time, and who can certify to his identity. It is, of course, -impossible to produce such certificates in cases where men whose lives -were assured are drowned or otherwise lost; but after reasonable delay, -the offices admit and pay such claims on the best circumstantial -proof of death that can be obtained. In ordinary cases, the medical -certificate not only vouches for the facts, that such and such a person -died at such and such a place on a certain date, but it also states the -cause of death, which is of value to the offices, as enabling them to -elicit certain facts necessary for future statistical inquiries. - -The party who fills up the certificate of identity must be a person -of respectability, to whom the deceased was well known, and who is -capable of certifying that the deceased is the same person whose life -was assured under the policy of assurance which is being claimed upon. -It often happens that the assured has changed both his occupation and -address since he assured, and of course the office must be certain -that they have the right man before paying any claim. Some offices are -more particular than others, and require, in addition to the above two -certificates, a copy of the entry of death in the register, certified -by the registrar for the district. - -The forms should be returned as early as possible to the office, so as -to be submitted to the directors at their first weekly meeting. The -claim is then admitted, and the office intimates on what day payment -will be made, provided the title of the party who is to receive the -money is in order and produced to the office. - -It is not going wholly outside of our present purpose to repeat the -oft-given advice, that every one possessed of a policy or other -bequeathable property should make a will. In the amusing episode in -the _Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club_, when the will of -the landlady of the _Marquis of Granby_ has been discovered in -‘the little black teapot on the top shelf of the bar closet,’ the -elder Weller, who was named sole executor, says to his son: ‘I s’pose, -Samivel, as it’s all right and satisfactory to you and me, as is the -only parties interested, ve may as vell put this bit o’ paper [the -will] in the fire.’ Knowledge is now too generally diffused to endanger -the safe custody of so important a document; but the public require -to be reminded of the necessity of preserving all deeds (if any) by -which policies have been assigned and re-assigned, as these will be -called for by the office, before any payment is made. Between the -dates of admission of claim and time of payment, some form of title -must be produced, with the view of enabling the Company to prepare the -form of discharge to be signed by the persons entitled to receive the -money. The discharges are adjusted by the Companies free of expense to -claimants, except in the case of insufficient or complicated titles, -where special legal assistance is necessary.[A] - -No more _popular_ argument in favour of life-assurance could -be given than the manner in which our Companies discharge their -obligations. Every year, more than ten million pounds sterling are -dispensed throughout the land from these beneficent institutions to -sorrowing widows in their time of need, and to helpless children -bereaved of a father’s care, whose love thus found a way to provide for -them when he was called away. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[A] We may here refer to the provision of the Acts passed to facilitate -the administration of estates under three hundred pounds. Information -as to the simple and inexpensive mode of procedure in such cases can be -obtained by application to the sheriff-clerks in Scotland, or to the -Inland Revenue authorities in England. - - - - -BY MEAD AND STREAM. - - -CHAPTER XI.—‘STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.’ - -That was the best news Martin Wrentham had heard for a long -time. Gribble & Co. were commission agents, and undertook any kind of -business which promised a profit. Shipping, stocks, landed estates and -house property; cargoes of wine, of tea, and of wool, were all equally -welcome to the best attention of Gribble & Co. Mr Wrentham was the sole -partner and representative of this impartial firm. There never had -been a Gribble or a Co.; but there was a highly respectable and old -established firm known as Gribble, Hastings, & Co., who had nothing -to do with the house in Golden Alley. There were, however, people in -the colonies and on the continent who made mistakes, and entered into -business relations with Mr Wrentham under the impression that they were -dealing with the firm whose designation was so nearly the same as the -one under which he traded. - -The mistake was of course discovered by some, and rectified as soon as -possible; but still there were others who continued to blunder, and -Wrentham appeared to prosper. There were envious City men who said -that he made more out of the betting ring than out of his professed -business; and he certainly was well known in sporting circles. He -frequently had the ‘straight tip’ for the Derby, the Oaks, Ascot, -the St Leger, and other important racing events of the year. This -information he was good-naturedly ready to impart to his friends, -claiming only what he called a ‘comfortable’ percentage on the -winnings, whilst he had no share in the losses. - -It had long been his ambition to open an account with the great house -of Hadleigh & Co. With this object in view, he had taken infinite pains -to ingratiate himself with Mr Hadleigh, and succeeded so far that he -became an occasional guest at the Manor: but no business came of it. He -had courted the society of Coutts Hadleigh, flattered him, spent time -and money in amusing him, endured his cynical jokes, and had even given -him ‘straight tips’ without seeking a commission: still no business -came of it. - -But he did not give up hope. He was cool, patient, and good-humoured, -and his perseverance was rewarded. See, here is the chief partner of -the firm come to him at last with the announcement that his visit was -on ‘important business.’ - -‘Upon my word, Mr Hadleigh, you give me such an agreeable surprise, -that I can only say we shall have pleasure in doing the utmost in our -power to serve you satisfactorily.’ - -Wrentham was always frank, always eager to say the thing which he -supposed would please his listener most. If he was pleased, he said -so, and showed it; if displeased, he showed it, although he did not -always say so. But then he was very seldom displeased; for he had the -happy knack of turning the most offensive words or acts into a joke or -ridicule, so that he never quarrelled with anybody—not even with the -tax-collector. - -‘I may tell you at once,’ said Mr Hadleigh in his cold way, ‘that the -business is entirely private at present, and has nothing to do with the -firm.’ - -‘I shall have the more pleasure in attending to it as a friend,’ was -the cordial reply. - -‘Thank you; but I give you credit for knowing enough of me to be aware -that I shall not take advantage of your generosity. You have heard the -saying—there is no friendship in business.’ - -‘Happily, there are many exceptions to the rule,’ said Wrentham -cheerfully. - -‘This is not to be one of them. You are to regard the transaction as -one coming to you in the ordinary course of business, but to be dealt -with as a strictly confidential matter. Your clerks are to have nothing -to do with it.’ - -There was something in his manner, calm and quiet as it was, which -attracted Wrentham’s attention, puzzled him, and modified the -enthusiasm with which he had begun the interview. - -‘If you will explain, Mr Hadleigh, you will find me willing to do -whatever you require, if it is possible.’ - -Mr Hadleigh looked steadily in the speaker’s face, and the latter -leaned back on his chair, as if to afford a better light for the -inspection. He endured the gaze with the placid smile of one who was -prepared for the closest scrutiny into his character and motives. -Apparently satisfied, Mr Hadleigh, speaking with much deliberation, -proceeded: - -‘I want in the first place a little information. You have been for some -time doing business for Mr Austin Shield?’ - -The placid smile faded from the countenance of Gribble & Co., and the -plural pronoun came into use again. - -‘That is correct. He has intrusted us with various small commissions; -but they are mere trifles, I believe, compared with those he has given -to others. Indeed, I do not think he has treated us quite so liberally -as he ought to have done.’ - -There was no irritation in the last remark: it simply implied that -Mr Shield had not acted wisely. Mr Hadleigh did not appear to have -observed it. - -‘You are aware of his relationship to my children?’ - -‘Yes; and that your son, Philip, is going out to him. Lucky for your -son, I should say.’ - -‘I do not wish him to go.’ - -‘Wh—at!’ The exclamation was long drawn out, and its modulations were -suggestive of a rapid series of speculations, in which curiosity and -doubt were more predominant than surprise. - -‘I do not wish him to go,’ repeated Mr Hadleigh, each word passing his -lips like the measured stroke of a funeral bell. - -‘You take my breath away. Such a chance—such prospects! Shield is -reported to be enormously wealthy, and he has no direct heirs.... -Pardon me, Mr Hadleigh, but I must say that you would be doing the -young man a serious injury if you interfered with his uncle’s wishes.’ - -In sickness and in sorrow there are people who feel called upon to -offer you their sympathy; but there is too often a conventional ring -in the expression of it which there is no mistaking, and even bare -politeness in the acknowledgment of it becomes irksome. It was in this -conventional way that Wrentham uttered his virtuous warning to the -parent who was opposing his son’s best interests. - -The parent understood, and smiled. - -‘Strange as it may seem to you, Mr Wrentham, my desire is that not one -of my children should be mentioned in that man’s will.’ - -‘Extraordinary! But you were always peculiar in your views of things. -To be sure, your views generally turned out to be the right ones. -Everybody in the City is aware of that. But I do not see yet how my -services can be of any use to you in this matter.’ - -‘The service I require will not be difficult to render. You have been -for some years in correspondence with Mr Shield, and you know more -about his affairs than any one in London except his solicitors. I want -you to tell me all that you have learned regarding his intentions -concerning Philip.’ - -‘That is easily done. I have learned absolutely nothing.’ - -Wrentham was quite cheerful again as he gave this reply. - -Mr Hadleigh was disappointed: he was silent and thoughtful for a few -moments. Then: ‘I begin to see his purpose.’ - -‘I should be glad if you would enlighten me,’ said Wrentham eagerly: -‘it might be useful to me.’ - -‘I am quite sure it will be. But first you must give me a full -explanation of his affairs, so far as you are acquainted with them, and -the nature of this business which has brought him such sudden wealth, -and which he is at so much pains to keep secret.’ - -Wrentham’s cheerfulness disappeared, and he rose uneasily. - -‘I am sorry, Mr Hadleigh, that you should ask me for information which -I am not at liberty to give.’ - -‘You mean that his business is of so much value that you cannot risk -the loss of it?’ - -‘Of course—of course, his business is of some importance to us, -although, as I have already mentioned, he has not treated us quite so -liberally as we think he ought to have done. Besides, we have only a -small part of his patronage.’ - -‘All the same you would not like to lose it?’ - -‘Well, not unless something better offered itself,’ replied Wrentham, -recovering a degree of his jaunty manner, as he recollected that he was -speaking to the head of a great firm whose influence might bring him -thousands a year. It would never do to display to such a man either too -much weakness or too much indifference. - -‘But if that something better did not present itself, you would be -sorry to lose the connection. I suppose it is necessary to tell you -what my surmise is as to his intentions. He intends to establish Philip -as his sole representative in England, and everything will be taken -out of your hands. I may be able to help you, if you will give me the -information which will put it in my power to do so.’ - -Wrentham walked to the window, stared at the blank wall opposite, and -frowned at it. - -Mr Hadleigh smiled at his evident alarm, and attempted to relieve it. - -‘You need not be afraid to trust me; I am not inviting you to enter -into a conspiracy against Mr Shield. I have no evil design in my -inquiries.’ - -‘I am sure of that,’ responded Wrentham, wheeling round. Every sign -of alarm had vanished from his visage. ‘But of what use could the -information be to you? Giving it might do me a great deal of harm, -whilst it could not serve you.’ - -‘Of that you cannot judge. But we need not discuss the point further at -present. Take time and consider. Meanwhile, you can have no objection -to do this for me—telegraph to him that you learn from me that Philip -goes out to him against my will.’ - -‘It shall be done immediately, and I will bring you the answer myself.’ - -There was a tap at the door, and the clerk entered with a slip of paper -which he handed to his master. - -‘All right, Perkins. Shall be disengaged in a few minutes.’ - -As the clerk closed the door behind him, Wrentham handed the paper to -his visitor, who read on it, ‘Mr Philip Hadleigh,’ and instantly rose -to go. - -‘Perhaps—you will excuse me—but perhaps it would be as well if you -did not meet each other here at present. Here is my private door.’ - -‘I expect to see you this evening with the answer to the telegram,’ -said Mr Hadleigh quietly as he went out. - -‘You shall see me whether the answer has arrived or not.’ - -When he had closed the door, Wrentham stood still, unconscious, -apparently, that he was resting on the handle, although it seemed as -if he were half-inclined to call Mr Hadleigh back. His expression had -changed to a frown at some invisible object on the floor, and his head -was slightly bowed. This was his thought: - -‘Have I lost a chance, or opened the way to one?... Eminently -unsatisfactory, if I have not. He must have some game on.... No -designs! As if he could gammon me into the notion that he was the sort -of man to bother himself about other people’s affairs without good -reason for it. A hundred to one on _that_ event. But if Shield -does mean to take everything out of my hands’—— - -He frowned still more darkly at the invisible object on the floor, and -the speculation ended in a chaos of disagreeable reflections. With a -quick jerk of the head he roused himself. - -‘We’ll see,’ he muttered as he advanced to the table and touched a -hand-bell twice. - -The habitual smile had returned to his face when Philip entered the -room. - -‘I shall not keep you many minutes to-day, Mr Wrentham. But I suppose -you will have to give me an hour or so on the earliest date you can -appoint.’ - -‘It will be a pleasure to me whatever it may be to you. I suppose it is -business. I shall make it as easy for you as I can. What is it?’ - -‘I have just got this from Hawkins and Jackson, which, they tell me, my -uncle inclosed to them with instructions that they were to see that I -gave personal attention to the matter.’ - -Wrentham read the note, placed it in a clip bearing the word -‘Immediate’ in large capitals, and looked up again. - -‘Your uncle might have sent this to me direct—I should have liked it -better; but he has a curious way of doing things. You are to have a -full statement of my accounts with him, and it is to be duly audited by -a professional accountant. This looks as if he intended to close the -account altogether.’ - -‘I hope not.’ - -‘Well, the statement will be ready for you on Wednesday next week, and -you shall have every assistance and explanation you may require from -me.’ - -‘Thank you. At what hour shall I call?’ - -‘Ten o’clock. I expect you will have a long day of it.’ - -‘We cannot help that, I suppose, and I need not take up more of your -time at present.’ - -‘Are you in a hurry? Because I am going out to have some luncheon, and -you might join me.’ - -The invitation was given so cordially, that Philip could not decline, -and they went out by the private door together. At the mouth of the -alley they were passed by a smart little man with thin clean-shaved -face, wearing a soft felt hat, a loose black frock-coat, and gray tweed -trousers. He carried in his hand a folding trestle and a well-filled -green bag, and under his arm was a small circular table top covered -with green baize. - -He lifted his hat to Philip, who acknowledged the salute with a -pleasant nod. Wrentham’s attention was attracted by something in -another direction, and the little man went swiftly on his way. - -‘That’s the juggler Bob Tuppit,’ said Philip to his companion. ‘Haven’t -you seen him down our way? I suppose he has just had a successful -performance in some quiet court, he looks so cheery. Clever fellow; -works ten and twelve hours a day, and tells me he makes a decent income -out of it.’ - -‘Is he an acquaintance of yours?’ inquired Wrentham, somewhat drily. - -‘I have had several chats with him, and found him a most interesting -and intelligent fellow.’ - -‘Has he told you anything about his family?’ - -‘Nothing more than that he is married; has a troop of children, and a -comfortable home.’ - -‘Ah, that is not like the ordinary tramp. But I wouldn’t cultivate his -acquaintance, if I were you. No doubt he told you all about his birth -and parentage, and got a sovereign out of you on the strength of being -a poor orphan.’ - -‘He told me that he had been born and brought up in London; but he -has travelled over the whole country in his professional capacity. -He speaks of his juggling as a “profession.” He is an orphan, as you -guessed; but he has a brother somewhere.’ - -‘And what might his profession be?’ said Wrentham with a quick -side-glance at Philip. - -‘I don’t know. Tuppit is shy of talking about him; and from his -sorrowful way of mentioning the fact that he had a brother, I came to -the conclusion that the fellow was in prison, or something of that -sort. So I did not put any disagreeable questions.’ - -They had entered the dining-room of the Gog and Magog Club by this -time; and amidst the clatter of plates and knives and forks, and the -loud hum of voices, Wrentham pointed to the bill of fare, which was -hung up beside the clerk’s desk, and said hastily: ‘What are you to -have?’ - - * * * * * - -Mr Hadleigh had been much more disappointed by the result of his -interview with Wrentham than he had allowed to appear. He had gone to -him with the vague hope that he might learn something about Austin -Shield, which should give him an excuse for making another appeal to -Madge. He had learned nothing. There was, however, a probability that -when his objection was made known to Shield, the latter would himself -withdraw the invitation he had sent to Philip. - -In the evening, Wrentham presented himself at the Manor. No answer to -the telegram had yet arrived: the conversation in the library occupied -an hour notwithstanding. Shortly after noon on the following day, -Wrentham brought the expected answer to Mr Hadleigh, who was waiting -for it in his private room in the office of his firm. - -‘_My sister’s son must decide for himself._’ - -‘It is like the man,’ muttered Mr Hadleigh, as he tore up the paper. -‘Now, you can make your choice—his business or mine.’ - -‘I shall give you an answer in half an hour.’ - -Wrentham returned to his office, and entered it by the private door. -He took a half-crown from his pocket and balanced it on his forefinger -and thumb. He gazed at it steadily for a moment, then tossed it up. - -‘Heads for Hadleigh—tails for Shield and sudden death.... Heads it is, -and Hadleigh’s my man.’ - -He picked up the coin, seated himself at his writing-table, and -proceeded to communicate his decision to Mr Hadleigh with as much -gravity as if he had arrived at it after serious deliberation. - - - - -FAMILIAR SKETCHES OF ENGLISH LAW. - -BY AN EXPERIENCED PRACTITIONER. - - -It is not necessary for the writer of these sketches to declare which -branch of the legal profession he belongs to, but it appears desirable -to explain the purpose for which they are written. The laws of our land -are so numerous and complicated, and derived from so many sources, -that it is impossible for any human mind to make itself thoroughly -acquainted with all their multifarious details, however familiar the -general principles of the law may have become. And yet every one of -the Queen’s subjects is responsible for any breach of the law which he -or she may commit. The reason of this is obvious: a law which might be -broken with impunity on the excuse that the law-breaker was ignorant -of its existence, would be an absurdity. If laws are to be of any use, -they must be universally binding, on the learned and unlearned, within -the sphere of their operation. In the course of a long, extensive, -and varied professional experience, we have often been astonished to -find profound ignorance of legal principles and responsibilities in -unexpected quarters; and it has occurred to us that a few familiar -articles on the laws which affect the different relationships of social -life might be both interesting and useful. Many of the principles which -affect persons in the characters of husband and wife, parent and child, -master and servant, and so forth, are easily understood, if explained -in simple language and free from technicalities. - -In so doing, we have no intention to interfere with the proper province -of the solicitor or the barrister. The law has in many respects been -much simplified during the present century; but still the proverb -remains true, ‘He who is his own lawyer has a fool for his client.’ -In buying a house, the title must be investigated by one who has -acquired an accurate knowledge of the law of real property, or a fatal -flaw in the title may deprive the purchaser of that for which he has -paid. Home-made wills, unless of the very simplest description, lead -in many cases to costly and vexatious litigation after the death of -the testator. And in actions and other legal proceedings, where the -rights of the parties depend upon the application of established legal -principles to new combinations of facts which are themselves doubtful -and capable of being considered from opposite points of view, the -necessity for professional assistance is too obvious to require comment. - - -I. MARRIAGES; SETTLEMENTS; AND BREACHES OF PROMISE TO MARRY. - -The contract of marriage lies at the foundation of our social system; -and therefore we select it and other matters incidentally relating -thereto for explanation and comment in the first instance, reserving -for a future paper the law of _Scotch_ marriages, as apart from -that which now holds good south of the Border; but noting in the -meantime, that prior to 25th March 1754, when Lord Hardwick’s Act came -into operation, the theory of the law in both countries was, that the -consent of a free and capable man and woman, to become husband and wife -constituted marriage, if proved by credible evidence. But in England, -a marriage by mere words of consent did not confer all the rights -consequent on a marriage duly solemnised. Since 1754, the English law -has required definite technicalities of evidence, which, however, have -been much restricted in their scope for injustice. - -In considering the first part of our subject, ‘Who may marry’, it will -be most convenient to deal with the question negatively; and when we -have seen who must not marry, it must be understood that persons not -coming within any of the categories specified are at liberty to enter -into the legal contract of matrimony. - -Foremost among the disabilities is insufficient age. In this respect -the law is extremely indulgent, fixing the age for a male at fourteen, -and for a female at twelve years. But there is a qualified disability -beyond those ages: a person who has not been previously married, and -is under the age of twenty-one years—technically called an infant -or minor—is not allowed to marry without the consent of his or her -parent or guardian. The consent of the father is required if living; -after his death, the consent of the guardian appointed by his will, or -otherwise lawfully appointed; or if none, then of the mother if still -a widow. If the mother be married, then a guardian may be appointed -by the High Court of Justice. When the minor is a Ward of Court, any -person marrying him or her without the consent of the Court—which will -only be granted on a proper settlement being made—may be imprisoned -for contempt, and will only be released, after longer or shorter -detention at the discretion of the Court, on condition of paying all -costs, and settling the whole of the ward’s property as the Court may -direct, the offender being usually excluded from any benefit therefrom. -A lady of full age was recently sent to prison for marrying an infant -Ward of Court without consent; and there have been numerous instances -of gentlemen being punished in the same way. Nullity of the marriage -is not now the result of this disability; but the man who procures a -license by affirming that he is of full age when he is not, or that the -necessary consent has been obtained when it has not, may be punished -both civilly and criminally. - -Another disability is want of sanity. It is not to be understood that -weak-minded people must not marry; they can, and do in considerable -numbers. But if a person who is a lunatic go through the form of -marriage, except during a lucid interval, the marriage is void. This -objection to the validity of a marriage does not often occur; but -sometimes the question whether a man was lunatic or of sound mind when -married is difficult to determine, but most likely to be settled in -favour of his sanity, unless there was manifestly some fraudulent or -sordid motive for the marriage. - -Nearness of relationship, either by birth or marriage, is another -disability. First-cousins and all persons more distantly related, may -lawfully intermarry. But ancestors and descendants in the direct line -are prohibited; as are also brothers and sisters, uncles and nieces, -aunts and nephews. We will not here enter into any controversy as to -the expediency of the law which prohibits the marriage of a widower -with the sister or niece of his deceased wife. Before 1835, a marriage -between persons whose relationship was within the prohibited degrees -was not necessarily void, but voidable only during the joint lives -of the parties thereto; so that if the marriage were not set aside -during the lives of both parties, on the death of either of them it was -treated as having been a valid marriage, and the children born thereof -were legitimate to all intents and purposes. But in that year an Act of -Parliament was passed declaring such marriages void in future. - -The last existing disability which we shall notice is that of being -married already. A married person cannot legally marry again until the -first marriage is dissolved, either by death or by a judicial decree. -On this subject much misapprehension exists. Many persons believe that -a wife who has been deserted by her husband for seven years or upwards, -without hearing from him, or knowing whether he is alive or dead, may -marry again; but this is a mistake. Such a marriage would be void if -the former husband should be proved to have been alive at the time it -was celebrated. Probably the delusion had its origin in the fact, that -in those circumstances the woman could not be convicted of bigamy. For -that purpose alone, the presumption of the husband’s death after seven -years of absence without any information as to his continued existence, -would be recognised by the law, and might be pleaded as a defence to an -indictment for bigamy. - -Formerly, an engagement to any other person was a bar to marriage. If -A promised to marry B, he could not marry C unless B absolved him from -his promise. But this disability has long been abolished, though B -might sue A for breach of promise. - -The next consideration is, ‘How to marry.’ Excluding the Royal Marriage -Act, and merely drawing attention to the fact that a marriage between -two members of the Society of Friends (or Quakers) at a meeting-house, -or between two Jews either at a synagogue or elsewhere, were not -affected by Lord Hardwick’s Act, and are not affected by the Acts which -are now to be referred to, we will next briefly epitomise the most -important provisions of the Marriage Act of 1823. This Act confirms -the power which had long previously been enjoyed by the Archbishop of -Canterbury of granting special licenses, by virtue of which parties -may be married at any place specified therein and at any hour of the -day. These licenses are issued at the Faculty Office, on sufficient -cause being shown, and verified by affidavit. It is not very difficult -to find a reason which will be satisfactory to the officials, if an -applicant be willing to strain his own conscience. A special license, -however, costs about thirty pounds. - -An ordinary license can only be issued for solemnisation of matrimony -in a parish in which one of the parties has resided for at least -fifteen days previously; and if what is termed a caveat should have -been entered against the granting of a license, the objection raised -thereby must be disposed of by the Court, or the caveat be withdrawn, -before the license can be granted. - -If the marriage is to be performed in an Episcopal church by license, -one of the parties must attend at the vicar-general’s office, the -diocesan registry, or before a surrogate—a clergyman appointed by the -bishop for the purpose of granting ordinary marriage licenses—and -swear that there is no impediment of kindred or alliance, or other -lawful hindrance to the marriage; and also as to the residence in the -parish, and the consent of parent or guardian if necessary. It will be -remembered that an infant widow or widower may remarry without such -consent. - -A cheaper way of being married according to the rites of the Church -of England is after publication of banns. This consists in reading -the names of the parties publicly on three successive Sundays at a -prescribed part of the service. If both parties do not reside in one -parish, the banns must be published in both their respective parishes; -and if either of the parties be a minor—not having been previously -married—his or her parent or guardian may publicly declare his or her -dissent, and thereupon the publication of banns is void. - -Marriage, whether by license or by banns, must be celebrated within -three months, or the whole of the preliminaries must be gone through -anew. All marriages in England must be between eight o’clock in the -forenoon and twelve at noon, except marriages by special license. - -Questions often arise as to the name in which a person should be -married. As a general rule, the same name should be used for this -as for the ordinary business of every-day life—the name by which -the person is generally known. If John Jones has called himself John -Robinson, and has been so called by other persons so long that his -original name has been forgotten, the publication of the banns of -marriage between John Jones and Mary Smith would not answer the object -of the statute, for it would not inform the parishioners that the -person known by them as John Robinson proposed to get married. Accuracy -in name is now, however, of little importance, because the use of a -false name no longer renders a marriage null, unless both the man and -the woman are parties to the fraud, and so a favourite device of a -hundred years ago is legally impracticable. - -It is not necessary to dwell upon the form of the service used in the -solemnisation of matrimony. It is, or may become, familiar to all -persons interested. But perhaps it may not be universally known that -the celebration of marriage without license or due publication of banns -is a criminal offence, punishable by penal servitude or imprisonment -with hard labour. In addition to the clergyman, there must be at least -two witnesses present, and the marriage must be registered. The subject -of registration of marriages will be most conveniently considered -hereafter, in conjunction with the laws relating to registration of -births and deaths. - -Previous to 1st March 1837, the only marriages recognised by the law -in England were those above referred to; but on and since that date, -it has been allowed for Nonconformist ministers to celebrate marriages -in places of worship duly registered for that purpose; and for persons -to be married without any religious ceremony at the office of the -Superintendent Registrar of the district. If the marriage be intended -to be by license, notice must be given to the Superintendent Registrar -of the district in which one of the parties has resided for fifteen -days previously. After an interval of one clear day, the license is -issued, and the marriage can then be celebrated. In case of a marriage -without license, seven days’ residence before notice is sufficient; -and if the parties reside in different districts, notice must be -given to both Superintendent Registrars. Twenty-one days afterwards, -the Superintendent Registrar issues his certificate, authorising the -celebration of the marriage. When the parties do not both reside in -one district, it sometimes happens that the non-resident party comes -without the requisite certificate, when the wedding has to be postponed -to another day. - -The notice of intention to marry, whether with license or without, has -a statutory declaration—equivalent to an affidavit—subjoined, to the -same effect as is required before the granting of an ordinary license -by a surrogate. - -The form of marriage service at a Nonconformist place of worship is -usually somewhat similar to that used by the Church of England; in -some cases more concise, in others more diffuse. It is essential that -in some part of the ceremony both parties should declare that they -respectively know of no lawful impediment; and that each should take -the other to be his or her lawful wedded wife or husband; and that a -Registrar of Marriages should be present, in addition to the minister -and two or more witnesses. - -The form of marriage at the office of a Superintendent Registrar, -or what may be called a purely civil marriage, is very short, being -practically confined to the declarations of no impediment and the -mutual taking. The Superintendent Registrar, Registrar of Marriages, -and two other witnesses, must be present. - -The notice of marriage without license, which is equivalent to -publication of banns, has the advantage of comparative privacy; it is -suspended in the register office twenty-one days, but is not otherwise -published. - -In some cases, marriages may be celebrated in an adjoining district in -which neither of the parties resides; that is, when they belong to any -body of Christians who have not a place of worship within the district -of residence. - -Licenses and certificates for marriage are only good for three calendar -months from the date of the notice; and any person unduly celebrating a -marriage under these Acts is declared to be guilty of felony. - -Marriages of citizens of this country abroad are generally celebrated -at the British consul’s office, and had better, in cases of doubt, not -be entered into without his advice, especially if one of the parties -to the proposed contract be a foreigner. Indeed, even in this country -it is hazardous to marry a foreigner without knowing the law of the -country of which he is a citizen, and fully ascertaining that it would -bind him to the proposed marriage if carried out. For example, it -may happen that a Frenchman has married an Englishwoman, and that, -for want of some of the consents required by the French law, he may, -though bound in this country, be able to return to his own, and plead -successfully that his marriage here was entirely null. Indeed, many -aliens can do this and the like of it; and all Englishwomen ought to -know how little the law of England can do for them in a foreign country. - -‘A settlement’ may be made either before or after marriage. The former -is properly called a Marriage Settlement; the latter, a Post-nuptial -Settlement. The rules of law by which these two classes of settlements -stand or fall are essentially different; the former being made for -valuable consideration, are good against all the world if the property -settled be the settler’s own. This is reasonable; for it may be that -the lady would not have accepted the gentleman if the settlement had -not been made in her favour, and it would be unjust to deprive her of -that for which she had bargained, as it would be impossible to place -her in the same position as if the marriage had not been celebrated. A -marriage settlement which comprises personal chattels is also exempted -from the operation of the Bills of Sale Act, and does not require -to be registered. But a post-nuptial settlement of movable goods -must be registered as a bill of sale; and it is void if the settler -becomes bankrupt or files a petition for liquidation within ten years -afterwards, unless the parties claiming under the settlement can prove -that the settler was at the date of the settlement able to pay all -his debts without resorting to the property settled. In any event, -bankruptcy or liquidation within two years is fatal to a voluntary -settlement—in which class post-nuptial settlements are comprised. - -The trusts of a settlement vary greatly according to the nature and -value of the property settled and the position of the parties. But -all settlements have this in common—the property to be settled is -conveyed or assigned to trustees, upon certain trusts for the benefit -of the husband and wife—or one of them—and all or some one or more -of their children; power being often reserved for the parents during -their joint lives, or the survivor of them, to direct what share each -child shall have. This power is often very useful in keeping the young -people out of the hands of money-lenders. So long as the share which a -young gentleman is to receive after the death of his parents remains -uncertain, his reversionary interest is not a marketable security. - -In England, marriage operates as a revocation of a will made -previously; but in Scotland it only partially revokes the will. The -reason of this difference is, that by the law of England, a testator, -whether married or single, may devise and bequeath all the property -of which he may be possessed at the time of his decease; while the -testamentary powers of a person whose domicile is in Scotland, if he -be a married man, or a widower with children, are to a certain degree -restricted. - -‘Breach of promise of marriage’ is good ground for an action; and -the agreement to marry has one peculiarity which distinguishes it -from contracts for the sale of goods of the value of ten pounds or -upwards—it need not be in writing, even though the damages claimed -may be ten thousand pounds or more. An infant may—by his next -friend—maintain an action against an adult for breach of promise; -but an adult cannot succeed in such an action against an infant, -infancy being a good defence. This distinction is founded upon the -principle that an infant can only be bound by his contracts if they -are beneficial to him. Actions for breaches of promise, with their -reams of ridiculous correspondence, and their exposure of the secrets -of both parties, are generally considered amusing reading; and yet the -subject has its melancholy side; and we cannot envy the feelings of the -plaintiff when exposed to a severe and protracted cross-examination. -The House of Commons, at the instance of Sir F. Herschell, now -Solicitor-general, a few years ago expressed an opinion adverse to -the action in question. Whether that opinion will be followed by -legislation on the subject, is probably only a question of time. - - - - -TWO DAYS IN A LIFETIME. - -A STORY IN EIGHT CHAPTERS. - - -CHAPTER VII. - -When he entered the room, Estelle looked up lazily from her -cushions. ‘How much longer have we to stay here, _caro mio_?’ she -asked with a yawn. - -‘The carriage will be round in half an hour.’ He sat down a little -wearily near the window, and turned his eyes on the pleasant scene -outside. There was nothing more to be done till the carriage should -arrive. - -‘_Bien._ We shall just have time for a little _tête-à-tête_.’ -She re-arranged the pillows of the couch to her liking, and smoothed -down the skirts of her dress complacently. Suddenly her eye was caught -by the glistening of the wedding-ring on her finger. She gave a little -start, and glanced round with the air of one who has lost something. -‘Where can I have mislaid them?’ she asked herself under her breath. ‘I -must have left them either in the dining-room or up-stairs. _Quelle -bêtise!_’ Then after a moment: ‘Ah, bah! what does it matter? He -suspects nothing.’ Addressing her husband, she said abruptly: ‘Listen -to me, Oscar Boyd. A little while ago, I offered to relieve you of my -presence for ever on condition that you paid me two thousand pounds. -You foolishly refused. Well, I will not be hard on you. You tell me -that you are a poor man, and I will not dispute the fact. I am willing -to reduce my terms. Give me one thousand pounds, and you shall never -see me again after to-day.’ - -‘I will give you nothing, and I will never see you after to-morrow.’ - -‘I am your wife, and you are compelled to keep me.’ - -‘But not to see you.’ - -‘It would be better for you to give me the thousand down and get rid of -me for ever.’ - -‘You know my decision.’ - -‘Ah, you don’t know what you are rejecting. You will repent your folly -to the last day of your life.’ - -His only answer was to look at his watch. - -‘This, then, is your programme,’ she resumed. ‘We shall reach London -to-night, and part at the terminus?’ - -‘That is so.’ - -‘And I shall meet you at noon to-morrow at a certain address, when you -will be prepared to inform me what my future income will be?’ - -He inclined his head gravely. - -‘To that meeting I shall bring with me a lawyer, in order to make sure -that my interests are properly represented. As your wife, I am entitled -to a certain definite proportion of your income. It will be my lawyer’s -business to ascertain in the first place the amount of your income; and -in the second, to what share of it I am entitled.’ - -‘As you please.’ - -There was silence for a few moments, then she said: ‘Oscar Boyd, have -you asked yourself why I have come so many thousands of miles, and put -myself to so much trouble and expense, in order to find you?’ - -‘You wanted money, and you had been told that I was a rich man.’ - -She clapped her hands, and laughed shrilly. ‘_Vous avez raison, -Monsieur._ I compliment you on your penetration. You were not so -simple-minded as to believe that it was love—love for yourself alone, -_cher_ Oscar—that induced me to cross that horrible ocean?’ - -‘No; I was not so simple-minded as to believe that.’ - -‘But what a disappointment for poor me to find you changed from a rich -man into a poor one! And yet, hard-hearted one that you are, I don’t -believe you pity me a bit. Still, life may be endurable without pity; -and when you grow to be a rich man again, which you will do in a few -years, you will not forget that you have a wife who will want to share -your good fortune.’ - -As before, his only answer was to look at his watch. - -‘Oh, pray be careful that we do not lose our train,’ she said with a -contemptuous laugh. Then her mood changed. She got up and began to pace -the room with her hands behind her back. ‘O yes, I love you, Oscar -Boyd,’ she exclaimed with passionate vehemence; ‘just as dearly as you -love me—no more, and no less! It was well that you did not attempt to -kiss me when we met, or even to put your arm round my waist. Had you -done so, I should have struck you. I hate you, _voyez vous_, as -you hate me; but I have one consolation which will never leave me: I -have separated you from the woman you love—from the woman who loves -you! Oh, it is sweet, sweet!—Is there no champagne to be had in this -house?’ - -It was an odd climax to her passionate outburst. But before another -word could be said, there came a tap at the door, and a servant entered -with a note on a salver, which he presented to Mr Boyd. - -‘Who is this from?’ asked the latter as he took the note. - -‘Don’t know, sir. I was told to give it you at once;’ and with that, -exit the servant. - -Oscar tore open the note, and not knowing the writing, the first thing -he did was to look for the signature. But there was none. Then he took -the note to the window to read. - -Estelle, who had not stirred since the servant came in, watched him -with quick-glancing, suspicious eyes. - -‘He is surprised,’ she muttered to herself. ‘He cannot believe what he -reads. He reads it for the second time—for the third! What can it be -about? Who can it be from?’ - -For full five minutes Oscar Boyd stood facing the window without -stirring or speaking; then he crushed the note between his fingers, -put it into his pocket, and turned and confronted his wife. She was -standing with one hand resting on the table, as she had been standing -since the servant came in. His eyes traversed her face with a cold, -critical, scrutinising glance that made her tremble in spite of -herself. There was a strange mysterious change in his expression. What -could it portend? He came a few steps nearer to her. - -‘You tell me that you were saved from the wreck of the _Ocean -Bride_. Why have you allowed all these years to elapse before making -me aware of that fact?’ - -‘Because I knew that you no longer cared for me. Because I knew that -the news of my death would be good news to you. Because I found friends -who would not let me want.’ - -‘You used not to study my happiness so much.’ - -She gave a little shrug. ‘You never understood me—you never read me -aright from the first.’ - -‘It seemed to me that there was little left to understand after that -night in the garden.’ - -‘That night in the garden!’ - -‘When’—— - -‘Yes—when’—— - -‘I overheard’—— - -‘Overheard what?’ - -‘Is it possible that you can have forgotten?’ - -She was gazing at him with bewildered eyes. She evidently knew nothing -of what her questioner referred to. - -‘The letter _must_ be true!’ he said to himself, with his eyes -still fixed searchingly on her. - -She recovered herself with an effort. ‘Why recall these painful -recollections?’ she asked. - -‘Why, indeed? It is folly to do so.’ On the occasional table at her -elbow was a tiny gold-stoppered smelling-bottle, which she had placed -there, together with her handkerchief, on entering the room. He went a -step nearer and picked it up. ‘This is yours?’ he said interrogatively, -as he opened the stopper and sniffed for a moment at the contents. - -‘Yes, mine. Did you think it was _milady’s_?’ she asked, with -a touch of her old bravado. She put out her hand, as if to take the -bottle from Oscar; but next moment her hand itself was grasped by his -sinewy fingers. She tried to draw it away, but could not. - -‘And is this the hand, Estelle, that once on a time I used to vow was -the prettiest hand in the world?’ - -A strangely frightened look had leapt all at once into her eyes. ‘And -is it not a pretty hand still?’ - -‘It _is_ a pretty hand. And is this the same ring that I slipped -on your finger one sunny morning—ah! so many years ago?’ - -‘Of course it is the same ring, Oscar. As if I should ever wear -another!’ It was all her trembling lips could do to syllable the words. - -‘Ah, well, I suppose there is a great sameness about such articles.’ - -‘You hurt me, Oscar. You are cruel.’ She was trying her utmost, in a -quiet way, to withdraw her hand; but she was like a child in his grasp. - -‘I have no wish to be cruel, Estelle; but why do you struggle to -withdraw your hand? Why do you keep it so tightly shut? What have you -hidden inside it?’ - -‘Hidden! Nothing. What should I have to hide?’ - -‘That is precisely what I am desirous of ascertaining for myself,’ he -said drily. - -With her right hand she was now trying with all her strength to loosen -his grasp on the one that he still held. ‘Wretch!’ she half screamed, -with a stamp of her foot. ‘Don’t I tell you that you are hurting me!’ - -There was a brief struggle, not lasting longer than a few moments. -Oscar’s second hand was now engaged as well as his first. Slowly but -irresistibly the clenched fingers were forced open till the palm of -the hand was fully exposed to view. One glance at it sufficed for his -purpose. He relaxed his hold. - -Estelle started back with a cry; then, with a quick instinctive -movement, she hid her hands behind her. ‘So!’ she said, drawing a -long deep breath. ‘You know all.’ She was glaring at him like some -wild creature brought to bay, her eyes flashing with mingled fury and -defiance. - -‘Yes, all. Give me your hand.’ - -‘Never!’ - -‘Give me your hand, or I will ring this bell, and expose your infamy -before every soul in the house.’ Then, without giving her time for any -further refusal, he strode forward, and grasping her by the left wrist, -he drew forth her arm to its full length. ‘Here are the letters D. -R. burnt indelibly into your palm,’ he said. ‘What is the meaning of -them?—You do not answer. I will answer for you.’ He let her hand drop -with a gesture of contempt. - -‘You are not Estelle Duplessis, the woman I made my wife at New -Orleans. You are her _twin-sister_, of whom I remember having -heard her speak, but whom I never saw till to-day. You are Catarina -Riaz, the wife, or widow, of Don Diego Riaz, a gentleman who bred -cattle in Mexico. When angered, Don Diego was not a courteous man to -the ladies; at such times he treated them much after the fashion in -which he treated his cattle. As an instance, when you ran away from -home on a certain occasion, and were found and brought back by his -servants, he caused you to be branded on the palm of your hand with the -initials of his name, so that, should you ever run away again, all the -world might know you were his property. Here the letters are to this -day, never to be effaced. Catarina Riaz, you are a vile impostor!—I -hear the noise of wheels. The carriage is at the door. Go!’ - - * * * * * - -It was morning—the morning of the day following that on which the -events related took place. The weather was hot and sunny, and on such -a forenoon the lawn at Rosemount was a very pleasant place. In the -veranda, in an ample easy-chair, sat Captain Bowood, spectacles on -nose, deep in the _Times_. On the lawn itself, under the pleasant -shade of an ancient elm, sat Mrs Bowood and Sir Frederick, the former -busy with her crewels, the latter lazily cutting the pages of a review -and skimming a paragraph here and there. To the extreme left, some -distance from the others, and hidden from them by a thick clump of -evergreens, sat Lady Dimsdale, making-believe to be repairing sundry -rents in the frock of a large doll, which she held on her knee, but far -more occupied with her own thoughts than with the work she had in hand. -Close to her, and seated on a swing, suspended from a stout limb of a -tree, was Master Tommy, a bright boy of nine, profoundly immersed in a -new book of fairy tales, which Lady Dimsdale had that morning made him -a present of. - -‘Just listen to this, Aunty Laura,’ he said. She was always ‘Aunty -Laura’ to the children. - -‘“When the brave knight, Sir Tristram, entered the dungeon in which the -unhappy Princess had been shut up for so long a time, he was about to -spring forward and embrace her, when all at once the wicked magician -stood before them, and with his wand drew a magic line across the -floor. Then, although Sir Tristram and the Princess could see each -other, neither of them could step over the magic line, which was like -an invisible wall between them.”’ Here Tommy looked up from his book. -‘Have you ever seen a wicked magician, Aunty Laura?’ - -‘One or two, dear,’ she replied with a faint smile. ‘Only, nowadays, -one doesn’t always know them when one sees them.’ - -‘Don’t you think, aunty’—this in a whisper full of mystery—‘that if -Sir Frederick had a long robe and a wand, he would look something like -a magician?’ - -Lady Dimsdale shook her head and held up a warning finger; and Tommy -went on with his book. - -‘It was really very kind of you, Sir Frederick, to agree to stay with -us for the rest of the week,’ remarked Mrs Bowood. - -‘Madam, the pleasure is all on my side,’ replied the Baronet with his -most courtly air. - -It would appear that in the course of conversation the previous evening -the Baronet had let out the fact that his own house was in the hands -of the painters and whitewashers, and that he was rendered miserable -thereby. Accordingly, very little persuasion had been needed to induce -him to take up his quarters at Rosemount for the next few days. There -may possibly have been other reasons also which made him not displeased -to be on the spot. - -‘We have very few visitors just now, as you are aware,’ resumed Mrs -Bowood, ‘so that you must not expect to find us very lively.’ - -‘My dear madam, I abhor liveliness. Had your house been full of -company, nothing would have induced me to stay. When in Arcady, I like -to feel that I am an Arcadian. I like to feel that I am among cows, and -buttercups, and spring chickens—and—and home-cured bacon, and not -among a mob of fine people from town. Hum, hum.’ - -Mrs Bowood smiled down at her work. Never was there a greater piece of -artificiality in human form than the Baronet. - -‘Confound the flies!’ exclaimed Captain Bowood irascibly to no one in -particular, as he gave his bald head a sounding smack. ‘Eh now?’ he -quoth inquiringly as he looked at the palm of his hand. ‘No.’ - -‘I wonder what can have become of Mr Boyd?’ went on Mrs Bowood. ‘He -left the house early this morning, and has not been seen since.’ - -The movements of Mr Boyd in nowise interested Sir Frederick, but -politeness demanded that he should say something. ‘Gone for an early -ramble, probably, before the day gets too warm.’ - -‘I am dying to find out the writer of that anonymous letter.’ - -The Baronet coughed, and cut another page of his review. - -‘Aunty Laura, what is the matter with you?’ - -The question came so suddenly that Lady Dimsdale could not repress a -slight start. ‘The matter, dear?’ she asked inconsequentially. - -‘You stop in the middle of a stitch, and then you put a finger to your -lips, and then for a minute you seem as if you saw nothing. And you -look _so_ sad. Have you got the toothache, aunty?’ - -‘Yes, dear, as you say—the toothache.’ - -‘I am so sorry!’ - -‘Or the heartache,’ said Lady Dimsdale under her breath. ‘Does it -matter which?’ - -The Baronet deliberately shut up his review, and looking steadily at -his hostess, said in a low voice: ‘It was I who wrote the anonymous -letter, Mrs Bowood.’ - -For once in a way, Mrs Bowood nearly pricked her finger. ‘You, Sir -Frederick!’ - -The Baronet inclined his head gravely. ‘Only, I don’t want the -circumstance to be generally known.’ - -‘I won’t mention it for the world. But you do surprise me.’ - -‘The facts are very simple. I met the real Mrs Boyd in New Orleans -soon after her marriage. Later on, I found myself in Mexico. At a ball -one evening, I saw among the crowd a lady whom I should certainly -have addressed as Mrs Boyd, had not the friend with whom I was told -me that she was that lady’s twin-sister. The likeness between them -was certainly a very remarkable one. The lady in question was married -to a certain Don Diego Riaz, the owner of a large cattle-ranche a few -miles away. The matter probably would have escaped my memory, but for -a letter received by me a few months later, in which my friend made -mention of a recent scandal in the household of Don Riaz. It seems that -the señora suddenly disappeared. When found at the end of two days, and -taken back home, her husband caused her to be branded on the palm of -the left hand with the initials of his name.’ - -Mrs Bowood shuddered. ‘How thankful I am that I don’t live in Mexico!’ - -‘Horray!’ shouted Master Tommy. ‘Brave Sir Tristram has chopped off the -wizard’s head.’ - -The flies were still pestering Captain Bowood. ‘Another of ’em!’ -he exclaimed as he slapped his forehead for the second time. Then -he looked at his hand. ‘What—what? No,’ he said in a tone of -disappointment. - -Sir Frederick resumed the equable flow of his narrative. ‘A few -months later, Don Diego was found dead under somewhat mysterious -circumstances. Such things do happen in Mexico now and then. There was -a dim suspicion in my mind, I hardly know why, that one sister might -be trying to pass herself off as the other, when I sought an interview -with the supposed Mrs Boyd yesterday. That suspicion was strengthened -by her answers to some of my questions, and was reduced to a certainty -when I got sufficiently near to her to perceive the tiny brown mole -under her chin, which I remembered having been told was the one -distinctive mark between the two sisters; and further, when I noticed -how—although she had her gloves on at the time I spoke to her—she had -got into the way of keeping her left hand tightly shut, as though she -held something inside it which she was unwilling that any one should -see. It was the certainty thus arrived at which induced me to write as -I did to Mr Boyd.’ - -‘A romance in real life! I presume that Mr Boyd had never seen the -twin-sister before?’ - -‘Never, so far as I am aware.’ - -‘She was certainly a very strange person, Sir Frederick, and I am not -sorry that she is gone. I trust there is no likelihood of her coming -back?’ - -‘I don’t think you have much to fear on that score,’ responded the -Baronet drily. - -Master Tommy shut up his book with a bang. ‘And now Sir Tristram and -the Princess are married, and are going to live happy ever after. The -brave knight and the forlorn Princess always do get married; don’t -they, aunty?’ - -‘Not always, dear. Sometimes the spells of the wicked wizard are too -strong for them.’ - -‘Oh, I say! that is a shame.—What a pretty butterfly!’ His perch on -the swing was vacated next moment, and, cap in hand, he was off in -pursuit. - -‘A boy all over,’ murmured Lady Dimsdale. ‘Something to chase, -something to crush!’ - -‘Laura, whatever are you about?’ said Mrs Bowood with a little -elevation of her ordinary tones. ‘You might favour us with your company -during the short time longer you have to stay.’ - -‘I’ve got the shadiest seat in the garden,’ was the answer that came -back from behind the evergreens; ‘and just now I’m engaged on an -intricate detail of millinery, and must on no account be disturbed.’ - -Sir Frederick had pricked up his ears. ‘Is Lady Dimsdale going away?’ -he asked. - -‘Did you not know? She had letters this morning—so she says—which -necessitate her immediate return home. I am quite angry with her.’ - -‘Ah, ah! nearly had you that time,’ exclaimed the Captain, after -another abortive attempt to slaughter one of his tormentors. - -Sir Frederick rose and crossed to where Lady Dimsdale was sitting. ‘You -are busy this morning, Lady Dimsdale,’ he said. - -‘Extremely so. This young person was no longer fit for decent society, -so I have taken her in hand, and am trying to make her presentable. But -you don’t understand millinery, Sir Frederick.’ - -‘My misfortune.’ - -‘It is a pity. But, as a rule, your sex are very ignorant.’ - -‘You are about to leave us, Mrs Bowood tells me.’ - -‘Yes; the three o’clock express will carry me away to “fresh woods and -pastures new.”’ - -‘I am grieved to hear that.’ - -‘Is Sir Frederick Pinkerton ever really grieved about anything?’ There -was a certain scornful ring in her voice as she asked this question. - -Sir Frederick bit his lip. His sallow cheeks flushed a little. - -At this moment, there came an interruption. Miss Lucy ran up with red -face and dishevelled hair, swinging her straw hat by its ribbons. ‘I’ve -been such a long way, aunty, and I’m so tired!’ - -Lady Dimsdale was examining her fingers and pinafore with serious face. -‘O Lucy!’ was all she said. - -‘I couldn’t help it—really, I couldn’t. Strawberries and cream—such a -lot!—with Mr Boyd at the Meadow Farm.’ - -‘With Mr Boyd!’ said Lady Dimsdale in a low voice. - -‘Yes. I met him in the garden ever so early, and he said he was going -for a walk, and would I go with him. So I went, and it was ever so -jolly. But’—with a yawn—‘I’m so hot and tired!’ - -Lady Dimsdale gave her the doll. - -‘O you beauty! How smart Aunt Laura has made you!’ she cried in an -ecstasy of admiration. Then she sat down on a low stool close to Lady -Dimsdale, and forgot for a little while that she was either hot or -tired. - -‘I have fulfilled my promise, Lady Dimsdale,’ said the Baronet in a -low voice. ‘That woman will never trouble Mr Boyd again.’ He looked -meaningly at her as he spoke. - -It was a look which she understood. ‘Sir Frederick Pinkerton need be -under no apprehension,’ she replied, gazing steadily into his eyes. ‘I -have not forgotten my part of the bargain. That which I have promised I -will perform.’ - -The Baronet bowed a little stiffly, and strolled slowly back towards -Mrs Bowood. - -‘Don’t you think, Aunt Laura,’ said Lucy, ‘now that Dolly is so smart, -I might take her to church with me? If it’s good for me to go to -church, it must be good for Dolly.’ - -But Lady Dimsdale heard her not. ‘My promise! Yes, whatever it may cost -me, I must not forget that.’ She kept repeating the words to herself -again and again. - -Lucy, for once, finding her chatter unheeded, made a pillow of one -arm for her doll, laid her head against Lady Dimsdale’s knee, and two -minutes later was fast asleep. - -Along one of the winding pathways came Oscar Boyd, dusty with the -dust of country roads, but bright and happy-looking as the day. -‘Good-morning, Mrs Bowood.—Good-morning, Sir Frederick.—Any news, -Captain?’ - -‘We thought that some one had run away with you,’ said his hostess, as -she extended her hand. ‘What have you been doing with yourself all this -time?’ - -‘We have been over the hills and far away, Miss Lucy and I. Our object -was strawberries and cream at the Meadow Farm.’ He gave a quiet glance -round. ‘Laura not here?’ he said to himself. - -‘Strawberries and cream. Humph!’ remarked the Captain. ‘S. and B. far -better on a morning like this. Come now.’ - -Oscar had discovered Lady Dimsdale’s whereabouts by this time, and -crossed towards her. - -‘Now for the scene!’ said Sir Frederick to himself as he watched him -go. Then turning to Mrs Bowood, he said: ‘With your permission, I will -go and smoke a cigarette on the terrace.’ - -‘You will find it very hot on that side of the house.’ - -‘The heat suits me, madam. If I may be allowed such an expression—I -revel in it.’ Then as he walked away, he said to himself: ‘How will she -break the news?’ - -Mrs Bowood had not failed to note in what direction Mr Boyd had -vanished. ‘After all, they may perhaps make a match of it,’ was the -thought in her mind. ‘I do hope he will propose before Laura goes.’ - -‘Here you are! I was just wondering what had become of you,’ -said Oscar, as he drew up a garden-chair and sat down near Lady -Dimsdale.—‘My little sweetheart and asleep?’ he added with a smiling -glance at the unconscious Lucy. - -‘She was tired with the long walk.’ - -Something in Lady Dimsdale’s voice struck him. He looked fixedly at -her. Probably he expected to see in her some traces of the same change -that he felt in himself—the change from despair to gladness, from a -midnight of blackest gloom to a dawn of radiant hopes, rich with the -sweet promise of happy years to come. But no such traces were visible -in the woman who sat before him with pallid, long-drawn face, with -downcast eyes, round which the dark circles left by sleeplessness or -tears—perhaps by both—were plainly to be seen, and with thin white -hands that visibly trembled as, clasped in each other, they lay idly on -her lap. It was unaccountable. - -‘You have heard of all that happened yesterday?’ he presently remarked. -‘You know that that woman was an impostor?’ - -‘Yes; I have heard.’ - -‘Her likeness to her sister was extraordinary. I was completely -deceived.’ - -‘She will not trouble you again?’ - -‘Hardly so, I think. I have arranged for a friend of mine to see her -on board ship to-morrow, and to pay her passage back to the port from -which she sailed. I have an idea that I ought to thank Sir Frederick -Pinkerton for the anonymous letter which served to unmask her.’ He drew -his chair a little closer. ‘Laura! you have not forgotten yesterday -morning?’ he said as he bent forward and tried to gaze into her eyes. - -‘No; I have not forgotten.’ The reply was so low that he could scarcely -hear it, and the eyes were kept persistently cast down. - -‘You know how we were interrupted,’ went on Oscar. ‘A black cloud came -between us, and we thought our happiness was wrecked for ever. But -the cloud has vanished, and the sun shines out as brightly as before, -and’—— - -‘Oscar, we must—both of us—try to think of yesterday morning as if it -had never been.’ - -He drew himself upright in his chair with a great gasp; for a moment or -two he was too stupefied to speak. ‘Try to think of yesterday morning -as if it had never been! Impossible! But why try to do so?’ - -‘Because something has happened since then which makes it imperative -that we should do so.’ - -‘Something happened! I don’t understand. I only know that you agreed to -become my wife. What can have happened to alter that?’ - -‘You must not ask me, and I cannot tell you.’ - -‘And you ask me to agree to this without a word of explanation?’ - -‘Yes, without a word of explanation.’ There was a quaver in her voice -as she said these words which he did not fail to detect. - -He sat like a man stunned—like one who has heard some tidings of -import greater than his mind is able to grasp. ‘Laura! you torture me,’ -he said at length. - -At this she raised her dark, grief-laden eyes, and gazed at him for a -moment or two with a sort of dumb, pathetic tenderness, while at the -same time the fingers of one hand wandered caressingly over his sleeve. - -He was profoundly moved. He rose from his chair, and took a turn or -two in silence, and then resumed his seat. ‘Send for the nurse to take -away that child,’ he said, ‘and then come with me for a walk in the -shrubbery.’ - -‘Oscar, I dare not.’ - -‘You dare not! Why?’ - -‘I dare not. We had better say farewell here and now, than later on and -before others.’ - -‘Farewell!’ - -‘I leave here by the afternoon express. Oscar, after to-day, you and I -must never meet again.’ - -He started to his feet. ‘Never meet again! But—— Why—— Can you who -say this to me be the same woman whom I kissed but yesterday?’ - -‘I am that woman; how happy then, how unhappy now, no one but myself -can ever know!’ - -‘Then why this change? What strange mystery is here?’ - -‘I cannot tell you. My lips are sealed. Believe me, Oscar, we had -better say farewell here and now.’ - -‘I cannot and I will not say farewell!’ he passionately exclaimed. -‘You belong to me, and I belong to you; that kiss was the seal and -consecration of our union. No earthly power shall keep us asunder. -There is some strange mystery at work here. If you will not give me -the key to it, I must try to find it for myself.’ He lifted his hat, -stooped and pressed his lips to her hair, and then, without another -word, he plunged into the shrubbery. - -Laura gazed after his retreating figure through a mist of tears. ‘The -key to the mystery!’ she murmured. ‘You may try your best to find it, -my poor Oscar, but Merlin’s enchantments will prove too strong for you -to overcome.’ - - - - -A PEEP AT THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. - - -Except to mariners who have rounded Cape Horn, this solitary -group of islands is a veritable _terra incognita_. Seldom -visited, however, as the Falkland Islands have been in the past, -their isolation promises to be yet more complete in the future, as -soon as an inter-oceanic canal diverts commerce from the old to a -new route. Up to the present time, they have served as a half-way -house for sailing-vessels on their voyage round Cape Horn in need -of provisioning, or for refitting such as have been disabled by the -tempestuous weather which for a great part of the year prevails in -those latitudes. It appears probable, however, that their usefulness -for even these purposes is nearly at an end, and that their lonely -inhabitants are doomed, like the surviving innkeepers of coaching-days, -to pass the remainder of their lives in mourning over the memories of -the past. - -These islands have at various times belonged to France and to Spain; -but since 1833, when they were annexed by the English government for -the protection of the whale-fishery, they have formed part of the -British possessions. The group consists of the islands of East and -West Falkland, and upwards of a hundred others—mostly mere islets or -sandbanks—which have a united area of nearly five million acres. The -only settlement or town—if it may be dignified with that name—is -Stanley, which is situated on a gentle slope of moorland bordering upon -a narrow and nearly land-locked harbour in the island of East Falkland; -but few of the houses in Stanley are well constructed, and these are -occupied by the governor and colonial officers and a few successful -traders. The remainder are rough-and-ready specimens of architecture, -in the construction of which the timber of many an old shipwrecked hulk -has been utilised. The climate, though generally damp, is extremely -healthy, but very changeable. To-day, perhaps the sun may be shining, -the air clear and exhilarating; but to-morrow you rise at daybreak, -look out at the same landscape, and behold what a change is there! A -thick driving mist has rolled in from the ocean, and enveloped all -nature in its moist and chilly embrace. The soil is more adapted to -pasturage than to cultivation, being similar in its character to the -unreclaimed wild lands of northern Scotland and the Orkney and Shetland -Islands. Large herds of wild cattle roam at will over the country, but -are worth little except for their hides, there being no market for -the beef. The greater portion of these cattle belong to the Falkland -Islands’ Company, who own a marine store and general outfitting -establishment at Stanley. This Company, a few years ago, embarked in -sheep-raising, by way of an experiment, importing some common stock -from Patagonia, and crossing them with cheviots. The experiment has -proved a great success, and sheep-raising now forms the principal -industry of the later settlers; several young Englishmen, with a few -hundred pounds capital, having within the last few years settled on -the islands for this purpose, their ‘stations’ ranging from twenty to -one hundred and fifty thousand acres, the aggregate value of the wool -annually exported to England amounting to nearly fifty thousand pounds -sterling. - -There being no roads or vehicles for internal traffic, as most of -the country round Stanley is a huge morass, the owners of these -sheep-stations are obliged to keep small sailing-vessels in which to -visit Stanley for provisions, or send their wool there for shipment to -England. - -In respect of scenery, it cannot be said that nature has bestowed gifts -on the Falklands with a too lavish hand. There is but one tree in the -entire islands, and that solitary exception attempts to grow in the -governor’s garden at Stanley, where it is protected by a wall from the -cutting south wind, which ruthlessly nips off any ambitious shoot which -presumes to peep over its restricted limits. - -The population of the Falklands in 1877 was a little over thirteen -hundred, nearly three-fourths of that number being males. Most of -the inhabitants are English; but there are also a few Americans and -Spaniards, the latter being the surviving descendants of the former -masters of the islands. The government is vested in a Governor, aided -by an Executive Council and a Legislative Council, both appointed by -the Crown. The majority of the working inhabitants are fishermen, whose -chief sources of profit are derived from annual visits to the New -Shetland Islands, about six hundred miles south from Cape Horn, and to -other breeding-grounds in the Falkland Islands, to hunt for seals and -penguins, which are slaughtered in large numbers for their skins and -oil. - -The breeding-grounds or ‘rookeries’ of the penguins are generally -situated in the shelter of some land-locked bay or break in the line -of steep and rugged cliffs; and often occupy several acres, which -are laid out, levelled, and divided into squares, with intervening -streets, the whole as if done at the dictation of a surveyor. Along -these streets, the penguins gravely waddle on their way to and from -the water, presenting the appearance of squads of awkward recruits, -or a still more striking likeness, as has been often remarked, to -troops of little children toddling along in their white pinafores. -They build no nests; but lay a single egg in some selected spot, the -incubation being equally shared by male and female. Although so closely -allied to the feathered kind, they are unable to fly, nature having -only furnished them with short stumpy apologies for wings, resembling -the flippers of a turtle, by means of which they are enabled to -attain prodigious speed, when diving under water in pursuit of fish -for food. Penguins, as well as seals, are doubly provided against -the cold of the high latitudes which they frequent, by a layer of -fat immediately inside the skin, which is also the depository of the -oil extracted by the fishermen. In landing to attack and slaughter -them in their rookeries with clubs and boat-stretchers, stealthy -precautions are quite unnecessary, the poor dumb creatures looking on -in a state of indifferent stupidity, without making any attempt to -escape, whilst their companions are being knocked on the head all -around them. Seal-hunting, or ‘fishing’ as it is usually termed, on -the contrary, requires great skill and patience. Seals are gregarious -as well as polygamous, and when they forsake the open seas for their -breeding-places on shore, are very shy of intrusion, and take great -care to insure the safety of their retirement, particularly in -localities which have been previously visited by human beings. They -invariably post sentinels on every commanding point, so that it is only -by patient waiting and under cover of night the hunters are enabled to -elude their vigilance and surprise them. - -The hunting or fishing season being over, the fishermen return to -Stanley with their harvest of skins and oil, which they sell to -the traders, who, as may be imagined, buy at their own price, and -eventually get the lion’s share of the profits. Not that this appears -to bother the minds of the fishermen, who are a happy-go-lucky set of -men, and by no means provident in their habits. When I was serving in -the English squadron on the south-east coast of America, we visited -the Falkland Islands as a rule once a year, and the admiral usually -timed our departure from Monte Video so as to arrive there somewhere -about Christmas. As soon as we were sighted by the lookouts, all was -flutter and excitement in the settlement. The married ladies were soon -elbow-deep in pie-crust and confectionery; while the only single lady -in the colony commenced practising her most sentimental songs, and -hunting up old bits of finery to set off her mature charms, with a grim -determination to capture the maiden affections of some susceptible -young naval officer. - -For those of our number to whom shooting and fishing offered more -attractions than did the allurements of female society, the Falkland -Islands afforded a fine field. The tyro whose sole ambition is -a pot-shot at a standing object, may revel there in unequalled -opportunities of distinguishing himself, for, except in the vicinity of -the settlement, the upland geese are so little, if at all, accustomed -to the sight of man, that they show no signs of fear or flight at his -approach, and consequently fall an easy prey to the young sportsman. -But there are other kinds of game which give excellent sport to older -hands. Several species of duck and teal, abundance of snipe, and an -occasional swan, will give the hunter who can hold his gun straight -a satisfactory bag—and a weighty one too, if he has to carry it. -Moreover, if he be ambitious, and has at times indulged in wild dreams -of slaying the king of beasts in his forest lair, he may console -himself for not having done so, by killing that animal’s degenerate -marine cousin, the sea-lion. I myself once very nearly did; that is -to say, I came as near to doing so, as a sea-lion did to making an -end of me. It happened in this way. A party of us had pulled in a -boat up a small river in West Falkland, which, at some distance from -its mouth, opened into a lake with an islet in the centre, upon the -shelving shore of which we beached our boat, for lunch. This islet -was covered with patches of tall tussac grass—a favourite haunt of -sea-lions—but appeared to be perfectly desolate and devoid of animal -life. While sauntering idly along, smoking my pipe, I was suddenly -roused from a reverie by the most horrible roar, proceeding as it -seemed to me from the very ground under my feet; and lo! from a bunch -of tussac grass through which I was forcing my way, there arose an -immense, savage-looking animal, with a row of most formidable tusks, -and confronted me. I was so taken aback at my close and unexpected -proximity to such a monster, that I confess my first thoughts were -in favour of an ignominious flight, had not my enemy anticipated me -by turning tail himself. Gnashing his teeth with a parting roar, he -half-waddled and half-rolled down the bank and into the water, while -I was desperately pulling at the trigger of my gun, forgetting in my -agitation that it was only at half-cock. - -Having nearly exhausted all that the Falklands present in the way of -interest or pleasure, we now say our adieus, weigh anchor and put to -sea. - - - - -MISCHIEF DONE BY GOOD-NATURED PEOPLE. - - -No doubt there is a vast amount of misery in the world occasioned by -deliberate unkindness; revenge for real or fancied injuries, or the -terrible pleasure some evil natures feel in the exercise of arbitrary -power. Still more suffering is probably occasioned by that callous -indifferentism to the feelings of others which we call thoughtlessness, -but which is really very nearly allied to selfishness. Yet possibly -we should find, were we able to make the reckoning, that as much harm -is done by the unwise concessions of what are called ‘good-natured -people,’ as by either of the other classes. - -It is often said of a good-natured man that he is no one’s enemy but -his own; but families and friends are so linked together in this world, -that it is exceedingly difficult for any one to injure himself without -hurt to another. Far be it from us to limit philanthropy or any sort of -generosity. He who goes through life conferring benefits is the noblest -of mortals; but unless on occasion he is able to say ‘No’ to eager -entreaties, he will never be able to carry out his best intentions. - -One of the most mischievous forms of what is called good-nature is -recommending an incompetent person to some responsible situation. Not -that patronage, properly considered, is anything but a good and lawful -thing; only we may be very sure that the just, enlightened, and really -powerful patron is by no means what is understood by ‘a good-natured -man.’ We imagine him to have legitimate influence, which he would very -soon lose were he to abuse it. - -We once knew an authoress, now no more, who, besides having a great -deal of talent as well as good-nature, had one of the kindest hearts -in the world. Her successful books had secured her a certain literary -position; and had she used sparingly and discreetly the influence -which naturally resulted from it, she might have been of immense use -to young aspirants of genius. Perhaps her own vivid imagination lent a -charm to the manuscripts she was asked to forward for unknown authors -to eminent publishers, for it is a fact that men and women of real -genius are often the most lenient of critics to inferior writers. But -however this may have been, her good-nature was so often imposed on, -she so often sent poor compositions with words of recommendation to -her friendly publishers, that at last they smiled, or sighed, at her -importunities, and though willing enough to take anything from her own -practised pen, ceased to regard her good word as of any weight, when -applied to the productions of another. In fact, it came to pass that it -was rather an injury than otherwise to be introduced by Mrs E——. She -sacrificed what might have been a very useful and powerful influence to -her good-nature. If Dr Johnson had thus sacrificed his great influence -by offering poor novels to the booksellers, he would have been little -likely to have been able to promptly dispose of the immortal _Vicar -of Wakefield_, and so aid poor Oliver Goldsmith in the hour of his -sorest need. - -Critics who, from a spurious good-nature, unduly praise a work of -art or literature, really do a cruel injury to deserving authors and -artists, by bringing their merits into an unworthy comparison with -inferior powers. Evil of this sort, however, is apt to bring about -its own penalty. Directly a professional writer is even suspected of -unfairness, the spell of his influence is broken; and often enough, -to be a warning to the ready writer, has it happened that one of the -staff of a popular journal has lost his situation on account of his too -‘good-natured’ reviews. - -It is rather remarkable that what are called good-natured people rarely -undertake unpleasant duties, if they can possibly avoid them. They do -not like telling disagreeable truths, however urgent the necessity for -so doing, but transfer the mission to a sterner friend with some such -phrase as, ‘I should not like to say it,’ or, ‘I should not like to -do it,’ just as if the habit of their lives was only to do what they -‘liked.’ Indeed, the good-natured people we are describing are rarely -generous in a grand way; they are seldom capable of self-sacrifice. If -they are rich, they give money rather than take trouble. If they are -people of leisure, they probably give time, which perhaps is not very -precious to them; but doing something they greatly dislike, in order to -benefit another, is a virtue too rare to be found among them. - -There is a form of deception, too often considered very venial, with -which so-called good-natured people, if they are good letter-writers, -are not seldom associated. This is ‘drawing up’ letters for their less -gifted acquaintances to copy and send out as their own. A really good -letter often makes a very favourable impression; but it is something -like a false coin if it be not the composition of the signer. No -doubt, there are cases when it is necessary some statement should be -made in language more clear and precise than the person concerned can -command; but in these instances, the ready penman should write in his -own person for his friend. We are afraid many situations of trust -and responsibility have been obtained on the strength of admirable -letters dictated by another. But incompetence is sure to be discovered -sooner or later, as is a deception which is less forgivable than -want of ability. Long, long ago, we knew of a case far more sad -than the engaging of an incompetent clerk or governess. A girl of -good family and large fortune was won over to accept for a husband a -young gentleman of small means and not much principle, mainly by the -eloquent, poetical, very charming letters he addressed to her; nearly -if not quite all of which were composed by a clever brilliant friend -who had never even seen her. When the marriage proved very far from a -happy one—and the real scribe had a wife and children of his own—we -have reason to believe that he deeply regretted the part he had played -in deluding a confiding girl. - -Very much on a par with the laxity of principle which permits false -letter-writing is the wearing of borrowed finery, especially jewellery, -things which we have known good-natured women very willing to lend. -Valuable jewellery is a sign of a certain amount of wealth, which is -generally on fit occasions displayed; but to exhibit the sign where the -reality does not exist is a mean sort of deception, which must often be -followed by humiliation. - -A person out of what is called good-nature becoming security for -another, and suffering, or causing others to suffer in consequence, is -so sad and frequent an event in real life, that it has become quite a -common incident in novels, and need not be treated of here. Kindness -of heart is a deeper and finer quality than the surface readiness to -oblige which we have endeavoured to depict. Kindness of heart has -always the capacity for real sympathy, and this great alleviator of -suffering is generally too clear-seeing to always approve of ‘Yes’ when -‘No’ should be said. Real sympathy feels with, and assists, the friend -in trouble. When actions prompted by thoughtless good-nature are most -mischievous, they proceed from one who probably neither feels deeply -nor sees clearly the relations of cause and effect. That Justice—to a -stranger no less than to our associates—is a rarer and more sublime -virtue than generosity, is a truth that good-natured people are -somewhat apt to forget. - - - - -SIX LITTLE WORDS. - - - Six little words arrest me every day: - I _ought_, _must_, _can_—I _will_, I _dare_, I _may_. - I OUGHT—’tis conscience’ law, divinely writ - Within my heart—the goal I strive to hit. - I MUST—this warns me that my way is barred, - Either by Nature’s law or custom hard. - I CAN—in this is summed up all my might, - Whether to do, or know, or judge aright. - I WILL—my diadem, by the soul imprest - With freedom’s seal—the ruler in my breast. - I DARE—at once a motto for the seal, - And, dare I? barrier ’gainst unlicensed zeal. - I MAY—is final, and at once makes clear - The way which else might vague and dim appear. - I _ought_, _must_, _can_—I _will_, I _dare_, I _may_: - These six words claim attention every day. - Only, through Thee, know I what, every day, - I ought, I must, I can, I will, I dare, I may. - - * * * * * - -Printed and Published by W. & R. CHAMBERS, 47 Paternoster Row, -LONDON, and 339 High Street, EDINBURGH. - - * * * * * - -_All Rights Reserved._ - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, FIFTH SERIES, NO. 7, VOL. I, FEBRUARY 16, -1884 *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<table style='min-width:0; padding:0; margin-left:0; border-collapse:collapse'> - <tr><td>Title:</td><td>Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, Fifth Series, No. 7, Vol. I, February 16, 1884</td></tr> - <tr><td></td><td>Volume 18</td></tr> -</table> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Various</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: April 05, 2021 [eBook #64993]</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Susan Skinner, Eric Hutton and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)</div> - -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, FIFTH SERIES, NO. 7, VOL. I, FEBRUARY 16, 1884 ***</div> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">{97}</span></p> - -<h1>CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL<br /> -OF<br /> -POPULAR<br /> -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.</h1> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> -</div> - -<p class='center'> - -<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> - -<a href="#HOW_LIFE-OFFICES_PAY_THEIR_DEATH-CLAIMS">HOW LIFE-OFFICES PAY THEIR DEATH-CLAIMS.</a><br /> -<a href="#BY_MEAD_AND_STREAM">BY MEAD AND STREAM.</a><br /> -<a href="#FAMILIAR_SKETCHES_OF_ENGLISH_LAW">FAMILIAR SKETCHES OF ENGLISH LAW.</a><br /> -<a href="#TWO_DAYS_IN_A_LIFETIME">TWO DAYS IN A LIFETIME.</a><br /> -<a href="#A_PEEP_AT_THE_FALKLAND_ISLANDS">A PEEP AT THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.</a><br /> -<a href="#MISCHIEF_DONE_BY_GOOD-NATURED_PEOPLE">MISCHIEF DONE BY GOOD-NATURED PEOPLE.</a><br /> -<a href="#SIX_LITTLE_WORDS">SIX LITTLE WORDS.</a><br /> - -<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> - -</p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="figcenter illowp100" id="header" style="max-width: 43.75em;"> - <img class="w100" src="images/header.jpg" alt="Chambers’s Journal of Popular Literature, Science, -and Art. Fifth Series. Established by William and Robert Chambers, 1832. Conducted by R. Chambers (Secundus)." /> -</div> - - -<hr class="full" /> -<div class="center"> -<div class="header"> -<p class="floatl"><span class="smcap">No. 7.—Vol. I.</span></p> -<p class="floatr"><span class="smcap">Price</span> 1½<em>d.</em></p> -<p class="floatc">SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1884.</p> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="HOW_LIFE-OFFICES_PAY_THEIR_DEATH-CLAIMS">HOW LIFE-OFFICES PAY THEIR DEATH-CLAIMS.</h2> -</div> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> difficulty and delay in obtaining payment of the sum -assured, when death occurred, was at one time urged as an objection -against the system of life-assurance; but of late years the percentage -of cases in which this objection could hold good has been reduced to -a mere fraction, and offices now vie with each other in facilitating -prompt and satisfactory settlement. This and other material -improvements in the practice of life-assurance which have been recently -introduced, have tended to obviate many popular objections, and greatly -to increase the number of the assured. While it is sadly true that -there are thousands of homes in our country without adequate protection -against the suffering and distress which the death of the bread-winner -would entail, it is gratifying to find that by means of existing -policies a provision has been made to the extent of four hundred and -thirty-five millions sterling, for the maintenance and comfort of the -widows and orphans of the future, and this amount does not include what -is known as industrial business. It is difficult to realise without -a strong effort of the imagination what a vast alleviation of the -sum of human misery is shadowed forth in the fact just stated. The -humble cottage of the artisan, and the stately hall rich with heraldic -emblazonry, are alike destined to draw comfort and solace from this -beneficent treasury.</p> - -<p>We do not propose to give the history of life-assurance, or, at this -time of day, to demonstrate the great advantages of the system, but -to give some information which may be useful and interesting to the -vast brotherhood of persons who have already availed themselves, or -who intend to avail themselves, of its benefits. Notwithstanding the -vigorous efforts put forth by more than a hundred competing offices -to give their terms publicity, there are still men to be found who -have very crude ideas of what life-assurance is and does. One man -in all seriousness proposed to join one of our Scottish offices, -thinking he could draw half the sum at once, and the other half -later on; quaintly remarking: ‘What use is the money to me after I am -dead?’ Another proposer for a policy suggested that in lieu of his -annual premiums being paid as they fell due, the office should allow -them to remain unpaid, and at his death deduct the sum of the unpaid -premiums as a debt from the policy! Life-offices, like men, must, -in order to live, find the means of living; and we are afraid that, -under present conditions, no means of escape can be afforded to the -public from satisfying the necessity under which all assurance offices -exist—namely, that of requiring the payment of premiums, and these -payments to be made punctually as they fall due.</p> - -<p>There was a time when non-payment of the premium on the due date meant -forfeiture of all benefit and all past payments; but now these hard -conditions have been almost entirely abolished; while certain offices -have adopted a plan by which a policy is kept in force automatically, -by applying to the payment of premiums the value that would be given -on surrender of the policy, so long as the value is sufficient for the -purpose. There are many other points in connection with which needless -restrictions have been relaxed; but there are certain well-considered -regulations which must be rigidly adhered to by every well-managed -office. The medical and legal faculties are essential allies of the -offices, both at the commencement of the contract and at the close of -it. The doctor must examine a proposer, and report on his family and -personal history, before he can be admitted to benefit; and when death -takes place, the doctor must certify the fact and report the cause. -Again, the lawyer may prove a most successful agent for the Company -in inducing men to join by advocating the benefits of life-assurance, -and has an opportunity, when preparing marriage settlements or making -wills, of suggesting a policy of assurance as an excellent subject for -settlement or bequest.</p> - -<p>During the last few years, the interval between death and the payment -of claims has been greatly shortened; and most of the enterprising -new<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">{98}</span> offices have made it a point to offer settlement of the claims -arising from death with the least possible delay. This is as it should -be; and many of the older and more conservative offices have seen it -to be to their advantage to abandon the three or six months’ interval -which usually had to elapse before payment of the sum assured was made. -When we consider what prompt settlement in many cases implies, this -acceleration of payment is a movement which will be much appreciated, -and, like every other policy of the kind, will eventually benefit -those offices adopting it. It is plain that when the assurance money -is the chief resource of the bereaved family, early payment by the -office is of immense advantage, enabling immediate steps to be -taken in some measure to supply the place of the bread-winner; and -even in cases where there is other property left, the early—almost -immediate—possession of ready-money must be a great boon, often -enabling other effects to be disposed of at leisure, and without -the loss which frequently attends a forced realisation. We observe, -therefore, with satisfaction that a large number of offices now pay -the sums assured either on proof of death and title, or, what is -practically the same, in a month after proof of death. Not one of the -seventeen Scottish offices, for instance, now retains the old style -of paying six months after death. Two of the Scottish offices pay on -proof of death and title; four, one month after proof of death; two, -three months after date of death; and nine, three months after proof of -death. Many of the English offices also have within the last few years -agreed to pay their claims sooner than heretofore. This acceleration of -the payment of claims has long been a desired reform, and will no doubt -result in an increased flow of business to those offices which have -adopted it.</p> - -<p>In order that full advantage may be taken of this concession, -co-operation on the part of the assured is needed. For instance, there -is one form of ‘self-help’ which could be practised by all—namely, the -production of evidence of age. When proof has not been produced to the -office and admitted, there is often delay caused in getting payment. In -many cases, there is among the nearest friends an astonishing absence -of knowledge as to the place and date of birth of their relatives, and -therefore the proper person to clear up such matters is the assured -himself. If born in England after July 1, 1837, an extract from the -general Registry at Somerset House, London, can be got for a small fee. -At Somerset House, there are also preserved the non-parochial registers -of baptisms or births kept by various bodies and congregations of -Nonconformists prior to the general system of registration which -commenced at the above-mentioned date. In Ireland, registration -commenced only in 1863. In Scotland, the registers—with the exception -of those for the period from January 1, 1820 to January 1, 1855, which -are in the possession of the local registrars—are preserved at the -Register House in Edinburgh, and an extract can be got on application; -or the assurance office can, if requested, take an extract from the -register there on payment of one shilling. Seeing that, as a rule, the -correct date of birth can easily be certified, every policy-holder -should do so without undue delay, and have a marking made by the -office on his policy that ‘Age is admitted.’ A mistake of a year or -two is easily made, and although the deficiency in annual premium may -be small, the operation of compound interest, which is so essential -a part of the system of life-assurance, causes the accumulation of -these little sums to assume sometimes a startling appearance, when it -comes to be deducted at settlement from the sum assured; and it is -unpleasant for all concerned that such deduction should have to be -inflicted. There is not now the fear which is said to have existed in -Henry VIII.’s time, that a government register of births might be used -for the purpose of a poll-tax; and as the operation of our registration -system goes on, the difficulty in getting proof of age will be reduced -to a minimum. When no official proof of age can be produced, offices, -as a rule, co-operate with those interested, and admit the age when -they have been satisfied that reasonable endeavour has been made to -establish the correct date of birth. In all cases, it is evident how -desirable it is that the assured should themselves see to this.</p> - -<p>When death has occurred—that is, when, technically speaking, the -policy has become a claim—intimation should be given to the office -at once, which will issue two simple and easily understood forms, one -to be filled up and signed by the doctor who attended the deceased in -his last illness; and the other by a friend who has known the deceased -for some time, and who can certify to his identity. It is, of course, -impossible to produce such certificates in cases where men whose lives -were assured are drowned or otherwise lost; but after reasonable delay, -the offices admit and pay such claims on the best circumstantial -proof of death that can be obtained. In ordinary cases, the medical -certificate not only vouches for the facts, that such and such a person -died at such and such a place on a certain date, but it also states the -cause of death, which is of value to the offices, as enabling them to -elicit certain facts necessary for future statistical inquiries.</p> - -<p>The party who fills up the certificate of identity must be a person -of respectability, to whom the deceased was well known, and who is -capable of certifying that the deceased is the same person whose life -was assured under the policy of assurance which is being claimed upon. -It often happens that the assured has changed both his occupation and -address since he assured, and of course the office must be certain -that they have the right man before paying any claim. Some offices are -more particular than others, and require, in addition to the above two -certificates, a copy of the entry of death in the register, certified -by the registrar for the district.</p> - -<p>The forms should be returned as early as possible to the office, so as -to be submitted to the directors at their first weekly meeting. The -claim is then admitted, and the office intimates on what day payment -will be made, provided the title of the party who is to receive the -money is in order and produced to the office.</p> - -<p>It is not going wholly outside of our present purpose to repeat the -oft-given advice, that every one possessed of a policy or other -bequeathable property should make a will. In the amusing episode in -the <i>Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club</i>, when the will of -the landlady of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">{99}</span> <i>Marquis of Granby</i> has been discovered in -‘the little black teapot on the top shelf of the bar closet,’ the -elder Weller, who was named sole executor, says to his son: ‘I s’pose, -Samivel, as it’s all right and satisfactory to you and me, as is the -only parties interested, ve may as vell put this bit o’ paper [the -will] in the fire.’ Knowledge is now too generally diffused to endanger -the safe custody of so important a document; but the public require -to be reminded of the necessity of preserving all deeds (if any) by -which policies have been assigned and re-assigned, as these will be -called for by the office, before any payment is made. Between the -dates of admission of claim and time of payment, some form of title -must be produced, with the view of enabling the Company to prepare the -form of discharge to be signed by the persons entitled to receive the -money. The discharges are adjusted by the Companies free of expense to -claimants, except in the case of insufficient or complicated titles, -where special legal assistance is necessary.<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p> - -<p>No more <i>popular</i> argument in favour of life-assurance could -be given than the manner in which our Companies discharge their -obligations. Every year, more than ten million pounds sterling are -dispensed throughout the land from these beneficent institutions to -sorrowing widows in their time of need, and to helpless children -bereaved of a father’s care, whose love thus found a way to provide for -them when he was called away.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak x-ebookmaker-important" id="BY_MEAD_AND_STREAM">BY MEAD AND STREAM.</h2> -</div> - - -<h3>CHAPTER XI.—‘STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.’</h3> - -<p><span class="smcap">That</span> was the best news Martin Wrentham had heard for a long -time. Gribble & Co. were commission agents, and undertook any kind of -business which promised a profit. Shipping, stocks, landed estates and -house property; cargoes of wine, of tea, and of wool, were all equally -welcome to the best attention of Gribble & Co. Mr Wrentham was the sole -partner and representative of this impartial firm. There never had -been a Gribble or a Co.; but there was a highly respectable and old -established firm known as Gribble, Hastings, & Co., who had nothing -to do with the house in Golden Alley. There were, however, people in -the colonies and on the continent who made mistakes, and entered into -business relations with Mr Wrentham under the impression that they were -dealing with the firm whose designation was so nearly the same as the -one under which he traded.</p> - -<p>The mistake was of course discovered by some, and rectified as soon as -possible; but still there were others who continued to blunder, and -Wrentham appeared to prosper. There were envious City men who said -that he made more out of the betting ring than out of his professed -business; and he certainly was well known in sporting circles. He -frequently had the ‘straight tip’ for the Derby, the Oaks, Ascot, -the St Leger, and other important racing events of the year. This -information he was good-naturedly ready to impart to his friends, -claiming only what he called a ‘comfortable’ percentage on the -winnings, whilst he had no share in the losses.</p> - -<p>It had long been his ambition to open an account with the great house -of Hadleigh & Co. With this object in view, he had taken infinite pains -to ingratiate himself with Mr Hadleigh, and succeeded so far that he -became an occasional guest at the Manor: but no business came of it. He -had courted the society of Coutts Hadleigh, flattered him, spent time -and money in amusing him, endured his cynical jokes, and had even given -him ‘straight tips’ without seeking a commission: still no business -came of it.</p> - -<p>But he did not give up hope. He was cool, patient, and good-humoured, -and his perseverance was rewarded. See, here is the chief partner of -the firm come to him at last with the announcement that his visit was -on ‘important business.’</p> - -<p>‘Upon my word, Mr Hadleigh, you give me such an agreeable surprise, -that I can only say we shall have pleasure in doing the utmost in our -power to serve you satisfactorily.’</p> - -<p>Wrentham was always frank, always eager to say the thing which he -supposed would please his listener most. If he was pleased, he said -so, and showed it; if displeased, he showed it, although he did not -always say so. But then he was very seldom displeased; for he had the -happy knack of turning the most offensive words or acts into a joke or -ridicule, so that he never quarrelled with anybody—not even with the -tax-collector.</p> - -<p>‘I may tell you at once,’ said Mr Hadleigh in his cold way, ‘that the -business is entirely private at present, and has nothing to do with the -firm.’</p> - -<p>‘I shall have the more pleasure in attending to it as a friend,’ was -the cordial reply.</p> - -<p>‘Thank you; but I give you credit for knowing enough of me to be aware -that I shall not take advantage of your generosity. You have heard the -saying—there is no friendship in business.’</p> - -<p>‘Happily, there are many exceptions to the rule,’ said Wrentham -cheerfully.</p> - -<p>‘This is not to be one of them. You are to regard the transaction as -one coming to you in the ordinary course of business, but to be dealt -with as a strictly confidential matter. Your clerks are to have nothing -to do with it.’</p> - -<p>There was something in his manner, calm and quiet as it was, which -attracted Wrentham’s attention, puzzled him, and modified the -enthusiasm with which he had begun the interview.</p> - -<p>‘If you will explain, Mr Hadleigh, you will find me willing to do -whatever you require, if it is possible.’</p> - -<p>Mr Hadleigh looked steadily in the speaker’s face, and the latter -leaned back on his chair, as if to afford a better light for the -inspection. He endured the gaze with the placid smile of one who was -prepared for the closest scrutiny into his character and motives. -Apparently satisfied, Mr Hadleigh, speaking with much deliberation, -proceeded:</p> - -<p>‘I want in the first place a little information. You have been for some -time doing business for Mr Austin Shield?’</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">{100}</span></p> - -<p>The placid smile faded from the countenance of Gribble & Co., and the -plural pronoun came into use again.</p> - -<p>‘That is correct. He has intrusted us with various small commissions; -but they are mere trifles, I believe, compared with those he has given -to others. Indeed, I do not think he has treated us quite so liberally -as he ought to have done.’</p> - -<p>There was no irritation in the last remark: it simply implied that -Mr Shield had not acted wisely. Mr Hadleigh did not appear to have -observed it.</p> - -<p>‘You are aware of his relationship to my children?’</p> - -<p>‘Yes; and that your son, Philip, is going out to him. Lucky for your -son, I should say.’</p> - -<p>‘I do not wish him to go.’</p> - -<p>‘Wh—at!’ The exclamation was long drawn out, and its modulations were -suggestive of a rapid series of speculations, in which curiosity and -doubt were more predominant than surprise.</p> - -<p>‘I do not wish him to go,’ repeated Mr Hadleigh, each word passing his -lips like the measured stroke of a funeral bell.</p> - -<p>‘You take my breath away. Such a chance—such prospects! Shield is -reported to be enormously wealthy, and he has no direct heirs.... -Pardon me, Mr Hadleigh, but I must say that you would be doing the -young man a serious injury if you interfered with his uncle’s wishes.’</p> - -<p>In sickness and in sorrow there are people who feel called upon to -offer you their sympathy; but there is too often a conventional ring -in the expression of it which there is no mistaking, and even bare -politeness in the acknowledgment of it becomes irksome. It was in this -conventional way that Wrentham uttered his virtuous warning to the -parent who was opposing his son’s best interests.</p> - -<p>The parent understood, and smiled.</p> - -<p>‘Strange as it may seem to you, Mr Wrentham, my desire is that not one -of my children should be mentioned in that man’s will.’</p> - -<p>‘Extraordinary! But you were always peculiar in your views of things. -To be sure, your views generally turned out to be the right ones. -Everybody in the City is aware of that. But I do not see yet how my -services can be of any use to you in this matter.’</p> - -<p>‘The service I require will not be difficult to render. You have been -for some years in correspondence with Mr Shield, and you know more -about his affairs than any one in London except his solicitors. I want -you to tell me all that you have learned regarding his intentions -concerning Philip.’</p> - -<p>‘That is easily done. I have learned absolutely nothing.’</p> - -<p>Wrentham was quite cheerful again as he gave this reply.</p> - -<p>Mr Hadleigh was disappointed: he was silent and thoughtful for a few -moments. Then: ‘I begin to see his purpose.’</p> - -<p>‘I should be glad if you would enlighten me,’ said Wrentham eagerly: -‘it might be useful to me.’</p> - -<p>‘I am quite sure it will be. But first you must give me a full -explanation of his affairs, so far as you are acquainted with them, and -the nature of this business which has brought him such sudden wealth, -and which he is at so much pains to keep secret.’</p> - -<p>Wrentham’s cheerfulness disappeared, and he rose uneasily.</p> - -<p>‘I am sorry, Mr Hadleigh, that you should ask me for information which -I am not at liberty to give.’</p> - -<p>‘You mean that his business is of so much value that you cannot risk -the loss of it?’</p> - -<p>‘Of course—of course, his business is of some importance to us, -although, as I have already mentioned, he has not treated us quite so -liberally as we think he ought to have done. Besides, we have only a -small part of his patronage.’</p> - -<p>‘All the same you would not like to lose it?’</p> - -<p>‘Well, not unless something better offered itself,’ replied Wrentham, -recovering a degree of his jaunty manner, as he recollected that he was -speaking to the head of a great firm whose influence might bring him -thousands a year. It would never do to display to such a man either too -much weakness or too much indifference.</p> - -<p>‘But if that something better did not present itself, you would be -sorry to lose the connection. I suppose it is necessary to tell you -what my surmise is as to his intentions. He intends to establish Philip -as his sole representative in England, and everything will be taken -out of your hands. I may be able to help you, if you will give me the -information which will put it in my power to do so.’</p> - -<p>Wrentham walked to the window, stared at the blank wall opposite, and -frowned at it.</p> - -<p>Mr Hadleigh smiled at his evident alarm, and attempted to relieve it.</p> - -<p>‘You need not be afraid to trust me; I am not inviting you to enter -into a conspiracy against Mr Shield. I have no evil design in my -inquiries.’</p> - -<p>‘I am sure of that,’ responded Wrentham, wheeling round. Every sign -of alarm had vanished from his visage. ‘But of what use could the -information be to you? Giving it might do me a great deal of harm, -whilst it could not serve you.’</p> - -<p>‘Of that you cannot judge. But we need not discuss the point further at -present. Take time and consider. Meanwhile, you can have no objection -to do this for me—telegraph to him that you learn from me that Philip -goes out to him against my will.’</p> - -<p>‘It shall be done immediately, and I will bring you the answer myself.’</p> - -<p>There was a tap at the door, and the clerk entered with a slip of paper -which he handed to his master.</p> - -<p>‘All right, Perkins. Shall be disengaged in a few minutes.’</p> - -<p>As the clerk closed the door behind him, Wrentham handed the paper to -his visitor, who read on it, ‘Mr Philip Hadleigh,’ and instantly rose -to go.</p> - -<p>‘Perhaps—you will excuse me—but perhaps it would be as well if you -did not meet each other here at present. Here is my private door.’</p> - -<p>‘I expect to see you this evening with the answer to the telegram,’ -said Mr Hadleigh quietly as he went out.</p> - -<p>‘You shall see me whether the answer has arrived or not.’</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">{101}</span></p> - -<p>When he had closed the door, Wrentham stood still, unconscious, -apparently, that he was resting on the handle, although it seemed as -if he were half-inclined to call Mr Hadleigh back. His expression had -changed to a frown at some invisible object on the floor, and his head -was slightly bowed. This was his thought:</p> - -<p>‘Have I lost a chance, or opened the way to one?... Eminently -unsatisfactory, if I have not. He must have some game on.... No -designs! As if he could gammon me into the notion that he was the sort -of man to bother himself about other people’s affairs without good -reason for it. A hundred to one on <i>that</i> event. But if Shield -does mean to take everything out of my hands’——</p> - -<p>He frowned still more darkly at the invisible object on the floor, and -the speculation ended in a chaos of disagreeable reflections. With a -quick jerk of the head he roused himself.</p> - -<p>‘We’ll see,’ he muttered as he advanced to the table and touched a -hand-bell twice.</p> - -<p>The habitual smile had returned to his face when Philip entered the -room.</p> - -<p>‘I shall not keep you many minutes to-day, Mr Wrentham. But I suppose -you will have to give me an hour or so on the earliest date you can -appoint.’</p> - -<p>‘It will be a pleasure to me whatever it may be to you. I suppose it is -business. I shall make it as easy for you as I can. What is it?’</p> - -<p>‘I have just got this from Hawkins and Jackson, which, they tell me, my -uncle inclosed to them with instructions that they were to see that I -gave personal attention to the matter.’</p> - -<p>Wrentham read the note, placed it in a clip bearing the word -‘Immediate’ in large capitals, and looked up again.</p> - -<p>‘Your uncle might have sent this to me direct—I should have liked it -better; but he has a curious way of doing things. You are to have a -full statement of my accounts with him, and it is to be duly audited by -a professional accountant. This looks as if he intended to close the -account altogether.’</p> - -<p>‘I hope not.’</p> - -<p>‘Well, the statement will be ready for you on Wednesday next week, and -you shall have every assistance and explanation you may require from -me.’</p> - -<p>‘Thank you. At what hour shall I call?’</p> - -<p>‘Ten o’clock. I expect you will have a long day of it.’</p> - -<p>‘We cannot help that, I suppose, and I need not take up more of your -time at present.’</p> - -<p>‘Are you in a hurry? Because I am going out to have some luncheon, and -you might join me.’</p> - -<p>The invitation was given so cordially, that Philip could not decline, -and they went out by the private door together. At the mouth of the -alley they were passed by a smart little man with thin clean-shaved -face, wearing a soft felt hat, a loose black frock-coat, and gray tweed -trousers. He carried in his hand a folding trestle and a well-filled -green bag, and under his arm was a small circular table top covered -with green baize.</p> - -<p>He lifted his hat to Philip, who acknowledged the salute with a -pleasant nod. Wrentham’s attention was attracted by something in -another direction, and the little man went swiftly on his way.</p> - -<p>‘That’s the juggler Bob Tuppit,’ said Philip to his companion. ‘Haven’t -you seen him down our way? I suppose he has just had a successful -performance in some quiet court, he looks so cheery. Clever fellow; -works ten and twelve hours a day, and tells me he makes a decent income -out of it.’</p> - -<p>‘Is he an acquaintance of yours?’ inquired Wrentham, somewhat drily.</p> - -<p>‘I have had several chats with him, and found him a most interesting -and intelligent fellow.’</p> - -<p>‘Has he told you anything about his family?’</p> - -<p>‘Nothing more than that he is married; has a troop of children, and a -comfortable home.’</p> - -<p>‘Ah, that is not like the ordinary tramp. But I wouldn’t cultivate his -acquaintance, if I were you. No doubt he told you all about his birth -and parentage, and got a sovereign out of you on the strength of being -a poor orphan.’</p> - -<p>‘He told me that he had been born and brought up in London; but he -has travelled over the whole country in his professional capacity. -He speaks of his juggling as a “profession.” He is an orphan, as you -guessed; but he has a brother somewhere.’</p> - -<p>‘And what might his profession be?’ said Wrentham with a quick -side-glance at Philip.</p> - -<p>‘I don’t know. Tuppit is shy of talking about him; and from his -sorrowful way of mentioning the fact that he had a brother, I came to -the conclusion that the fellow was in prison, or something of that -sort. So I did not put any disagreeable questions.’</p> - -<p>They had entered the dining-room of the Gog and Magog Club by this -time; and amidst the clatter of plates and knives and forks, and the -loud hum of voices, Wrentham pointed to the bill of fare, which was -hung up beside the clerk’s desk, and said hastily: ‘What are you to -have?’</p> - - -<p class="p2">Mr Hadleigh had been much more disappointed by the result of his -interview with Wrentham than he had allowed to appear. He had gone to -him with the vague hope that he might learn something about Austin -Shield, which should give him an excuse for making another appeal to -Madge. He had learned nothing. There was, however, a probability that -when his objection was made known to Shield, the latter would himself -withdraw the invitation he had sent to Philip.</p> - -<p>In the evening, Wrentham presented himself at the Manor. No answer to -the telegram had yet arrived: the conversation in the library occupied -an hour notwithstanding. Shortly after noon on the following day, -Wrentham brought the expected answer to Mr Hadleigh, who was waiting -for it in his private room in the office of his firm.</p> - -<p>‘<i>My sister’s son must decide for himself.</i>’</p> - -<p>‘It is like the man,’ muttered Mr Hadleigh, as he tore up the paper. -‘Now, you can make your choice—his business or mine.’</p> - -<p>‘I shall give you an answer in half an hour.’</p> - -<p>Wrentham returned to his office, and entered it by the private door. -He took a half-crown from his pocket and balanced it on his forefinger -and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">{102}</span> thumb. He gazed at it steadily for a moment, then tossed it up.</p> - -<p>‘Heads for Hadleigh—tails for Shield and sudden death.... Heads it is, -and Hadleigh’s my man.’</p> - -<p>He picked up the coin, seated himself at his writing-table, and -proceeded to communicate his decision to Mr Hadleigh with as much -gravity as if he had arrived at it after serious deliberation.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="FAMILIAR_SKETCHES_OF_ENGLISH_LAW">FAMILIAR SKETCHES OF ENGLISH LAW.</h2> -</div> - -<p class="ph3">BY AN EXPERIENCED PRACTITIONER.</p> - - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> is not necessary for the writer of these sketches to -declare which branch of the legal profession he belongs to, but it -appears desirable to explain the purpose for which they are written. -The laws of our land are so numerous and complicated, and derived from -so many sources, that it is impossible for any human mind to make -itself thoroughly acquainted with all their multifarious details, -however familiar the general principles of the law may have become. -And yet every one of the Queen’s subjects is responsible for any -breach of the law which he or she may commit. The reason of this is -obvious: a law which might be broken with impunity on the excuse that -the law-breaker was ignorant of its existence, would be an absurdity. -If laws are to be of any use, they must be universally binding, on -the learned and unlearned, within the sphere of their operation. In -the course of a long, extensive, and varied professional experience, -we have often been astonished to find profound ignorance of legal -principles and responsibilities in unexpected quarters; and it has -occurred to us that a few familiar articles on the laws which affect -the different relationships of social life might be both interesting -and useful. Many of the principles which affect persons in the -characters of husband and wife, parent and child, master and servant, -and so forth, are easily understood, if explained in simple language -and free from technicalities.</p> - -<p>In so doing, we have no intention to interfere with the proper province -of the solicitor or the barrister. The law has in many respects been -much simplified during the present century; but still the proverb -remains true, ‘He who is his own lawyer has a fool for his client.’ -In buying a house, the title must be investigated by one who has -acquired an accurate knowledge of the law of real property, or a fatal -flaw in the title may deprive the purchaser of that for which he has -paid. Home-made wills, unless of the very simplest description, lead -in many cases to costly and vexatious litigation after the death of -the testator. And in actions and other legal proceedings, where the -rights of the parties depend upon the application of established legal -principles to new combinations of facts which are themselves doubtful -and capable of being considered from opposite points of view, the -necessity for professional assistance is too obvious to require comment.</p> - - -<h3>I. MARRIAGES; SETTLEMENTS; AND BREACHES OF PROMISE TO MARRY.</h3> - -<p>The contract of marriage lies at the foundation of our social system; -and therefore we select it and other matters incidentally relating -thereto for explanation and comment in the first instance, reserving -for a future paper the law of <i>Scotch</i> marriages, as apart from -that which now holds good south of the Border; but noting in the -meantime, that prior to 25th March 1754, when Lord Hardwick’s Act came -into operation, the theory of the law in both countries was, that the -consent of a free and capable man and woman, to become husband and wife -constituted marriage, if proved by credible evidence. But in England, -a marriage by mere words of consent did not confer all the rights -consequent on a marriage duly solemnised. Since 1754, the English law -has required definite technicalities of evidence, which, however, have -been much restricted in their scope for injustice.</p> - -<p>In considering the first part of our subject, ‘Who may marry’, it will -be most convenient to deal with the question negatively; and when we -have seen who must not marry, it must be understood that persons not -coming within any of the categories specified are at liberty to enter -into the legal contract of matrimony.</p> - -<p>Foremost among the disabilities is insufficient age. In this respect -the law is extremely indulgent, fixing the age for a male at fourteen, -and for a female at twelve years. But there is a qualified disability -beyond those ages: a person who has not been previously married, and -is under the age of twenty-one years—technically called an infant -or minor—is not allowed to marry without the consent of his or her -parent or guardian. The consent of the father is required if living; -after his death, the consent of the guardian appointed by his will, or -otherwise lawfully appointed; or if none, then of the mother if still -a widow. If the mother be married, then a guardian may be appointed -by the High Court of Justice. When the minor is a Ward of Court, any -person marrying him or her without the consent of the Court—which will -only be granted on a proper settlement being made—may be imprisoned -for contempt, and will only be released, after longer or shorter -detention at the discretion of the Court, on condition of paying all -costs, and settling the whole of the ward’s property as the Court may -direct, the offender being usually excluded from any benefit therefrom. -A lady of full age was recently sent to prison for marrying an infant -Ward of Court without consent; and there have been numerous instances -of gentlemen being punished in the same way. Nullity of the marriage -is not now the result of this disability; but the man who procures a -license by affirming that he is of full age when he is not, or that the -necessary consent has been obtained when it has not, may be punished -both civilly and criminally.</p> - -<p>Another disability is want of sanity. It is not to be understood that -weak-minded people must not marry; they can, and do in considerable -numbers. But if a person who is a lunatic go through the form of -marriage, except during a lucid interval, the marriage is void. This -objection to the validity of a marriage does not often occur; but -sometimes the question whether a man was lunatic or of sound mind when -married is difficult to determine, but most likely to be settled in -favour of his sanity, unless there was manifestly some fraudulent or -sordid motive for the marriage.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">{103}</span></p> - -<p>Nearness of relationship, either by birth or marriage, is another -disability. First-cousins and all persons more distantly related, may -lawfully intermarry. But ancestors and descendants in the direct line -are prohibited; as are also brothers and sisters, uncles and nieces, -aunts and nephews. We will not here enter into any controversy as to -the expediency of the law which prohibits the marriage of a widower -with the sister or niece of his deceased wife. Before 1835, a marriage -between persons whose relationship was within the prohibited degrees -was not necessarily void, but voidable only during the joint lives -of the parties thereto; so that if the marriage were not set aside -during the lives of both parties, on the death of either of them it was -treated as having been a valid marriage, and the children born thereof -were legitimate to all intents and purposes. But in that year an Act of -Parliament was passed declaring such marriages void in future.</p> - -<p>The last existing disability which we shall notice is that of being -married already. A married person cannot legally marry again until the -first marriage is dissolved, either by death or by a judicial decree. -On this subject much misapprehension exists. Many persons believe that -a wife who has been deserted by her husband for seven years or upwards, -without hearing from him, or knowing whether he is alive or dead, may -marry again; but this is a mistake. Such a marriage would be void if -the former husband should be proved to have been alive at the time it -was celebrated. Probably the delusion had its origin in the fact, that -in those circumstances the woman could not be convicted of bigamy. For -that purpose alone, the presumption of the husband’s death after seven -years of absence without any information as to his continued existence, -would be recognised by the law, and might be pleaded as a defence to an -indictment for bigamy.</p> - -<p>Formerly, an engagement to any other person was a bar to marriage. If -A promised to marry B, he could not marry C unless B absolved him from -his promise. But this disability has long been abolished, though B -might sue A for breach of promise.</p> - -<p>The next consideration is, ‘How to marry.’ Excluding the Royal Marriage -Act, and merely drawing attention to the fact that a marriage between -two members of the Society of Friends (or Quakers) at a meeting-house, -or between two Jews either at a synagogue or elsewhere, were not -affected by Lord Hardwick’s Act, and are not affected by the Acts which -are now to be referred to, we will next briefly epitomise the most -important provisions of the Marriage Act of 1823. This Act confirms -the power which had long previously been enjoyed by the Archbishop of -Canterbury of granting special licenses, by virtue of which parties -may be married at any place specified therein and at any hour of the -day. These licenses are issued at the Faculty Office, on sufficient -cause being shown, and verified by affidavit. It is not very difficult -to find a reason which will be satisfactory to the officials, if an -applicant be willing to strain his own conscience. A special license, -however, costs about thirty pounds.</p> - -<p>An ordinary license can only be issued for solemnisation of matrimony -in a parish in which one of the parties has resided for at least -fifteen days previously; and if what is termed a caveat should have -been entered against the granting of a license, the objection raised -thereby must be disposed of by the Court, or the caveat be withdrawn, -before the license can be granted.</p> - -<p>If the marriage is to be performed in an Episcopal church by license, -one of the parties must attend at the vicar-general’s office, the -diocesan registry, or before a surrogate—a clergyman appointed by the -bishop for the purpose of granting ordinary marriage licenses—and -swear that there is no impediment of kindred or alliance, or other -lawful hindrance to the marriage; and also as to the residence in the -parish, and the consent of parent or guardian if necessary. It will be -remembered that an infant widow or widower may remarry without such -consent.</p> - -<p>A cheaper way of being married according to the rites of the Church -of England is after publication of banns. This consists in reading -the names of the parties publicly on three successive Sundays at a -prescribed part of the service. If both parties do not reside in one -parish, the banns must be published in both their respective parishes; -and if either of the parties be a minor—not having been previously -married—his or her parent or guardian may publicly declare his or her -dissent, and thereupon the publication of banns is void.</p> - -<p>Marriage, whether by license or by banns, must be celebrated within -three months, or the whole of the preliminaries must be gone through -anew. All marriages in England must be between eight o’clock in the -forenoon and twelve at noon, except marriages by special license.</p> - -<p>Questions often arise as to the name in which a person should be -married. As a general rule, the same name should be used for this -as for the ordinary business of every-day life—the name by which -the person is generally known. If John Jones has called himself John -Robinson, and has been so called by other persons so long that his -original name has been forgotten, the publication of the banns of -marriage between John Jones and Mary Smith would not answer the object -of the statute, for it would not inform the parishioners that the -person known by them as John Robinson proposed to get married. Accuracy -in name is now, however, of little importance, because the use of a -false name no longer renders a marriage null, unless both the man and -the woman are parties to the fraud, and so a favourite device of a -hundred years ago is legally impracticable.</p> - -<p>It is not necessary to dwell upon the form of the service used in the -solemnisation of matrimony. It is, or may become, familiar to all -persons interested. But perhaps it may not be universally known that -the celebration of marriage without license or due publication of banns -is a criminal offence, punishable by penal servitude or imprisonment -with hard labour. In addition to the clergyman, there must be at least -two witnesses present, and the marriage must be registered. The subject -of registration of marriages will be most conveniently considered -hereafter, in conjunction with the laws relating to registration of -births and deaths.</p> - -<p>Previous to 1st March 1837, the only marriages<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">{104}</span> recognised by the law -in England were those above referred to; but on and since that date, -it has been allowed for Nonconformist ministers to celebrate marriages -in places of worship duly registered for that purpose; and for persons -to be married without any religious ceremony at the office of the -Superintendent Registrar of the district. If the marriage be intended -to be by license, notice must be given to the Superintendent Registrar -of the district in which one of the parties has resided for fifteen -days previously. After an interval of one clear day, the license is -issued, and the marriage can then be celebrated. In case of a marriage -without license, seven days’ residence before notice is sufficient; -and if the parties reside in different districts, notice must be -given to both Superintendent Registrars. Twenty-one days afterwards, -the Superintendent Registrar issues his certificate, authorising the -celebration of the marriage. When the parties do not both reside in -one district, it sometimes happens that the non-resident party comes -without the requisite certificate, when the wedding has to be postponed -to another day.</p> - -<p>The notice of intention to marry, whether with license or without, has -a statutory declaration—equivalent to an affidavit—subjoined, to the -same effect as is required before the granting of an ordinary license -by a surrogate.</p> - -<p>The form of marriage service at a Nonconformist place of worship is -usually somewhat similar to that used by the Church of England; in -some cases more concise, in others more diffuse. It is essential that -in some part of the ceremony both parties should declare that they -respectively know of no lawful impediment; and that each should take -the other to be his or her lawful wedded wife or husband; and that a -Registrar of Marriages should be present, in addition to the minister -and two or more witnesses.</p> - -<p>The form of marriage at the office of a Superintendent Registrar, -or what may be called a purely civil marriage, is very short, being -practically confined to the declarations of no impediment and the -mutual taking. The Superintendent Registrar, Registrar of Marriages, -and two other witnesses, must be present.</p> - -<p>The notice of marriage without license, which is equivalent to -publication of banns, has the advantage of comparative privacy; it is -suspended in the register office twenty-one days, but is not otherwise -published.</p> - -<p>In some cases, marriages may be celebrated in an adjoining district in -which neither of the parties resides; that is, when they belong to any -body of Christians who have not a place of worship within the district -of residence.</p> - -<p>Licenses and certificates for marriage are only good for three calendar -months from the date of the notice; and any person unduly celebrating a -marriage under these Acts is declared to be guilty of felony.</p> - -<p>Marriages of citizens of this country abroad are generally celebrated -at the British consul’s office, and had better, in cases of doubt, not -be entered into without his advice, especially if one of the parties -to the proposed contract be a foreigner. Indeed, even in this country -it is hazardous to marry a foreigner without knowing the law of the -country of which he is a citizen, and fully ascertaining that it would -bind him to the proposed marriage if carried out. For example, it -may happen that a Frenchman has married an Englishwoman, and that, -for want of some of the consents required by the French law, he may, -though bound in this country, be able to return to his own, and plead -successfully that his marriage here was entirely null. Indeed, many -aliens can do this and the like of it; and all Englishwomen ought to -know how little the law of England can do for them in a foreign country.</p> - -<p>‘A settlement’ may be made either before or after marriage. The former -is properly called a Marriage Settlement; the latter, a Post-nuptial -Settlement. The rules of law by which these two classes of settlements -stand or fall are essentially different; the former being made for -valuable consideration, are good against all the world if the property -settled be the settler’s own. This is reasonable; for it may be that -the lady would not have accepted the gentleman if the settlement had -not been made in her favour, and it would be unjust to deprive her of -that for which she had bargained, as it would be impossible to place -her in the same position as if the marriage had not been celebrated. A -marriage settlement which comprises personal chattels is also exempted -from the operation of the Bills of Sale Act, and does not require -to be registered. But a post-nuptial settlement of movable goods -must be registered as a bill of sale; and it is void if the settler -becomes bankrupt or files a petition for liquidation within ten years -afterwards, unless the parties claiming under the settlement can prove -that the settler was at the date of the settlement able to pay all -his debts without resorting to the property settled. In any event, -bankruptcy or liquidation within two years is fatal to a voluntary -settlement—in which class post-nuptial settlements are comprised.</p> - -<p>The trusts of a settlement vary greatly according to the nature and -value of the property settled and the position of the parties. But -all settlements have this in common—the property to be settled is -conveyed or assigned to trustees, upon certain trusts for the benefit -of the husband and wife—or one of them—and all or some one or more -of their children; power being often reserved for the parents during -their joint lives, or the survivor of them, to direct what share each -child shall have. This power is often very useful in keeping the young -people out of the hands of money-lenders. So long as the share which a -young gentleman is to receive after the death of his parents remains -uncertain, his reversionary interest is not a marketable security.</p> - -<p>In England, marriage operates as a revocation of a will made -previously; but in Scotland it only partially revokes the will. The -reason of this difference is, that by the law of England, a testator, -whether married or single, may devise and bequeath all the property -of which he may be possessed at the time of his decease; while the -testamentary powers of a person whose domicile is in Scotland, if he -be a married man, or a widower with children, are to a certain degree -restricted.</p> - -<p>‘Breach of promise of marriage’ is good ground for an action; and -the agreement to marry has one peculiarity which distinguishes it -from contracts for the sale of goods of the value of ten<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">{105}</span> pounds or -upwards—it need not be in writing, even though the damages claimed -may be ten thousand pounds or more. An infant may—by his next -friend—maintain an action against an adult for breach of promise; -but an adult cannot succeed in such an action against an infant, -infancy being a good defence. This distinction is founded upon the -principle that an infant can only be bound by his contracts if they -are beneficial to him. Actions for breaches of promise, with their -reams of ridiculous correspondence, and their exposure of the secrets -of both parties, are generally considered amusing reading; and yet the -subject has its melancholy side; and we cannot envy the feelings of the -plaintiff when exposed to a severe and protracted cross-examination. -The House of Commons, at the instance of Sir F. Herschell, now -Solicitor-general, a few years ago expressed an opinion adverse to -the action in question. Whether that opinion will be followed by -legislation on the subject, is probably only a question of time.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="TWO_DAYS_IN_A_LIFETIME">TWO DAYS IN A LIFETIME.</h2> -</div> - -<p class="ph3">A STORY IN EIGHT CHAPTERS.</p> - - -<h3>CHAPTER VII.</h3> - -<p><span class="smcap">When</span> he entered the room, Estelle looked up lazily from her -cushions. ‘How much longer have we to stay here, <i>caro mio</i>?’ she -asked with a yawn.</p> - -<p>‘The carriage will be round in half an hour.’ He sat down a little -wearily near the window, and turned his eyes on the pleasant scene -outside. There was nothing more to be done till the carriage should -arrive.</p> - -<p>‘<i>Bien.</i> We shall just have time for a little <i>tête-à-tête</i>.’ -She re-arranged the pillows of the couch to her liking, and smoothed -down the skirts of her dress complacently. Suddenly her eye was caught -by the glistening of the wedding-ring on her finger. She gave a little -start, and glanced round with the air of one who has lost something. -‘Where can I have mislaid them?’ she asked herself under her breath. ‘I -must have left them either in the dining-room or up-stairs. <i>Quelle -bêtise!</i>’ Then after a moment: ‘Ah, bah! what does it matter? He -suspects nothing.’ Addressing her husband, she said abruptly: ‘Listen -to me, Oscar Boyd. A little while ago, I offered to relieve you of my -presence for ever on condition that you paid me two thousand pounds. -You foolishly refused. Well, I will not be hard on you. You tell me -that you are a poor man, and I will not dispute the fact. I am willing -to reduce my terms. Give me one thousand pounds, and you shall never -see me again after to-day.’</p> - -<p>‘I will give you nothing, and I will never see you after to-morrow.’</p> - -<p>‘I am your wife, and you are compelled to keep me.’</p> - -<p>‘But not to see you.’</p> - -<p>‘It would be better for you to give me the thousand down and get rid of -me for ever.’</p> - -<p>‘You know my decision.’</p> - -<p>‘Ah, you don’t know what you are rejecting. You will repent your folly -to the last day of your life.’</p> - -<p>His only answer was to look at his watch.</p> - -<p>‘This, then, is your programme,’ she resumed. ‘We shall reach London -to-night, and part at the terminus?’</p> - -<p>‘That is so.’</p> - -<p>‘And I shall meet you at noon to-morrow at a certain address, when you -will be prepared to inform me what my future income will be?’</p> - -<p>He inclined his head gravely.</p> - -<p>‘To that meeting I shall bring with me a lawyer, in order to make sure -that my interests are properly represented. As your wife, I am entitled -to a certain definite proportion of your income. It will be my lawyer’s -business to ascertain in the first place the amount of your income; and -in the second, to what share of it I am entitled.’</p> - -<p>‘As you please.’</p> - -<p>There was silence for a few moments, then she said: ‘Oscar Boyd, have -you asked yourself why I have come so many thousands of miles, and put -myself to so much trouble and expense, in order to find you?’</p> - -<p>‘You wanted money, and you had been told that I was a rich man.’</p> - -<p>She clapped her hands, and laughed shrilly. ‘<i>Vous avez raison, -Monsieur.</i> I compliment you on your penetration. You were not so -simple-minded as to believe that it was love—love for yourself alone, -<i>cher</i> Oscar—that induced me to cross that horrible ocean?’</p> - -<p>‘No; I was not so simple-minded as to believe that.’</p> - -<p>‘But what a disappointment for poor me to find you changed from a rich -man into a poor one! And yet, hard-hearted one that you are, I don’t -believe you pity me a bit. Still, life may be endurable without pity; -and when you grow to be a rich man again, which you will do in a few -years, you will not forget that you have a wife who will want to share -your good fortune.’</p> - -<p>As before, his only answer was to look at his watch.</p> - -<p>‘Oh, pray be careful that we do not lose our train,’ she said with a -contemptuous laugh. Then her mood changed. She got up and began to pace -the room with her hands behind her back. ‘O yes, I love you, Oscar -Boyd,’ she exclaimed with passionate vehemence; ‘just as dearly as you -love me—no more, and no less! It was well that you did not attempt to -kiss me when we met, or even to put your arm round my waist. Had you -done so, I should have struck you. I hate you, <i>voyez vous</i>, as -you hate me; but I have one consolation which will never leave me: I -have separated you from the woman you love—from the woman who loves -you! Oh, it is sweet, sweet!—Is there no champagne to be had in this -house?’</p> - -<p>It was an odd climax to her passionate outburst. But before another -word could be said, there came a tap at the door, and a servant entered -with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">{106}</span> a note on a salver, which he presented to Mr Boyd.</p> - -<p>‘Who is this from?’ asked the latter as he took the note.</p> - -<p>‘Don’t know, sir. I was told to give it you at once;’ and with that, -exit the servant.</p> - -<p>Oscar tore open the note, and not knowing the writing, the first thing -he did was to look for the signature. But there was none. Then he took -the note to the window to read.</p> - -<p>Estelle, who had not stirred since the servant came in, watched him -with quick-glancing, suspicious eyes.</p> - -<p>‘He is surprised,’ she muttered to herself. ‘He cannot believe what he -reads. He reads it for the second time—for the third! What can it be -about? Who can it be from?’</p> - -<p>For full five minutes Oscar Boyd stood facing the window without -stirring or speaking; then he crushed the note between his fingers, -put it into his pocket, and turned and confronted his wife. She was -standing with one hand resting on the table, as she had been standing -since the servant came in. His eyes traversed her face with a cold, -critical, scrutinising glance that made her tremble in spite of -herself. There was a strange mysterious change in his expression. What -could it portend? He came a few steps nearer to her.</p> - -<p>‘You tell me that you were saved from the wreck of the <i>Ocean -Bride</i>. Why have you allowed all these years to elapse before making -me aware of that fact?’</p> - -<p>‘Because I knew that you no longer cared for me. Because I knew that -the news of my death would be good news to you. Because I found friends -who would not let me want.’</p> - -<p>‘You used not to study my happiness so much.’</p> - -<p>She gave a little shrug. ‘You never understood me—you never read me -aright from the first.’</p> - -<p>‘It seemed to me that there was little left to understand after that -night in the garden.’</p> - -<p>‘That night in the garden!’</p> - -<p>‘When’——</p> - -<p>‘Yes—when’——</p> - -<p>‘I overheard’——</p> - -<p>‘Overheard what?’</p> - -<p>‘Is it possible that you can have forgotten?’</p> - -<p>She was gazing at him with bewildered eyes. She evidently knew nothing -of what her questioner referred to.</p> - -<p>‘The letter <i>must</i> be true!’ he said to himself, with his eyes -still fixed searchingly on her.</p> - -<p>She recovered herself with an effort. ‘Why recall these painful -recollections?’ she asked.</p> - -<p>‘Why, indeed? It is folly to do so.’ On the occasional table at her -elbow was a tiny gold-stoppered smelling-bottle, which she had placed -there, together with her handkerchief, on entering the room. He went a -step nearer and picked it up. ‘This is yours?’ he said interrogatively, -as he opened the stopper and sniffed for a moment at the contents.</p> - -<p>‘Yes, mine. Did you think it was <i>milady’s</i>?’ she asked, with -a touch of her old bravado. She put out her hand, as if to take the -bottle from Oscar; but next moment her hand itself was grasped by his -sinewy fingers. She tried to draw it away, but could not.</p> - -<p>‘And is this the hand, Estelle, that once on a time I used to vow was -the prettiest hand in the world?’</p> - -<p>A strangely frightened look had leapt all at once into her eyes. ‘And -is it not a pretty hand still?’</p> - -<p>‘It <i>is</i> a pretty hand. And is this the same ring that I slipped -on your finger one sunny morning—ah! so many years ago?’</p> - -<p>‘Of course it is the same ring, Oscar. As if I should ever wear -another!’ It was all her trembling lips could do to syllable the words.</p> - -<p>‘Ah, well, I suppose there is a great sameness about such articles.’</p> - -<p>‘You hurt me, Oscar. You are cruel.’ She was trying her utmost, in a -quiet way, to withdraw her hand; but she was like a child in his grasp.</p> - -<p>‘I have no wish to be cruel, Estelle; but why do you struggle to -withdraw your hand? Why do you keep it so tightly shut? What have you -hidden inside it?’</p> - -<p>‘Hidden! Nothing. What should I have to hide?’</p> - -<p>‘That is precisely what I am desirous of ascertaining for myself,’ he -said drily.</p> - -<p>With her right hand she was now trying with all her strength to loosen -his grasp on the one that he still held. ‘Wretch!’ she half screamed, -with a stamp of her foot. ‘Don’t I tell you that you are hurting me!’</p> - -<p>There was a brief struggle, not lasting longer than a few moments. -Oscar’s second hand was now engaged as well as his first. Slowly but -irresistibly the clenched fingers were forced open till the palm of -the hand was fully exposed to view. One glance at it sufficed for his -purpose. He relaxed his hold.</p> - -<p>Estelle started back with a cry; then, with a quick instinctive -movement, she hid her hands behind her. ‘So!’ she said, drawing a -long deep breath. ‘You know all.’ She was glaring at him like some -wild creature brought to bay, her eyes flashing with mingled fury and -defiance.</p> - -<p>‘Yes, all. Give me your hand.’</p> - -<p>‘Never!’</p> - -<p>‘Give me your hand, or I will ring this bell, and expose your infamy -before every soul in the house.’ Then, without giving her time for any -further refusal, he strode forward, and grasping her by the left wrist, -he drew forth her arm to its full length. ‘Here are the letters D. -R. burnt indelibly into your palm,’ he said. ‘What is the meaning of -them?—You do not answer. I will answer for you.’ He let her hand drop -with a gesture of contempt.</p> - -<p>‘You are not Estelle Duplessis, the woman I made my wife at New -Orleans. You are her <i>twin-sister</i>, of whom I remember having -heard her speak, but whom I never saw till to-day. You are Catarina -Riaz, the wife, or widow, of Don Diego Riaz, a gentleman who bred -cattle in Mexico. When angered, Don Diego was not a courteous man to -the ladies; at such times he treated them much after the fashion in -which he treated his cattle. As an instance, when you ran away from -home on a certain occasion, and were found and brought back by his -servants, he caused you to be branded on the palm of your hand with the -initials of his name, so that, should you ever run away again, all the -world might know you were his property. Here the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">{107}</span> letters are to this -day, never to be effaced. Catarina Riaz, you are a vile impostor!—I -hear the noise of wheels. The carriage is at the door. Go!’</p> - - -<p class="p2">It was morning—the morning of the day following that on which the -events related took place. The weather was hot and sunny, and on such -a forenoon the lawn at Rosemount was a very pleasant place. In the -veranda, in an ample easy-chair, sat Captain Bowood, spectacles on -nose, deep in the <i>Times</i>. On the lawn itself, under the pleasant -shade of an ancient elm, sat Mrs Bowood and Sir Frederick, the former -busy with her crewels, the latter lazily cutting the pages of a review -and skimming a paragraph here and there. To the extreme left, some -distance from the others, and hidden from them by a thick clump of -evergreens, sat Lady Dimsdale, making-believe to be repairing sundry -rents in the frock of a large doll, which she held on her knee, but far -more occupied with her own thoughts than with the work she had in hand. -Close to her, and seated on a swing, suspended from a stout limb of a -tree, was Master Tommy, a bright boy of nine, profoundly immersed in a -new book of fairy tales, which Lady Dimsdale had that morning made him -a present of.</p> - -<p>‘Just listen to this, Aunty Laura,’ he said. She was always ‘Aunty -Laura’ to the children.</p> - -<p>‘“When the brave knight, Sir Tristram, entered the dungeon in which the -unhappy Princess had been shut up for so long a time, he was about to -spring forward and embrace her, when all at once the wicked magician -stood before them, and with his wand drew a magic line across the -floor. Then, although Sir Tristram and the Princess could see each -other, neither of them could step over the magic line, which was like -an invisible wall between them.”’ Here Tommy looked up from his book. -‘Have you ever seen a wicked magician, Aunty Laura?’</p> - -<p>‘One or two, dear,’ she replied with a faint smile. ‘Only, nowadays, -one doesn’t always know them when one sees them.’</p> - -<p>‘Don’t you think, aunty’—this in a whisper full of mystery—‘that if -Sir Frederick had a long robe and a wand, he would look something like -a magician?’</p> - -<p>Lady Dimsdale shook her head and held up a warning finger; and Tommy -went on with his book.</p> - -<p>‘It was really very kind of you, Sir Frederick, to agree to stay with -us for the rest of the week,’ remarked Mrs Bowood.</p> - -<p>‘Madam, the pleasure is all on my side,’ replied the Baronet with his -most courtly air.</p> - -<p>It would appear that in the course of conversation the previous evening -the Baronet had let out the fact that his own house was in the hands -of the painters and whitewashers, and that he was rendered miserable -thereby. Accordingly, very little persuasion had been needed to induce -him to take up his quarters at Rosemount for the next few days. There -may possibly have been other reasons also which made him not displeased -to be on the spot.</p> - -<p>‘We have very few visitors just now, as you are aware,’ resumed Mrs -Bowood, ‘so that you must not expect to find us very lively.’</p> - -<p>‘My dear madam, I abhor liveliness. Had your house been full of -company, nothing would have induced me to stay. When in Arcady, I like -to feel that I am an Arcadian. I like to feel that I am among cows, and -buttercups, and spring chickens—and—and home-cured bacon, and not -among a mob of fine people from town. Hum, hum.’</p> - -<p>Mrs Bowood smiled down at her work. Never was there a greater piece of -artificiality in human form than the Baronet.</p> - -<p>‘Confound the flies!’ exclaimed Captain Bowood irascibly to no one in -particular, as he gave his bald head a sounding smack. ‘Eh now?’ he -quoth inquiringly as he looked at the palm of his hand. ‘No.’</p> - -<p>‘I wonder what can have become of Mr Boyd?’ went on Mrs Bowood. ‘He -left the house early this morning, and has not been seen since.’</p> - -<p>The movements of Mr Boyd in nowise interested Sir Frederick, but -politeness demanded that he should say something. ‘Gone for an early -ramble, probably, before the day gets too warm.’</p> - -<p>‘I am dying to find out the writer of that anonymous letter.’</p> - -<p>The Baronet coughed, and cut another page of his review.</p> - -<p>‘Aunty Laura, what is the matter with you?’</p> - -<p>The question came so suddenly that Lady Dimsdale could not repress a -slight start. ‘The matter, dear?’ she asked inconsequentially.</p> - -<p>‘You stop in the middle of a stitch, and then you put a finger to your -lips, and then for a minute you seem as if you saw nothing. And you -look <i>so</i> sad. Have you got the toothache, aunty?’</p> - -<p>‘Yes, dear, as you say—the toothache.’</p> - -<p>‘I am so sorry!’</p> - -<p>‘Or the heartache,’ said Lady Dimsdale under her breath. ‘Does it -matter which?’</p> - -<p>The Baronet deliberately shut up his review, and looking steadily at -his hostess, said in a low voice: ‘It was I who wrote the anonymous -letter, Mrs Bowood.’</p> - -<p>For once in a way, Mrs Bowood nearly pricked her finger. ‘You, Sir -Frederick!’</p> - -<p>The Baronet inclined his head gravely. ‘Only, I don’t want the -circumstance to be generally known.’</p> - -<p>‘I won’t mention it for the world. But you do surprise me.’</p> - -<p>‘The facts are very simple. I met the real Mrs Boyd in New Orleans -soon after her marriage. Later on, I found myself in Mexico. At a ball -one evening, I saw among the crowd a lady whom I should certainly -have addressed as Mrs Boyd, had not the friend with whom I was told -me that she was that lady’s twin-sister. The likeness between them -was certainly a very remarkable one. The lady in question was married -to a certain Don Diego Riaz, the owner of a large cattle-ranche a few -miles away. The matter probably would have escaped my memory, but for -a letter received by me a few months later, in which my friend made -mention of a recent scandal in the household of Don Riaz. It seems that -the señora suddenly disappeared. When found at the end of two days, and -taken back home, her husband caused her to be branded on the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">{108}</span> palm of -the left hand with the initials of his name.’</p> - -<p>Mrs Bowood shuddered. ‘How thankful I am that I don’t live in Mexico!’</p> - -<p>‘Horray!’ shouted Master Tommy. ‘Brave Sir Tristram has chopped off the -wizard’s head.’</p> - -<p>The flies were still pestering Captain Bowood. ‘Another of ’em!’ -he exclaimed as he slapped his forehead for the second time. Then -he looked at his hand. ‘What—what? No,’ he said in a tone of -disappointment.</p> - -<p>Sir Frederick resumed the equable flow of his narrative. ‘A few -months later, Don Diego was found dead under somewhat mysterious -circumstances. Such things do happen in Mexico now and then. There was -a dim suspicion in my mind, I hardly know why, that one sister might -be trying to pass herself off as the other, when I sought an interview -with the supposed Mrs Boyd yesterday. That suspicion was strengthened -by her answers to some of my questions, and was reduced to a certainty -when I got sufficiently near to her to perceive the tiny brown mole -under her chin, which I remembered having been told was the one -distinctive mark between the two sisters; and further, when I noticed -how—although she had her gloves on at the time I spoke to her—she had -got into the way of keeping her left hand tightly shut, as though she -held something inside it which she was unwilling that any one should -see. It was the certainty thus arrived at which induced me to write as -I did to Mr Boyd.’</p> - -<p>‘A romance in real life! I presume that Mr Boyd had never seen the -twin-sister before?’</p> - -<p>‘Never, so far as I am aware.’</p> - -<p>‘She was certainly a very strange person, Sir Frederick, and I am not -sorry that she is gone. I trust there is no likelihood of her coming -back?’</p> - -<p>‘I don’t think you have much to fear on that score,’ responded the -Baronet drily.</p> - -<p>Master Tommy shut up his book with a bang. ‘And now Sir Tristram and -the Princess are married, and are going to live happy ever after. The -brave knight and the forlorn Princess always do get married; don’t -they, aunty?’</p> - -<p>‘Not always, dear. Sometimes the spells of the wicked wizard are too -strong for them.’</p> - -<p>‘Oh, I say! that is a shame.—What a pretty butterfly!’ His perch on -the swing was vacated next moment, and, cap in hand, he was off in -pursuit.</p> - -<p>‘A boy all over,’ murmured Lady Dimsdale. ‘Something to chase, -something to crush!’</p> - -<p>‘Laura, whatever are you about?’ said Mrs Bowood with a little -elevation of her ordinary tones. ‘You might favour us with your company -during the short time longer you have to stay.’</p> - -<p>‘I’ve got the shadiest seat in the garden,’ was the answer that came -back from behind the evergreens; ‘and just now I’m engaged on an -intricate detail of millinery, and must on no account be disturbed.’</p> - -<p>Sir Frederick had pricked up his ears. ‘Is Lady Dimsdale going away?’ -he asked.</p> - -<p>‘Did you not know? She had letters this morning—so she says—which -necessitate her immediate return home. I am quite angry with her.’</p> - -<p>‘Ah, ah! nearly had you that time,’ exclaimed the Captain, after -another abortive attempt to slaughter one of his tormentors.</p> - -<p>Sir Frederick rose and crossed to where Lady Dimsdale was sitting. ‘You -are busy this morning, Lady Dimsdale,’ he said.</p> - -<p>‘Extremely so. This young person was no longer fit for decent society, -so I have taken her in hand, and am trying to make her presentable. But -you don’t understand millinery, Sir Frederick.’</p> - -<p>‘My misfortune.’</p> - -<p>‘It is a pity. But, as a rule, your sex are very ignorant.’</p> - -<p>‘You are about to leave us, Mrs Bowood tells me.’</p> - -<p>‘Yes; the three o’clock express will carry me away to “fresh woods and -pastures new.”’</p> - -<p>‘I am grieved to hear that.’</p> - -<p>‘Is Sir Frederick Pinkerton ever really grieved about anything?’ There -was a certain scornful ring in her voice as she asked this question.</p> - -<p>Sir Frederick bit his lip. His sallow cheeks flushed a little.</p> - -<p>At this moment, there came an interruption. Miss Lucy ran up with red -face and dishevelled hair, swinging her straw hat by its ribbons. ‘I’ve -been such a long way, aunty, and I’m so tired!’</p> - -<p>Lady Dimsdale was examining her fingers and pinafore with serious face. -‘O Lucy!’ was all she said.</p> - -<p>‘I couldn’t help it—really, I couldn’t. Strawberries and cream—such a -lot!—with Mr Boyd at the Meadow Farm.’</p> - -<p>‘With Mr Boyd!’ said Lady Dimsdale in a low voice.</p> - -<p>‘Yes. I met him in the garden ever so early, and he said he was going -for a walk, and would I go with him. So I went, and it was ever so -jolly. But’—with a yawn—‘I’m so hot and tired!’</p> - -<p>Lady Dimsdale gave her the doll.</p> - -<p>‘O you beauty! How smart Aunt Laura has made you!’ she cried in an -ecstasy of admiration. Then she sat down on a low stool close to Lady -Dimsdale, and forgot for a little while that she was either hot or -tired.</p> - -<p>‘I have fulfilled my promise, Lady Dimsdale,’ said the Baronet in a -low voice. ‘That woman will never trouble Mr Boyd again.’ He looked -meaningly at her as he spoke.</p> - -<p>It was a look which she understood. ‘Sir Frederick Pinkerton need be -under no apprehension,’ she replied, gazing steadily into his eyes. ‘I -have not forgotten my part of the bargain. That which I have promised I -will perform.’</p> - -<p>The Baronet bowed a little stiffly, and strolled slowly back towards -Mrs Bowood.</p> - -<p>‘Don’t you think, Aunt Laura,’ said Lucy, ‘now that Dolly is so smart, -I might take her to church with me? If it’s good for me to go to -church, it must be good for Dolly.’</p> - -<p>But Lady Dimsdale heard her not. ‘My promise! Yes, whatever it may cost -me, I must not forget that.’ She kept repeating the words to herself -again and again.</p> - -<p>Lucy, for once, finding her chatter unheeded, made a pillow of one -arm for her doll, laid her head against Lady Dimsdale’s knee, and two -minutes later was fast asleep.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">{109}</span></p> - -<p>Along one of the winding pathways came Oscar Boyd, dusty with the -dust of country roads, but bright and happy-looking as the day. -‘Good-morning, Mrs Bowood.—Good-morning, Sir Frederick.—Any news, -Captain?’</p> - -<p>‘We thought that some one had run away with you,’ said his hostess, as -she extended her hand. ‘What have you been doing with yourself all this -time?’</p> - -<p>‘We have been over the hills and far away, Miss Lucy and I. Our object -was strawberries and cream at the Meadow Farm.’ He gave a quiet glance -round. ‘Laura not here?’ he said to himself.</p> - -<p>‘Strawberries and cream. Humph!’ remarked the Captain. ‘S. and B. far -better on a morning like this. Come now.’</p> - -<p>Oscar had discovered Lady Dimsdale’s whereabouts by this time, and -crossed towards her.</p> - -<p>‘Now for the scene!’ said Sir Frederick to himself as he watched him -go. Then turning to Mrs Bowood, he said: ‘With your permission, I will -go and smoke a cigarette on the terrace.’</p> - -<p>‘You will find it very hot on that side of the house.’</p> - -<p>‘The heat suits me, madam. If I may be allowed such an expression—I -revel in it.’ Then as he walked away, he said to himself: ‘How will she -break the news?’</p> - -<p>Mrs Bowood had not failed to note in what direction Mr Boyd had -vanished. ‘After all, they may perhaps make a match of it,’ was the -thought in her mind. ‘I do hope he will propose before Laura goes.’</p> - -<p>‘Here you are! I was just wondering what had become of you,’ -said Oscar, as he drew up a garden-chair and sat down near Lady -Dimsdale.—‘My little sweetheart and asleep?’ he added with a smiling -glance at the unconscious Lucy.</p> - -<p>‘She was tired with the long walk.’</p> - -<p>Something in Lady Dimsdale’s voice struck him. He looked fixedly at -her. Probably he expected to see in her some traces of the same change -that he felt in himself—the change from despair to gladness, from a -midnight of blackest gloom to a dawn of radiant hopes, rich with the -sweet promise of happy years to come. But no such traces were visible -in the woman who sat before him with pallid, long-drawn face, with -downcast eyes, round which the dark circles left by sleeplessness or -tears—perhaps by both—were plainly to be seen, and with thin white -hands that visibly trembled as, clasped in each other, they lay idly on -her lap. It was unaccountable.</p> - -<p>‘You have heard of all that happened yesterday?’ he presently remarked. -‘You know that that woman was an impostor?’</p> - -<p>‘Yes; I have heard.’</p> - -<p>‘Her likeness to her sister was extraordinary. I was completely -deceived.’</p> - -<p>‘She will not trouble you again?’</p> - -<p>‘Hardly so, I think. I have arranged for a friend of mine to see her -on board ship to-morrow, and to pay her passage back to the port from -which she sailed. I have an idea that I ought to thank Sir Frederick -Pinkerton for the anonymous letter which served to unmask her.’ He drew -his chair a little closer. ‘Laura! you have not forgotten yesterday -morning?’ he said as he bent forward and tried to gaze into her eyes.</p> - -<p>‘No; I have not forgotten.’ The reply was so low that he could scarcely -hear it, and the eyes were kept persistently cast down.</p> - -<p>‘You know how we were interrupted,’ went on Oscar. ‘A black cloud came -between us, and we thought our happiness was wrecked for ever. But -the cloud has vanished, and the sun shines out as brightly as before, -and’——</p> - -<p>‘Oscar, we must—both of us—try to think of yesterday morning as if it -had never been.’</p> - -<p>He drew himself upright in his chair with a great gasp; for a moment or -two he was too stupefied to speak. ‘Try to think of yesterday morning -as if it had never been! Impossible! But why try to do so?’</p> - -<p>‘Because something has happened since then which makes it imperative -that we should do so.’</p> - -<p>‘Something happened! I don’t understand. I only know that you agreed to -become my wife. What can have happened to alter that?’</p> - -<p>‘You must not ask me, and I cannot tell you.’</p> - -<p>‘And you ask me to agree to this without a word of explanation?’</p> - -<p>‘Yes, without a word of explanation.’ There was a quaver in her voice -as she said these words which he did not fail to detect.</p> - -<p>He sat like a man stunned—like one who has heard some tidings of -import greater than his mind is able to grasp. ‘Laura! you torture me,’ -he said at length.</p> - -<p>At this she raised her dark, grief-laden eyes, and gazed at him for a -moment or two with a sort of dumb, pathetic tenderness, while at the -same time the fingers of one hand wandered caressingly over his sleeve.</p> - -<p>He was profoundly moved. He rose from his chair, and took a turn or -two in silence, and then resumed his seat. ‘Send for the nurse to take -away that child,’ he said, ‘and then come with me for a walk in the -shrubbery.’</p> - -<p>‘Oscar, I dare not.’</p> - -<p>‘You dare not! Why?’</p> - -<p>‘I dare not. We had better say farewell here and now, than later on and -before others.’</p> - -<p>‘Farewell!’</p> - -<p>‘I leave here by the afternoon express. Oscar, after to-day, you and I -must never meet again.’</p> - -<p>He started to his feet. ‘Never meet again! But—— Why—— Can you who -say this to me be the same woman whom I kissed but yesterday?’</p> - -<p>‘I am that woman; how happy then, how unhappy now, no one but myself -can ever know!’</p> - -<p>‘Then why this change? What strange mystery is here?’</p> - -<p>‘I cannot tell you. My lips are sealed. Believe me, Oscar, we had -better say farewell here and now.’</p> - -<p>‘I cannot and I will not say farewell!’ he passionately exclaimed. -‘You belong to me, and I belong to you; that kiss was the seal and -consecration of our union. No earthly power shall keep us asunder. -There is some strange mystery at work here. If you will not give me -the key to it, I must try to find it for myself.’ He lifted his hat, -stooped and pressed his lips to her hair, and then, without another -word, he plunged into the shrubbery.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">{110}</span></p> - -<p>Laura gazed after his retreating figure through a mist of tears. ‘The -key to the mystery!’ she murmured. ‘You may try your best to find it, -my poor Oscar, but Merlin’s enchantments will prove too strong for you -to overcome.’</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="A_PEEP_AT_THE_FALKLAND_ISLANDS">A PEEP AT THE FALKLAND ISLANDS.</h2> -</div> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Except</span> to mariners who have rounded Cape Horn, this solitary -group of islands is a veritable <i>terra incognita</i>. Seldom -visited, however, as the Falkland Islands have been in the past, -their isolation promises to be yet more complete in the future, as -soon as an inter-oceanic canal diverts commerce from the old to a -new route. Up to the present time, they have served as a half-way -house for sailing-vessels on their voyage round Cape Horn in need -of provisioning, or for refitting such as have been disabled by the -tempestuous weather which for a great part of the year prevails in -those latitudes. It appears probable, however, that their usefulness -for even these purposes is nearly at an end, and that their lonely -inhabitants are doomed, like the surviving innkeepers of coaching-days, -to pass the remainder of their lives in mourning over the memories of -the past.</p> - -<p>These islands have at various times belonged to France and to Spain; -but since 1833, when they were annexed by the English government for -the protection of the whale-fishery, they have formed part of the -British possessions. The group consists of the islands of East and -West Falkland, and upwards of a hundred others—mostly mere islets or -sandbanks—which have a united area of nearly five million acres. The -only settlement or town—if it may be dignified with that name—is -Stanley, which is situated on a gentle slope of moorland bordering upon -a narrow and nearly land-locked harbour in the island of East Falkland; -but few of the houses in Stanley are well constructed, and these are -occupied by the governor and colonial officers and a few successful -traders. The remainder are rough-and-ready specimens of architecture, -in the construction of which the timber of many an old shipwrecked hulk -has been utilised. The climate, though generally damp, is extremely -healthy, but very changeable. To-day, perhaps the sun may be shining, -the air clear and exhilarating; but to-morrow you rise at daybreak, -look out at the same landscape, and behold what a change is there! A -thick driving mist has rolled in from the ocean, and enveloped all -nature in its moist and chilly embrace. The soil is more adapted to -pasturage than to cultivation, being similar in its character to the -unreclaimed wild lands of northern Scotland and the Orkney and Shetland -Islands. Large herds of wild cattle roam at will over the country, but -are worth little except for their hides, there being no market for -the beef. The greater portion of these cattle belong to the Falkland -Islands’ Company, who own a marine store and general outfitting -establishment at Stanley. This Company, a few years ago, embarked in -sheep-raising, by way of an experiment, importing some common stock -from Patagonia, and crossing them with cheviots. The experiment has -proved a great success, and sheep-raising now forms the principal -industry of the later settlers; several young Englishmen, with a few -hundred pounds capital, having within the last few years settled on -the islands for this purpose, their ‘stations’ ranging from twenty to -one hundred and fifty thousand acres, the aggregate value of the wool -annually exported to England amounting to nearly fifty thousand pounds -sterling.</p> - -<p>There being no roads or vehicles for internal traffic, as most of -the country round Stanley is a huge morass, the owners of these -sheep-stations are obliged to keep small sailing-vessels in which to -visit Stanley for provisions, or send their wool there for shipment to -England.</p> - -<p>In respect of scenery, it cannot be said that nature has bestowed gifts -on the Falklands with a too lavish hand. There is but one tree in the -entire islands, and that solitary exception attempts to grow in the -governor’s garden at Stanley, where it is protected by a wall from the -cutting south wind, which ruthlessly nips off any ambitious shoot which -presumes to peep over its restricted limits.</p> - -<p>The population of the Falklands in 1877 was a little over thirteen -hundred, nearly three-fourths of that number being males. Most of -the inhabitants are English; but there are also a few Americans and -Spaniards, the latter being the surviving descendants of the former -masters of the islands. The government is vested in a Governor, aided -by an Executive Council and a Legislative Council, both appointed by -the Crown. The majority of the working inhabitants are fishermen, whose -chief sources of profit are derived from annual visits to the New -Shetland Islands, about six hundred miles south from Cape Horn, and to -other breeding-grounds in the Falkland Islands, to hunt for seals and -penguins, which are slaughtered in large numbers for their skins and -oil.</p> - -<p>The breeding-grounds or ‘rookeries’ of the penguins are generally -situated in the shelter of some land-locked bay or break in the line -of steep and rugged cliffs; and often occupy several acres, which -are laid out, levelled, and divided into squares, with intervening -streets, the whole as if done at the dictation of a surveyor. Along -these streets, the penguins gravely waddle on their way to and from -the water, presenting the appearance of squads of awkward recruits, -or a still more striking likeness, as has been often remarked, to -troops of little children toddling along in their white pinafores. -They build no nests; but lay a single egg in some selected spot, the -incubation being equally shared by male and female. Although so closely -allied to the feathered kind, they are unable to fly, nature having -only furnished them with short stumpy apologies for wings, resembling -the flippers of a turtle, by means of which they are enabled to -attain prodigious speed, when diving under water in pursuit of fish -for food. Penguins, as well as seals, are doubly provided against -the cold of the high latitudes which they frequent, by a layer of -fat immediately inside the skin, which is also the depository of the -oil extracted by the fishermen. In landing to attack and slaughter -them in their rookeries with clubs and boat-stretchers, stealthy -precautions are quite unnecessary, the poor dumb creatures looking on -in a state of indifferent stupidity, without making any attempt to -escape, whilst their companions are<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">{111}</span> being knocked on the head all -around them. Seal-hunting, or ‘fishing’ as it is usually termed, on -the contrary, requires great skill and patience. Seals are gregarious -as well as polygamous, and when they forsake the open seas for their -breeding-places on shore, are very shy of intrusion, and take great -care to insure the safety of their retirement, particularly in -localities which have been previously visited by human beings. They -invariably post sentinels on every commanding point, so that it is only -by patient waiting and under cover of night the hunters are enabled to -elude their vigilance and surprise them.</p> - -<p>The hunting or fishing season being over, the fishermen return to -Stanley with their harvest of skins and oil, which they sell to -the traders, who, as may be imagined, buy at their own price, and -eventually get the lion’s share of the profits. Not that this appears -to bother the minds of the fishermen, who are a happy-go-lucky set of -men, and by no means provident in their habits. When I was serving in -the English squadron on the south-east coast of America, we visited -the Falkland Islands as a rule once a year, and the admiral usually -timed our departure from Monte Video so as to arrive there somewhere -about Christmas. As soon as we were sighted by the lookouts, all was -flutter and excitement in the settlement. The married ladies were soon -elbow-deep in pie-crust and confectionery; while the only single lady -in the colony commenced practising her most sentimental songs, and -hunting up old bits of finery to set off her mature charms, with a grim -determination to capture the maiden affections of some susceptible -young naval officer.</p> - -<p>For those of our number to whom shooting and fishing offered more -attractions than did the allurements of female society, the Falkland -Islands afforded a fine field. The tyro whose sole ambition is -a pot-shot at a standing object, may revel there in unequalled -opportunities of distinguishing himself, for, except in the vicinity of -the settlement, the upland geese are so little, if at all, accustomed -to the sight of man, that they show no signs of fear or flight at his -approach, and consequently fall an easy prey to the young sportsman. -But there are other kinds of game which give excellent sport to older -hands. Several species of duck and teal, abundance of snipe, and an -occasional swan, will give the hunter who can hold his gun straight -a satisfactory bag—and a weighty one too, if he has to carry it. -Moreover, if he be ambitious, and has at times indulged in wild dreams -of slaying the king of beasts in his forest lair, he may console -himself for not having done so, by killing that animal’s degenerate -marine cousin, the sea-lion. I myself once very nearly did; that is -to say, I came as near to doing so, as a sea-lion did to making an -end of me. It happened in this way. A party of us had pulled in a -boat up a small river in West Falkland, which, at some distance from -its mouth, opened into a lake with an islet in the centre, upon the -shelving shore of which we beached our boat, for lunch. This islet -was covered with patches of tall tussac grass—a favourite haunt of -sea-lions—but appeared to be perfectly desolate and devoid of animal -life. While sauntering idly along, smoking my pipe, I was suddenly -roused from a reverie by the most horrible roar, proceeding as it -seemed to me from the very ground under my feet; and lo! from a bunch -of tussac grass through which I was forcing my way, there arose an -immense, savage-looking animal, with a row of most formidable tusks, -and confronted me. I was so taken aback at my close and unexpected -proximity to such a monster, that I confess my first thoughts were -in favour of an ignominious flight, had not my enemy anticipated me -by turning tail himself. Gnashing his teeth with a parting roar, he -half-waddled and half-rolled down the bank and into the water, while -I was desperately pulling at the trigger of my gun, forgetting in my -agitation that it was only at half-cock.</p> - -<p>Having nearly exhausted all that the Falklands present in the way of -interest or pleasure, we now say our adieus, weigh anchor and put to -sea.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="MISCHIEF_DONE_BY_GOOD-NATURED_PEOPLE">MISCHIEF DONE BY GOOD-NATURED PEOPLE.</h2> -</div> - - -<p><span class="smcap">No</span> doubt there is a vast amount of misery in the world -occasioned by deliberate unkindness; revenge for real or fancied -injuries, or the terrible pleasure some evil natures feel in the -exercise of arbitrary power. Still more suffering is probably -occasioned by that callous indifferentism to the feelings of others -which we call thoughtlessness, but which is really very nearly allied -to selfishness. Yet possibly we should find, were we able to make the -reckoning, that as much harm is done by the unwise concessions of what -are called ‘good-natured people,’ as by either of the other classes.</p> - -<p>It is often said of a good-natured man that he is no one’s enemy but -his own; but families and friends are so linked together in this world, -that it is exceedingly difficult for any one to injure himself without -hurt to another. Far be it from us to limit philanthropy or any sort of -generosity. He who goes through life conferring benefits is the noblest -of mortals; but unless on occasion he is able to say ‘No’ to eager -entreaties, he will never be able to carry out his best intentions.</p> - -<p>One of the most mischievous forms of what is called good-nature is -recommending an incompetent person to some responsible situation. Not -that patronage, properly considered, is anything but a good and lawful -thing; only we may be very sure that the just, enlightened, and really -powerful patron is by no means what is understood by ‘a good-natured -man.’ We imagine him to have legitimate influence, which he would very -soon lose were he to abuse it.</p> - -<p>We once knew an authoress, now no more, who, besides having a great -deal of talent as well as good-nature, had one of the kindest hearts -in the world. Her successful books had secured her a certain literary -position; and had she used sparingly and discreetly the influence -which naturally resulted from it, she might have been of immense use -to young aspirants of genius. Perhaps her own vivid imagination lent a -charm to the manuscripts she was asked to forward for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">{112}</span> unknown authors -to eminent publishers, for it is a fact that men and women of real -genius are often the most lenient of critics to inferior writers. But -however this may have been, her good-nature was so often imposed on, -she so often sent poor compositions with words of recommendation to -her friendly publishers, that at last they smiled, or sighed, at her -importunities, and though willing enough to take anything from her own -practised pen, ceased to regard her good word as of any weight, when -applied to the productions of another. In fact, it came to pass that it -was rather an injury than otherwise to be introduced by Mrs E——. She -sacrificed what might have been a very useful and powerful influence to -her good-nature. If Dr Johnson had thus sacrificed his great influence -by offering poor novels to the booksellers, he would have been little -likely to have been able to promptly dispose of the immortal <i>Vicar -of Wakefield</i>, and so aid poor Oliver Goldsmith in the hour of his -sorest need.</p> - -<p>Critics who, from a spurious good-nature, unduly praise a work of -art or literature, really do a cruel injury to deserving authors and -artists, by bringing their merits into an unworthy comparison with -inferior powers. Evil of this sort, however, is apt to bring about -its own penalty. Directly a professional writer is even suspected of -unfairness, the spell of his influence is broken; and often enough, -to be a warning to the ready writer, has it happened that one of the -staff of a popular journal has lost his situation on account of his too -‘good-natured’ reviews.</p> - -<p>It is rather remarkable that what are called good-natured people rarely -undertake unpleasant duties, if they can possibly avoid them. They do -not like telling disagreeable truths, however urgent the necessity for -so doing, but transfer the mission to a sterner friend with some such -phrase as, ‘I should not like to say it,’ or, ‘I should not like to -do it,’ just as if the habit of their lives was only to do what they -‘liked.’ Indeed, the good-natured people we are describing are rarely -generous in a grand way; they are seldom capable of self-sacrifice. If -they are rich, they give money rather than take trouble. If they are -people of leisure, they probably give time, which perhaps is not very -precious to them; but doing something they greatly dislike, in order to -benefit another, is a virtue too rare to be found among them.</p> - -<p>There is a form of deception, too often considered very venial, with -which so-called good-natured people, if they are good letter-writers, -are not seldom associated. This is ‘drawing up’ letters for their less -gifted acquaintances to copy and send out as their own. A really good -letter often makes a very favourable impression; but it is something -like a false coin if it be not the composition of the signer. No -doubt, there are cases when it is necessary some statement should be -made in language more clear and precise than the person concerned can -command; but in these instances, the ready penman should write in his -own person for his friend. We are afraid many situations of trust -and responsibility have been obtained on the strength of admirable -letters dictated by another. But incompetence is sure to be discovered -sooner or later, as is a deception which is less forgivable than -want of ability. Long, long ago, we knew of a case far more sad -than the engaging of an incompetent clerk or governess. A girl of -good family and large fortune was won over to accept for a husband a -young gentleman of small means and not much principle, mainly by the -eloquent, poetical, very charming letters he addressed to her; nearly -if not quite all of which were composed by a clever brilliant friend -who had never even seen her. When the marriage proved very far from a -happy one—and the real scribe had a wife and children of his own—we -have reason to believe that he deeply regretted the part he had played -in deluding a confiding girl.</p> - -<p>Very much on a par with the laxity of principle which permits false -letter-writing is the wearing of borrowed finery, especially jewellery, -things which we have known good-natured women very willing to lend. -Valuable jewellery is a sign of a certain amount of wealth, which is -generally on fit occasions displayed; but to exhibit the sign where the -reality does not exist is a mean sort of deception, which must often be -followed by humiliation.</p> - -<p>A person out of what is called good-nature becoming security for -another, and suffering, or causing others to suffer in consequence, is -so sad and frequent an event in real life, that it has become quite a -common incident in novels, and need not be treated of here. Kindness -of heart is a deeper and finer quality than the surface readiness to -oblige which we have endeavoured to depict. Kindness of heart has -always the capacity for real sympathy, and this great alleviator of -suffering is generally too clear-seeing to always approve of ‘Yes’ when -‘No’ should be said. Real sympathy feels with, and assists, the friend -in trouble. When actions prompted by thoughtless good-nature are most -mischievous, they proceed from one who probably neither feels deeply -nor sees clearly the relations of cause and effect. That Justice—to a -stranger no less than to our associates—is a rarer and more sublime -virtue than generosity, is a truth that good-natured people are -somewhat apt to forget.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="SIX_LITTLE_WORDS">SIX LITTLE WORDS.</h2> -</div> - - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0"><span class="smcap">Six</span> little words arrest me every day:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I <i>ought</i>, <i>must</i>, <i>can</i>—I <i>will</i>, I <i>dare</i>, I <i>may</i>.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I <span class="allsmcap">OUGHT</span>—’tis conscience’ law, divinely writ</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Within my heart—the goal I strive to hit.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I <span class="allsmcap">MUST</span>—this warns me that my way is barred,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Either by Nature’s law or custom hard.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I <span class="allsmcap">CAN</span>—in this is summed up all my might,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Whether to do, or know, or judge aright.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I <span class="allsmcap">WILL</span>—my diadem, by the soul imprest</div> - <div class="verse indent0">With freedom’s seal—the ruler in my breast.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I <span class="allsmcap">DARE</span>—at once a motto for the seal,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And, dare I? barrier ’gainst unlicensed zeal.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I <span class="allsmcap">MAY</span>—is final, and at once makes clear</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The way which else might vague and dim appear.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I <i>ought</i>, <i>must</i>, <i>can</i>—I <i>will</i>, I <i>dare</i>, I <i>may</i>:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">These six words claim attention every day.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Only, through Thee, know I what, every day,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I ought, I must, I can, I will, I dare, I may.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class="center">Printed and Published by <span class="smcap">W. & R. Chambers</span>, 47 Paternoster Row, -<span class="smcap">London</span>, and 339 High Street, <span class="smcap">Edinburgh</span>.</p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<p class="center"><i>All Rights Reserved.</i></p> - -<hr class="full" /> - -<div class="footnotes"> - -<p class="ph3">FOOTNOTES</p> -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> We may here refer to the provision of the Acts passed to -facilitate the administration of estates under three hundred pounds. -Information as to the simple and inexpensive mode of procedure in such -cases can be obtained by application to the sheriff-clerks in Scotland, -or to the Inland Revenue authorities in England.</p> - -</div> -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, FIFTH SERIES, NO. 7, VOL. 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