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‘ ’- ~.'-‘.\ . A “an 1‘ “wmr-hwun- .. . . ‘ ' to wavy-$318.3 ‘ . . < , ‘ anew who“; Tunks were tw ble settlers in their county. Florida. Of course they were valuable for different reasons. Ezra was reckon- ed a firstâ€"rate settler because he could turn his hands to many and various things. He had edited the Cleurwater Chronicle for a fort- night. and he was great at orange- and making wheelbarrows. started in the growing As editor. giving a mole , exrell. nt land over and above family‘s ownings or purchases Clem-water Chronicle all over the continent, and t subsequently. tiers with an daughters having moles on right arms. His column. as he a very “cute feature of the Chronâ€" icle." Here are two specimens his aphorisms :â€" Th- old year is rapidly drawing to a. close. Don‘t over-estimate your position, d without wives and 1 17‘. . o ‘ In dfulltlon to all this, Ezra I: cass, and new-com ’ emptyish 12’ very hospitable boarding them with his daughter Mercy at two dollars a day, just for all the world as if his house were an hotel. As a rule, however, h-- Sold the'n land as some set-off to this gunnrositv. Mercy 'l‘unks was a pretty girl after the American style. This is to say. she was fascinatingly selfâ€" COIISL‘ln‘lS. impudent to the last de- with grey eyes showing a des- pcrate amount of shrewdness,a sweet, little mouth and ear, an elegant turn-'d-zzp nose, and delicate small hands and feet. of th'se:lnst would have baffled the genius of the most skilled Of afithl‘o‘ poiog'ists. for Mercy’s father wore immeasurable boots, her mother (now dead) had had limbs with ap- iemlagcs as large as ff‘i‘ésiden't} livid: Coins. and her grandparents were so pl~*lvt'l:ln that. they were never men- tionwtl own in the 'l‘unks’ democratic lllillli‘fi‘ll‘f'lf‘. To tell the truth, however. though she spoke like a Kltchcnmaid, and had manners inconvenient for polite ii”. she was a girl to run after. At leuigt. lizart war! the. idem of bin: thalt: sun“ ptiSSt'SSCd Polk county. llrii Mercy, though eighteen (in l-‘loritln a full ripe age for matri- Illiif‘._\". had hitherto. mocked man- hiziti. She ellected to be too lazy I‘\-'ll in rillilo upon her suitors, g ree. \\i‘:;t'li. of course, made them yearn, glance, even i l tir‘ more for a thou-4h a contemptuous one, from her loxely eyes. She was fondcr of nothing than lolling about in the sunshine. with or without a ten-cent irated from the talent of En-i in her brown little hand. Tunks, Novel 41» glullal ._ ilr-i- father adored Miss straightway cil from his waistcoat pocket scribbled of! the following adv mcnt, which duly London ‘ hundred dollars All found, ,and the industry taught gratis; inrst be strong and willing to work; prefer- red with' a knowledge of pumping. perhaps. Wri a secided influx of set- t their made to catch one o ” Aphorism so called it, was thOug'hiw I guess. of It’ll give us To trace the origim graveyard in Port day ! least ways in Florida. nership afterwards, to Mr. Ezra. 'Tunks. 1k County, Florida, d that, chile. ‘It’s f the strong, soft; rt, and that’s what we desiderate, It’s his arms and legs we d his bit of money, too: excuse to shunt that old hoss, Luke, wno eatsâ€"â€"" “Lor, papa, if you’d have seenhim‘i this very ' g at breakfast. I declare I thought he' ' done. He packed abo of rice and grease into his old car- then ’ said he feltâ€"well, pine for, an “Great Scott !” exclaimed Ezra Tunks. paling through his maho- gany-colored skin- ”A meal like that three times a day! and ' si'x cents a pound n the Clearwater stores, let alone his tw a This young Britisher'll come just in time to dig the sweet taters and cut the cane of the new amt pat-2h. Titat'll do nicely, !” “Do Englishmen eat. much, pa ?” “They generally die, my Chile-â€" ’ a lock, by the Gulf. with only fifteen heaps in it, and twelve of them's over British bones. It don't suit their constitution, I reckon. l t's very sad for them, but we can't help that, can we, if they will come courting of death as they do ?" “I guess you're right." murmured Mercy, as she gawd dreamily across the glittering lake at the dark green woods on the other side, canopied by the blue mavens. can't foflks;!’i “Timcs are I make out why God made "My chile, the. ain’t no business . We show our gratitude sufficiently, I reckon, if we ' st as smart- ly as We know how." Mercy's only comment upon this wicked philosopy was a sleepy "\Val." It was so hot that she fell asleep in the next moment, in spite of the mosquitoes and the noisy grunting of a mockingâ€"bird in imitation of an old sow. CHAPTER II. The scene changes to an ancient. ' :. -. a . ' ‘ ‘ l ,- . W”“h ““5 (,mte m the order 0‘ na- 3 gabled manor-house in Buckingham- ”. . i-tainly an uncouth lshire An important enough house l \ "i if Iv,“ ' .( '- . .i omit. vntlemau t.) be blessed with ltwo or three hundred years ago ; 1m. such. an offspring. . 13125.. ILC‘Zl'iCLIi. from his chin, and gave him some- thing to hold when his hands were at a lors for occupation. He gen- t-rally \vz-nt about in his shirt skews. wearing a sugarloaf (:rowueclg,,.0ne for Duncombe Manor lnow nibbled the grass to the very i l locked up against the outer wall of‘ i "I guess we’ll: Englishman. {Pitt Duncombe. Esquire, himself, the good i present owner Them was sauntering about the dishevelled straw hat immense of brim. “My gal 2" said Ezra 'l'unks, one sw lit-ring August day, as me sat his wooden house on the SI. of l‘;-;:i‘\\'ater Lake. line to get a young like other folk. 'l‘hey‘re real :1? hard work while. they last. blacks is the very Satan to the poc- ket at two dollars the day." "“111.” exclaimed with one eye upon her father, lay extended in the hammock slung iii-tween two of the green posts the veranda. and one of her fair, slim ankles hung gracefully over the mice of the tissue. “There‘s no objection, eh '2” “None from me, you bet, pa: tiers ain't sassiety, and I’m weary of Doctor Smith.” “Ah. there you‘re kinder wrong, chile. The doctor has a very pretty balance of dollars in the Jackso ville bank. I can tell thee 1” "W41. let him. He's five-and- thirty. and full of greythairs.” ‘ Mr. Tunks laughed ironically. "Five and thirty’s the prime time of manhood, and you won't find many in these parts as they have . Aycr’s Cherry Pcctoral guiets tickling throats, hack- ing coughs, pain in the lungs. It relieves congestion, sub- Cherry Pectoral dues inflammation. Your donor will A. grey tuft of beard hung t I He was lean as? -.:nd much ‘00 tall ‘0 b" sym<| . mained in the sunklen moat on one i l Mercy Tunks,l . sheltimes, agricultural depression, recal- [citrant farmers, of land that sort of thing. And yet ltherc was a subdued sweetness in his traces of its vast greatness still re- side. now smoothed off into a pad- dock. Formerly peacocks sunned themselves on the green, raised bank of garden at the back of the build- ing. But these fair old times were Sheep windows the house; and the flower-beds nurtured many a weed An air of genteel neglect prevaded the house and grounds alike. The same might have been said of of the manor. He lawn in a coat of rusty velveteen with his hands in his pockets. His countenance was eloquent of hard unlet homestead 5, expression that told of the gentle- manly heart within him. If you could have read his thoughts, you would have found them to this ef- dead feet :â€" “-A man can put up with Fortune’s knocks well enough so long as they hit him and no one else. But the n- ricochet ! that’s where the rub comes ,in. How in the world are the boys ‘ going to make their way in life, handicapped as they are by their gentility ‘? This gentility seems a most unmarketab‘le quality, Heater. help us !” “There‘s Ralph! He’s the very fel- low for a soldier, like his uncles and great uncles; but he can’t get through his exams, and mess expenses would break him altogether. Bob, too, poor fellow, has nothing but his fine face and strong limbs. That last re- port of him from Harrow was a. nice thing: Shows extraordinary talent in remaining in a form among boys two or three years junior to him.’ And now he has been at home two yearsâ€"there's no. money for Oxford or Cambridge in his case, even if he could qualify. Well, well, thank Heaven, a hundred years hence it will be of no consequence to any pne.’, Mr. Duncombe was proweding with these unprofitable reflections, so hit- ter to the man of sixty, when a lady stepped upoo the lawn by the French window of one of the lower rooms of the house. “Read that,” she said, somewhat peremptorily. “It seem quite pro- vidential.” ”What is it about, Karin?” “Read it, and you will see its ap- plication fast enough.” Mr. Duncmnbe took the Times, and ooked up at his wife in a faint- “You 2 it would do for either of-â€"â€"" ”For Robert, of course." the inherent snakesâ€"by one or causes it seemed to grant come to a Speedy and tragic end. oak tree and was endeavoring shouldered young man in good as 21â€"â€" can only give you my opinion. will, of course, disregard it; but I have the consolation of knowing that I tried to save one of your sons from the ruin he's sure to come to if he stays here doing nothing. '- Mr. Duncombe put his hands to his forehead as his wife sailed back into the house with an indignant rustle of her dreSS. away from the house, descended the worn old steps that once connected the park land with the manor gar- strolled idly among the old leaves been in Se . Pitt Duncombe’s thoughts now less pleasant than ever. notion that his wife had thruSt into his mind was of so composite a kind. It Was natural that a step-mother (especially her money was the sole stay of the establishment) should make no pretence of caring about step-sons; but should he, his bOy's ‘ 'f be also were indif- Florida ! ' y, surely that meant death to an Englishman! Fevcrs, brawls, the unaccustomed climate, other of these him that the emi- of gentle origin was sure to He sat down on the dry root of an to take a more dispassionate view 0 the case when the near crack of a gun made him start upon his feet. “By J'ove, dad !” cried a broad- knickcrboc- kers, clapping a hand upon his thigh as he held his smoking gun aside. "I nearly had you. Fancy you being there "Never mind, Bob. ' A miss is as am so fond of “As a mile. eh? fel- thosc old proverbs, because a low can remember them. somehow. l've potted three and a half licencâ€" not bad in an hour, you know. is it? But I say. why do you look so down, I didn't know. To tell you the truth, my boy, I “us think- ing about you !" ' "Oh, come! well, I mu sorrv the thought of me has such an cll'eCt up- on you. Tell me, what ;.; it“? I'll do anythingâ€"any mortal thing that men can do -â€"to pleas»: you--you know I will, if I can 2" “'X es, yes. my boy. 1 was hoping something might happen. We inn;- combes are not so clever as other p‘;(2~|;l6. I sulipose !" "I know I'm a fool, father-always was. to the best of my recollection Yet if I could do anything for the Olzl place! It makes me wild some- times.” “Your step-mother thinks-”"- “Hang it all, dad, I clout care a partridgefeather what she thinks. What do you think ?" “It is this that has excited her to- day; read it. if you like. I have nothing to do with it, one. way or the other." The youn; man took the paper. and sent fully two minutes in digesting Mr. Tunk‘s advertisement 7 lie was so slow and dense. “I see, he exclaimed at length, looking up with sparkling eyes. "Well, I'll go and gladly. though I don't know so much about pumps. I like that chance of partnership afterwards.” Whereabouts is Flo- rida, dad ? And how much is a dolâ€" lar? Come, dear old dad, don't: make so much of it. What does it matter if one chick leaves the nest, when there are so many others ?" Bob Duncombe put his arm round his father’sr neck, and would have sacrificed a. year's patridge shooting to know what to say to chase away the sadness on the old man's face. It was more than sadness, however; it was despair; for Bob was his favorite son. and therefore, as he fancied. the one least in the esteem of his second wife. “If I were free," Pitt Duncombe said, somewhat brokenly, “how I should like to go with you! We'd make a new house for the old family, wouldn't we ?” “Ay, that we would. But I tell you what, if when we‘ve talked it over we all like the idea, I‘ll go out do much by then. why I can come back for a year at any rate. If I don't do much by then, why I can come back, can’t I. like so many others ?" “Yes, that’s true, my boy; and there's no knowing what may happen in a year. Suppose we get home and have a chat about it before lunch 1’" 7 This they did, the palaver being held in an old summer house at one corner of the lawn. The result was that Bob Duncombe accepted Florida as his destiny. A letter was written to Mr. Tunks (whose name, thought Mr. Dun- combe, was the most frightful fea- ture of a bad bmim), and Bob Duncombe followed the letter, with one hundred pounds in his pocket, two leathcrn portmanteaux, and a gun-case. Though he had no knowâ€" vale-fiver low and jumped down. the dusky driver w him in the buggy hours from Barton, f says he. ‘the quicker your back in He wandemd ing £3,955 embargemedof ars and Creams, Tea Pots during the last six “I'm frightfully we've met to part. Josh Deâ€" ' ’t seen many Britishers to beat youâ€"by gosh. he ain't .l," “Throw out the luggage,_ and by to you,” said Bob, man a dollar for himself. one in?" he cried, beating upon the door. . .. “Seems as if there ain't, ”Oh. my starS. S“ PORCELAINâ€"Sugars and , Rose Bowls, Fern Pots, he” the dorky, with a lingering gri on his lips. “You're sure this is the placeâ€" Ezra 'I‘unks, Clearwater, Polk Counâ€" ty ?" askeh Bob. reading the address from his pocket-book. Dead sure! They'll be in byâ€"and- by, boss. You be patient. and jes' smoke till they comes. Maybe I'll see a colored gentleman among the -_______________â€"â€"-â€"â€"" cane, and I'll send nim along to the . house. GOOd'day' boss ‘ I can't they lie low before they know what 5 Wait. because Mr. Torriss he says, o’clock." “I cuppa“ you have encountered “Oh, do they !" said Bob. worn gale. than this?” asked an in A rather embarrassing silence fol- qumuvo Wt of the sailor mu ' ' during a very moderate bit of a blow. son of Mammon," said Bob, with a he should like to “Thll yore ain’t a tale," responded flourish of the hand as the dusky dri-‘ pd _ _, l l . the salt. “Why, I was onct in the bay ver mow-d awav with a parting show that she W‘mld 10"" cons! ”'1 J 5 o. 3196‘! when the wind L-lew all the more lovely if she paid more attcn- paint oldie bulwarkl. It tool; four, of white teeth. ked b t h' It t' 1 her hair Not that it mat- ()ur friend 100' 9» 0“ un. ton G ' ‘ I ' . ' v: . I was a brettv spot for Florida. The tered so very mUChv for he mung,“ 3:11;; 03:: ihhznczllt‘llgscnlliirgnwgr white house. was built on the slope her charming enough as it was._ E’llb tt That . bl . of a knoll of light colored sand. though she did not refuse to meet Mono 1: om; wasa ow. about fifty feet above a lake. Be- his gaze as often as he would have for yer. Why, even -â€" 3 tween the house and the water waslliked. But by this timetlu curious passen-I at they would callc a get realized thnt he was being sawed,- ._,.. asked Mgr- and be 414 not give thelmaeinsitive tat-'- an: orchard of orange trees in Ithe "Are you-wit pink of condition. The red fruit gentlemanâ€"tn England g the chance of finishing his interesting; narrative. r 00.181 Jule. hung by thousands among the glossy cy at length. leaves of the shapely trunks. Behind (Continued on Page Three) Juneâ€"After looking at me for a min-2 at. or two Harry said. “Do you know, the house was a tuft of pines, and on the either side were more pines-in ____â€"â€"â€"--â€"â€"â€"'â€"â€"- fact, the primeval forest. The sun in the clouded heavens shone upon Jane. thfit ‘ veil improves .‘WU greatâ€"5 the lake and the Woods beyond, and U7" Carrieâ€"Not very complimentary made as fair a seene as a somewhat Janeâ€"No but what pleased me was? tired traveller could wish to behold. the fine tact be employed in impartingi “This Mr. 'l‘unks ought to be u t th cliffâ€"Boston ’l‘mni ' said Bob aloud to him- In unplemn 0‘19 ‘ ‘ -. A I“ of a Blow. Barton, the more cents you‘ll get for the job.’ " “Fare thee well then, thou happy man,‘ self. As he turned to examine the green- shuttered house more minutely, he saw somebody’sl head slide away from one of the windows. “on, 1 say," he “mum“, " that's OakWOOd mean. Let a fellow in, will you ‘2 I’m here on particular business." General Merchants “ ROBERT CHAMBERS ll prepared to furnilh the people 0‘ Lindsay and ourrOunding country with monument- and headstone“: both marble and granite. Elam” may given on.11 kind. of cemetery muisltea. He approached the window, and- with appalling rudeness stared inside the room. TEN DEPARTMENTS KEPT There his eyes met those of Mercy Tunks, who seemed as if she had not WELL ASSORTED [o'rll‘i been .out of bed. . 0 girls hand went towards a re- volver on the table, and she looked Boots and Sh Time flies when a man is in 107% fiercely at the intruder. ”does money. . Bob took off his hat, with a loud oes __ apology, hand ifurimd his lbackzvdte-l A few lines of ladies! 10w shoes left Every old bachelor WOOId 11111”? H nounc ng_ unsc- or a. 00 as L e. ’ Worth $1.25 and $1.50 to clear at he could find a woman who would but in his heart deeply interested lll ' _ take him at his own valuation. the girl whose pretty gray eyes had M8118 Working Boots from $1.00 tol glared at him with such a becoming 32.00. i expression of anger. M n’ fin ., He sat down on a portmantcau and e .8 e Boots 31“”5 to “'00’ a fell a-wondering what would happen. Ladies' fine Lace BOO“ $1.35 to Would the young woman by-and-by 33-50- appcar and invite him into the S - - . house ? Or would he have to wait [33:1 dittgttzifeithaviitzeen 51:8; to the home-coming of Mr. Ezra Tunks‘? results so 0 Ives '3 l. a cry A hand on his shoulder arousedI i5 and customers. him. Mercy had dressed herself to ' the best of her ability. “Say, what do you do here ‘3" she asked, and he noticed she still held . . the pistol in her right hand. 9 “Really." said Bob, with a most Tallorlng Departmet generous how. “I can't say how vex- - . ed I feel at being such a cad. I h%mTw°eds'F, new rantings, new wasn’t sure I saw any one, and I bed" m me° did it to make sure, you know. Please forgive me 1’" Sta l . . , all . ..... m. p e ry oods a“... .2. was “awn...“ "and who are you ?" But she sud- price. More 61:51:16 >lsewher6- denly changed her tone as she caught We keep a full range of Staple Dr'v pun: 13$ t sight. of his name on a portmanteau. Goods, in shining; MWdeé WORKS,â€"1n “You don't say you're Mr. Robrt flannelettco, flannel: 'pl'ints lin-' C ' ., oppoe Duncombe. Wul. it was real smart inane“. ' ' ' Hon”. of you. I guess you look good for W . something, but I misdoubt it being ‘? “‘79 M 3 wt! of procur- the kind of Something father wants!" 338. 800d3_f01‘ custom. as we find Macy's enthusiasm had led' her to it Impossible to keep full range say so much' that .he felt ashamed “1 9V6? department. It goods on of herself; not for many a long day ”TN“ are Mt mm ry to had she rattled off words to such all our “tomers we do not alk them extent. Without well knowing what, take the goods, she did, she let her eyes fall before . the earnest gaze of Master Bob. The Grocery Stock is freshm- “May I ask who you are ‘2" dc- mandcd that Young gentleman in his ed every wek Via :RW most dulcet tOne'S. m “Mercy," she began, and then stopâ€" rd in a fit 0‘ Otlstinacy. “ “0h, all right ! I ask your pardon for my impel'tinence, since you take A R Lo it so. I thought you might be a re- E LY c SING lative of Mr. MM (1 name for a , gentleman. isn’t .. a»- Monday, Wednesday “Odd or not, young man, he’s my Fri 9 father." ° aw...“ .day Evenings at 6 O’Clock. Kindl govern accord- O Ineg then you are a Miss gracious, I’m so plea- be in the same house By Jove, that will (opal is made as good‘ as a varnish can be; It’s for general 11562). _ . . W Residen first do Methodi to 11 ' p.111.