Loading...
The Exeter Times, 1879-4-3, Page 3Se el Btra 8, 1$79 IIICH i, GARGHAYE'1 HARVEST CHAPTER THE TIMES 3 SOMETIMIG AliOUT T1IL GLRGRAVrtS. It was true, as Mies Gargrave said, t 'that her brother had not beau brought up ne it "mere trader." Michael Gargrave hituself would have beelt the first to add, that "more was the pity," and to admit there night be a coneideretlle amount of truth iu the remark of Mr. Russell Sattaby—.called not after the states- men, but after his govt -father, a well- to-do clothier and one of the "War• shipful Compatoy of Fan-matters"— thatt be "raid not been brought up to anything half so honest." Mr. Russell Snttabv, an exceedingly callow -looking youth, who thought himself an authority iu neckties and poetry, who despised hie own " govern- or," who felt ashamed of his mother— really in her way an admirable parent and capital manager—felt an nureason- able aunoyanoe whenever Miss Line ,v Holding mentioned any fact oounoetod with 1Ir. Gargrave's auoestors. It wee not 11r. Cr trgrave's fault that he came of art oldystuek; but young Alr. Suttaby spoke as tlic:ugll it were not only hie fault but his sin. "If 1. had to earn my living in a stuf- fy old glass -works, I would at least have senile enough to drop a lot of disreputable old grandfathers, who I'i1 bo bound were no better than they 'should he," remarked Mr. Russell one summer's evening, when he and \lies .Holding and his sisters wore taking their walks abroad over the wide if not lovely esnanse of Wanstead Flats. Mr. Russell Snttaby,clerk in a etockbroker'e -office, considered himself iu all respects much superior to his laity -love's guar- . -Man, and was never weary of implying that he tho'rght so, that little matter of old fsrnily nutwitllstauding. "It is of no use talking to me about what a man was. All I concern my- eelf with is what he ie," was one of the many remarks on the subject of the (rargravo ancestry in which he indalg- -eel. "Aly father founded the glassworks, arid Mr. Gargrave never says a word :ebout his grandfather or his father either," said Lucy, in defence both of her guardian and his business, upon the oeo.i,sinn of that walk across the flats, "Well, if he does not, that old woman does, at any rate," persisted Mr. Suttaby. "I hate to go near tare place. She sometimes loeks as if she despised everybody—as if she was al- ways smelling something unpteasaut. F am sure her scents and perfnrnes,and airs and graces, are enough to make anyone kola" "Hee mother was a great heiress," remarked Lncy, deprecatingly. "Thea why has she no money 2" "And her father ought to have Bray• ley." "Then why had he net ? If ho ought to have had it, he would have had it. People can't be dove out of their rights now -it -days ; it is all nonesense. Be- eidos, what was Brayley—what is it ? I dare say it is not vrortll a penny more than Ivy uncle's house at High Beech. That is a place you must see, Lues. llfy uncle has lovely gardens, the finest apricots I over tasted. Are not they splendid, Jane?" Thus appealed to, hiss Suttaby said they were,and iu her tarn praee',dedyto enlarge upon tiro beauties of the High Beech 1.'aradise. Lucy meantime re- tnainiug silent,but unconvinced—snub- bed, but not defeated. To have despised the Suttebys would Have been to despise the rank to which she Herself belonged—to object to a rnan because he did not come of great people, would have been to object to her dear, dear father, whom elle had loved with alt her loyal heart; but it was one thing to look down upon personal surroundings and another to speak slightingly of the Gargraves because they ebaueod to belong to a good fami- ly. Though a disadvantage, it certainly was a fact that Michael Gargrave had been bro;ight up to regard himself not as the possible but las the certain fu- ture possessor of "Brayley," in South - shire. He was the eldest son of his father, Rokeby Gargrave, and when that gen• tleman had attained to the age of forty, there only intervened between himself :and Brayley the hf'e of one sickly boy. Brayley was a fine property, still a fine property,and one well worth covet- ing, spite of the fact that it was not the fault of any previous Gargrave a single rood of land belonged to the fami- ly. Let them otherwise differ as tboy would, and as they did,in tastes,habits, modes of thought, the possessors of $irayley had almost from time iwmetn- oriel been agreed that the only way to enjoy their ancestral estate' was to make ducks and decker of tt. With wonderful industry they each in succession devoted themselves this !experiment in ornithology, and was on- ly the law of entail, and those fetude vtvhich seem for paovidonttii reasons to rage in some races between owners and heirs, that had years previously pre - vested Brayley passing into the hands of sones "Mauchester rash" or City millionaire. ]:'ride in the old place they took none, or, for that matter, pleasure either. For more than a century, at any rate, never a roaster of Brayley but had man- aged before his death to reduoa his iu• come to a merely nominal allowance ; there was never an heir stepped into his predecessor's shoes who had failed to contract such engagements as fettered him pecuniarily for the remainder of hie natural life. Amongst the Gargraves, since the fa.nily decadence co'nrneuced until the advent of this sickly lad, Owen, not a single miuor had been owner of the property, not a chance had occurred for rnoney to aeoumulate during the childhood or boyhood of one of the line. middle-aged, or even old -men, they succeeded to the estate, already heavi- ly eneuanbured by a mortgage onntract- ed so long previ"uslf that the nature of its original had become matter of tradi- tion, burcleued by debts incurred dur- ing a weary period of expectancy ; by post obits ; by bills ; by life insurances; by all the shifts. and devices to which needy inen are compelled to resort while running bareoot because another man wears his own slippers too long for their convenience. In the b rginuing of his career Mr. I3olceby G,ergrave had been deprived of some of the advantages for pursuing the family branch of study, inasmuch as not being the eldest sora of the eldest son, it was on- the cards that some small Gargrave night be born, who should "cut him out," as Mr. ktokeby tersely phrased the results of the pos- sible contingency. His brother.however, being of a non - marrying diepusition, and itir. Rokeby Gargrave of a sanguine temperament, that geutlernan, of nowhere in particu- lar and of no profession at all, began, ere long, to ceusider himself, except as regarded that trifling matter of actual possession, the actual owner of Brayley, but the Jews, being of quite another way of thinking, utterly declined to embarrass his future prospects for hien. Thrown thus back upon first principles, Mr. Gargrave, after he hacl spent his own fortune, derived from his mother, spent the fortune his wife brought him. There was nothing in particular to show or to refer to when the two for- tunes were gone; but it was the Gar - grave way to get as little fur money as gentlemen well could ; and society therefore neither marvelled nor com- plained when the typical dunk and drake alone remained to show 111r.Roke- by had ever possessed a half -penny. Afrer that period of living upon cap• ital, Mr. Gargrave lived partly aeon his wits, which alone might not have supplied a nutritious diet, and greatly upon the faith of tradespeople. Even now,despite Cooperative stores and other incentives to radicalism and unbelief, there are left sotne shopkeep- ers who do possess an amouut of faith at once ploasiug and touching; and while itlr. Rokeby Gargraves was "waiting for his own," credit, as a rule. was the rule, and cash with order or money on delivery quite the exception. Anyhow, Mr. Rokeby Gargrave did not send cash with his orders or pay for his goods on delivery—very much the contrary indeed ; and such was the faith or fully of butcher and baker, and fisliwouger, and all the rest of the pur veying fraternity, that Mrs. Gargrave number one died without having exper- ien:od a•ay of those privations she would indeed have fouud it very chili cult to bear. Having given her, nn credit, a hand- some funeral, provided and conducted by Messrs. Velvet and Plumes, the emi- nent upholetere, Mr. Gargrate looked about Mini. It had never been a fail- ing of his to take very long views ; in- deed, voluntarily he would never have viewed his affairs at all. Time, however, had passed on, and the oredit and promise -to -pay, was well nigh exhausted. Accounts came in at less and lees in- tervals; creditors called oftener than Mr. Gargrave liked ; lawyers wrote to know what he proposed doing ;" and even the schoolmaster who was train- ing the future owner of Brayley sent a letter, stating that unless Mr. G.rgrave could manage to post a cheque by an early date. he must with much regret, decline receiving plaster Michael Gar - grave after the Christmas holidays. Things were therefore very bad in- deed with Mr. Gargravo ; and yet in very truth, he had never been so near Brayley as at that period. Contrary to all expeetation,his brother had mar- ried ; but he was now dead, and there stood between Mr. Gargrave and fruti tion bet one frail life—a life which no company would insure, and which the doctors saidcould not possibly last long. Nevertheless, as the boy had lived, the boy might live,or at all events drag on, for a considerable period and in the meantime Mt. Gargravo's creditors wanted a'settiement, and failing a set- tlement, ceased to solicit the honor of 1 hie patronage---indeed,they refused his patronage altogether. Thus, as has been said, Mr. Gar - grave found existence difficult. Though he bad removed to a new locality, the legend of hie impecuniosity could not readily be left behind, and the trades- people in hie fredh neighborhood were distressingly unanimous in refini- ng to lot their geode leave their shops mail paid for. "If this goes on," said. Mr. Gargrave to himself, with a simple, yet tragic earnestnees which proved how startling and unexpected was the situation," T shalt starve. I must write to my uncle." Now, the uncle referred to was a shrewd old bachelor, who had never evinced any groat liberality towards his sister's son, and it was not in the least degree likely he would assist him at this oriels. Nevertbless Mr. Rokeby Gargrave wrote. When the reply came, wh;ch it did promptly, it contained the simple state - went that, however unpleasant the prospect of starving might seem to his nephew, it was a matter which could not be supposed to interest him, "You speak of America or Australia," be proceeded—Mr. Gargrave having, indeed, mentioned those far-off eouti• vents as his passible destination. " If I am to starve" he said, "I had better do so where I ani unknown."—"You speak of America or Australia. There is plenty of laud in either of thosecouo- tries for a mere song. and emigration will cut the knot of all your present difficulties. Ha five -pound note would. be of any assistance to have in your pocket when you land (I conclude you mean to work your passage out), say so, and you shall have it by return of post. After all, ib is a comfort to re- flect there are places where a man wil- ling to work need not starve." This, being more than. Mr. Gargrave could bear, he in his turn, dispatched an epistle covering four sides of a sheet of letter -paper which commenced :— "Sir,—A five -pound note would be of no use to me whatever ;" and ended by saying that the writer considered i\Ir. Edward Brayley "a disgrace to his order"—the last observation being em• phasised by no loss than three dashes This closed the correspondence; and once again Mr. Gargrave had to face his difficulties. As for work, be never contemplated such a possibility. Beggiug he would not have minded—but then begging seemed of no use. There was only one thing to which he could turn his attention, and on that lie immediately coucentrated his ener- gies. He would marry. "Poor dear Matilda !" be thought, as this mode of extrication occurred to him. "She was always thoughtful: she died meet opportunely." So it got abroad that, Mr. Rolreby Gargrave was going to marry 'money;' and his creditors (creditors,:'as a race, are mnoh given to catching at straws), believing, posseseed their souls with patience till such time as that money should be applied to liquidatiug their little accounts. For his first wife Mr. Gargrave, guided by prudential motives; had mar- ried a lady older than himself. In his' second he selected—once again guided by pecuniary considerations—a girl just emancipated from a boarding school. She ran away with him—he was a man that had always charmed women— aud left behind the greatest part of her fortune. Eighty-thonsand should have been her "dot;" but she (quite unconsci„uly) forfeited seventy-five thousand by mar- rying without the consent of her guar- dians. "Was ever so unlucky n aiog born !" exclaimed Air. Gargrave,after a very bad quarter of an hoar with those gentle- men. Then his troubles began in earn- est ; then came writs and lawyers' let- ters, and threate and performances. The unanimity which nrev i'ecl amongst his creditors was wonderful. They all wanted one thing, and they all tried to get it in one way. "There is one monotony about this," remarked Mr. Gargre.ve, airily, tryiug to put a brava face on the matter ; but no one could look at him and fail to see the struggle was too much fur his selfish, indolent temperament. He grew thin and peevish ; be worried his lawyers and bullied his family : ile cried out that it was unjnnt : be swore a great many times—for abont this time there was mnoh variety in his language if not in his theme-- that it was too bad he should be kept out of his own by a weazened, sallow, deformed, oroffling cripple. He said his bead brother ought to have been ashamed of himself; he Haid the mother must be a very wicked woman ; be called heaven and earth to witness that there hall never been a man so wronged and persecuted as he ; he demanded justice from the sun, and the air, and all these gods and goddesses, the names of which were about the only things remaining in his memory of an expensive classical education. He declared he roust go abrnad,must eave his native country, and lay his bones upon a foreign shore, when once again fortune relented and dealt ham: enotiter trump. A very distant relation died, and lef him twenty thousand pounds; an within a week after game a very sa letter from Mrs, Oargrave, paying els was about to take her son abroad, Itwas a forlorn hope, but she mean! to try it; and if Mr, Rokeby Gargrave of whose misfortunes she had been ve sorry to hear, and on whose recent in horitance she begged to congratulat him, liked, during her absence, to tall up his abode at Bryloy, she would b very glad to thinly that the old plat was so suitably occupied. "Heaven be praised !" cried Mr Gargrave, too excited at first to oxplaii the pause of delight to his wondering family. "Brayleyis as good as our own I wonder what those fieuds of trades peple will think now ? They shall no have another order from mo, if they tasked for it on bended knees"—which logit a little of its point owinst to the fact that no tradesmen with whom Mr Gargrave had ever had traneactioue was likely to desire their renewal upon any terms whatever. Then, indeed,oame a tiros of prosper ity, during the oontiuuanee of which Mr. Gargrave basked in the ennabine and caused his money to melt away like snow in thaw. What matter about that paltry sum, however. Pooh 1 the whole amount was not equal to one year's income o Brayley. When remonstrated with, as some- times lawyers and others will remon- e'rate, even though they feel remon - stranoe useless, Mr. Gargrave was wont to reply. "When poor Owen goes, of course I step into everything at once ; and then, think of the aeoumulations. I am sure I don't wish the lad dead ; but still life must be a burden to bine, Each post may bring the news that he is gone." But the posts carne in withoutbring- ing any news of the kind. According to his mother's account, the young fel- low grew no stronger, but still he clung tenaciously to life. If it were indeed a burden, he seemed in haste to lay it dow. °Thne doctors kept him alive," his uncle remarked, "but the vital spark is a mere glimmer. Any day or hour we may expect to hear it is extinguished altogether." And strong in this faith, and per- haps to keep his hand in practice, Mr. Rokeby Gargrave went on spending as though he had come into a milli:w in- stead of twenty tllotteaiial pounds. In time of prosperity young Michaelharecl. He had his horses, his dogs, his guns ; anything the young heir might have possessed, and more free- dom than au young heir would have been permitted. He was not well educated ; that his father observed. might be regarded as a matter of quite secondary importance. "It does not require much learning to spend thirty thousand a year," the old- er nano was want sapiently to remark. "And he will have that, at any rate, when i. am in the family vault. Better have good health than a knowledge of 'til the tongues living or dead. What did study do for my poor brother 2 He might have been alive now if he had not addled his brains with that Hebrew trash he was so fond of." When Michael Gargrave was about sixteen years old some friend of the family •suggested the propriety of his being placed in the way of learning a profession. "You mast remember," reasoned this individual, " that yonr nephew is not dead yet." "And none of as wish to be," retort- ed Mr. Gargrave,in an access of virtue. "To grudge a poor creature like that a few months of life --if Tiring it can be called --we should, indeed, be mercen- ary." "But supposing he should live for, say, twenty years ?" "My clear fellow, I can't buppose an impossibility, It is a mere question of time, and not a question of a very long ime first, either, I am afraid?' "But, still, no harm could be done by educating your son for a profes- sion." "Wel1,I am not sure of that. Aland. d proprietor should, in my opinion, be landed proprietor pure and simple, lot a parson, or a lawyer, or a doctor, r a soldier, but just the owner of the oil, with his interests concentrated in he soil and those who reside upon it," 'Humph!' commented the friond,who new very well indeed that the Gar - raves had for too often found their in. erects widely in variance from the in- erests of the men who rented their arms and tilled their field,. By the time Michael Gargrave was ighteen it may be a question whether is father did not again consider the wner of the Brayley an unroaoenable me about that simple matter of dying. Creaking gatee should nob stay on heir hinges for ever, and the young elbow had bean creaking for oter twenty-one years. To be eentinue•?. cl 0 ver t e 0 s t k g t t e 11 0 ti t 1,1117V7O0'7I' Q MI It. roj EMI XT CI DISCOUNT WILL )3E AL - .1. Y s. towed ea Mierieau TnVoiees until farthefarthermottor. JCIINSON, Dec, 4,'78-tf Oommissicner of Coustom, REMOVALM RAID' would remind his numerous Customers that be has removed to the shop formerly occupied by Mr, Head, whore he will befound ever ready to stteadtoanbp,siness in theBOOT rind SEI ML Line. C. RAU, Crediton, O!ATARRH ! CATARRH 1 ! USE' tivThe great Sierra Nevada Smoking Compound; The onlypositive curefor?Catarrh yet discovered. Pon SALE ET C. LUTZ'S CENTRAL DRUG STORE. W, L, SMITH, General Agent, Arkona, ont. ly-C& THE FALL WINTER TRADE 0. Southcott & Saxe. TAILORS and CLOTHIIERS, Talce pleasure to it form tb o inhabitantsof Exeter add surrounding country, that they have just ope.ied out an excellent assortment of Ttueeds, Coating/s, 1%'estinys etc., to thela test styles andpatterns,andfeel assured that iutnomatter ofcrothing, they can suit the moetfastidloustastes. PAINTING PAINTING 1. KITCHING Is prepared to do all kfuds of Hous e Painting, Paper -hanging Whitening, &o. at:reasonabl a prices and pnnet ually.�i J. DITCHING, Main st Exeter. REMOVAL! REMOVAL! RE MOVAL! REMOVAL! RE'4OVALf REMOVAL! P. FRAYN: has remove to his new shop, lately occupied by Perkins & Co—two doors north of J, Grigg's book store, where you will find everything usually kept ir a first-class harness establishment, which for 1uality of material and slyle of workmanship IS NOT EASILY SURPASSED Call and examine my stock before purchasing elsewhere. PETER FRAYNE. Marble Works. :o: W, D. WEEKES Dealer in MONUMENTS, HEADSTONES, MANTLE PIECES. FURNITURE TOPS, &c. Cemetery Work of all kinds neatly executed. 5 Doors North of Drew's Hall, Main street, GRAY'S SPECIFC MEDICINE. TRADE MARK. The GreatEnglish TRADE MARK; Reinedy,an unfail inmi- ', nal cur Weakness, Spermatorrhea, Impotency, and'all Diseases that fol- low as a sequence of Self abuse, as loss of Memory, Before Takingtuaa Pain n thessi- A r laking, trade, Pain in the Back, Dimness of vision, Premature old age, and many other Diseases that lead to Insanity or Consumption ii d a Premature grave. 1��Fnll Particulars in our pamphlet, which we desire to send fr,'e by mai] to every ono. r The Specific Medicine is soldby all druggists at •73,1per package or six packages for 55. or will be sent bymail on. receipt of the money by addressing TfE GRAY MED/CINE co.. WINDSOR, ONT., CANADA. r-Soldin Exeter by all druggists, and every- where in Canada and the United States by whole. sale and retail druggists. Christmas Comes but once a year—but some- body's Birthday every day, and a present is al- ways acceptable. :0 O. Remainder OF 0:'R FANCY GOODS TO BE SOLD CH E AP ! NOW IS TIME TOBUY ALT THE Dominion Laboratory, EXETEM