LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 100, 25 September 1874, Page 3

LITERATURE.

LOVE OR MONEY. [From Bom Bells.'] There were three Miss Gillets, spinsters, who lived with their Uncle Gillet, a bachelor, in their old house at Atwater ; and in pointing them out to strangers, the Atwaterites were accustomed to remark upon the fact that it was love or money with them, and that a Miss Gillet who married would cease to be her uncle's heiress. Nobody knew how much Mr Gillet was 'worth,' but that he was uncommonly wealthy was certain. He had no other living relations but these three girls ; and his peculiar prejudices rendered it unlikely that he would will his wealth away to any benevolent or public institutions whatever. So to whom could he leave the gold that he could not take out of the world with him, unless it were to Georgina, Millicent, and Dolly Gillet 1 All regularily instituted public charities Mr Gillet declared were 'frauds;' and friends he had none. Averred that friendship was "all humbug." As for marriage, it was, iu his opinion, something which all sensible people eschewed. The fact that in his earliest youth a dear friend had stolen from him the affections of the girl io whom he was betrothed, was at the bottom of all this. He trusted no one, because the two beings he had ouce loved and trusted utterly had deceived him. When his brother and his wife died in oue week of a fever, the bachelor uncle had done his best for the young people. He managed their little income, and provided luxuries for them which their means would not have allowed. He educated them, and allowed them a few female friends. But as they grew up, one law was maintained with inviolable rigidity. There was to be no courting and no marrying beneath his roof. Beaux were utterly forbidden ; and it was understood in the family that a Miss Gillet who married would be blotted from her uncle's will. ' What iufatuation ! They'll fight like cats and dogs iu a year,' he would exclaim when wedding cards were sent to him. ' Take warning by this poor couple, who don't know what is before them, girls. Oh, what infatuation ! ' And Miss Georgina Gillet would shakrher head, and her younger sisters would follow her example, and they would cry in chorus, ' Wha 1 infatuation !' They were pretty girls, tall, slender, redchecked, and blue-eyed ; little ears like pearl, little mouths like coral, dainty wrists, aud cunning hands—girls to be loved and married by nature ; but there was Uncle Gillet's money. So they grew up and grew older, still single, and not one of them had a thought of marriage iu all her life. There was Oliver Robb, who had followed Georgina about to and from church for a year. I don't think he wanted the heiress ; I believe he loved the girl ; but what use was it ? Gcorgie had given him a glance or I wo. and he had found favor in her sight; but he had only a clerk's salary, and it would be so delightful to handle thousands of her own. And Millicent had met Rufus King in the apple orchard once or twice ; but Dolly had never had even a passing flirtation— Dolly who was now eighteen, and prettiest of the three. It wa3 a well-understood matter in the village, as well as in the family that marrying a"Miss Gillet lost her inheritance. Doctor Hush (a handsome young medical man) had beard it, and believed it to be true, when Uncle Gillet, having a touch of rheumatism, sent for him to prescribe. He had always thought the three slender girls, with ripe, round checks, dappled with peach color, the prettiest things he had eve? seen ; but when he stood face to face with Dolly, he fell in love with her. He looked after her as she went out of the room, and Uncle Gillet looked at him sharply. 'My niece is a pretty girl,' he said. ' I see you think so. She's a sensible girl too. They are all sensible girls ; they prefer a single life and pecuniary independence, to the miseries of marriag.' ' By your advice I believe, sir,' observed the doctor.

• They consider me a man of experience, and I'm entitled to respect.' ' But are you not rather hard, sir ?' said the doctor. 'A* beautiful girl like that * ' Hard ?' cried Uncle Gillet. ' What's love worth ? It fades in a week, and is stone dead in a year. What do men give their wives but deceit and neglect? Either the wife deceives the husband, or the husband the wife. Better never to love than to see love die. Dolly's a dear little girl. I hope phe'll never flng herself into any one's arms, to be dropped when the sweetness has been kissed out. That's a wife's destiny. 'lf she ever does, no money of mine ever goes into the brute's pockets.' ' All the fault is on the man's side ?' asked the doctor. 'lt's a miserable muddle'altogether, this marriage,' said Uncle Gillet; 'don't talk about it any more.' Dr Rush did not, at that time ; but about dusk next evening, Dolly, crossing the bridge just out of Atwater, paused to look down into the water; and then and there some one came behind her and said, « Miss Gillet I' She turned with a start. It was Dr Rush. 1 It is growing so late that I mean to see you home,' he said. ' I have just left the good uncle ;he is better. He will be well in. a day or two. He has a strong constitution, and is a man to live a hundred years old.' ' I'm very elad/said Dolly. ' I think you are seventeen,' said the doctor, smiling. ' WVII,' cried Dolly, ' ladies don't tell their ages ; but I am that, and a year more.' ■ Your uncle is fifty,' said the doctor. 'You'll probably be sixty-seven when ha takes his departure.' ' My goodness !' cried Dolly ; ' how terribly old !" ' You don't really mean to live single all that time ?, asked Dr Rush. •Of course I do,' said Dolly, as innocently as possible. ' I don't mean to let you,' said the doctor. 'l'm in love with you. If mortal love has any power, I'm going to call you my wife. Confound the money ! I'll giva you all you can need, and I'll try to give you all you want. Of course you don't care for me; but I'll make you. Do you want me to swear it?' 'Oh mercy ! no,' said Dolly. ' You are very nice, and I'm sure I—don't. I can't ever. Oh, goodness ! don't talk so.' ' You can't ever like me ?' asked the doctor, insinuatingly. ' No, I don't mean that,' said Dolly. ' I can't ever marry.' ' But you'll take a walk over the bridge tomorrow ?'said the doctor. 'Well, perhaps so,' said Dolly. And so she did. She took a great many ; and at last, one day, Dr Rush was allowed to sli p a ring upon her finger, and to kiss her hand. ' I shan't have a penny,' said Dolly. ' You are sure you don't mind ?' ' All the pennies we want I can earn myself,' said the doctor. ' And uncle will be so angry !' said Dolly, demurely. ' But lam so glad !' said Dr Rush. 'And you must tell the truth at once, and marry me in a month. Promise, Dolly.' Dolly promised. Gcorgina and Milly sat at work together that evening, while Uncle Gillet read to them. Dolly was not sewing. She held the work, it is true, but her hands never moved towards the needle. She did not hear a word that was uttered ; but when at last there came a pause, she dropped the musliu and started to her feet. ' If you please, uncle,' she said, ' there's something I must tell. I can't keep it secret any longer. It isn't a bad thing—it's a good thing ; only I knew you'd be angry. I'm going to marry Dr Rush.' Gcorgina and Milly screamed in chorus. •We don't care for losing the money,' said Dolly. ' Money is nothing compared with love'; but we want to be friends here at home. As for things left in wills, it's a miserable sort of hope. I'm glad I shan't have any. If you'll only not be angry, and come to see us and let us come to see you, that's all we hope. He's perfectly splendid, dear Richard Rush is. I love him awfully, and he loves me awfully ; and we're to be married this day month, no matter what anybody says.' ' You are, eh ?' said Uncle Gillet. ' Yes, sir,' said Dolly. ' And he knows my opinions ?' 'Of course,' said Dolly. 'He knows that I'll never have a penny.' ' Then make fools of yourselves if you like,' said Uncle Gillet. ' You'll come to the wedding, won't you ?' asked Dolly. 'No ; but I'll let your sisters go,' said Uncle Gillet. ' I never go to weddings or executions.' So the wedding came off. Dolly, in white muslin, married her Richard Rush. Gcorgina and Millicent wept, as custom required, and spoke of their sister as ' poor Dolly.' They were very kind, as to a beloved, but misguided lunatic, and gave her useful presents, and promised to ' do all they could for her.' Dolly did not feel that she wanted anything. They seemed poor to her, those heiresses who had no one to love them. She went to her husband's home, and never a cloud came between them, and never a change fell upon their love. Uncle Gillet never made them a present; but he came to dine sometimes, and always kissed the last baby. As for the Misses Gillet, they had no means at command, though they had such fine prospects. Oliver Robb had been dismissed long before by Gcorgina. She had told him plainly that she could not sacrifice mammon to love. And Millicent had had another meeting with Rufus King in the orchard. 'lt's the last time, Milly," Rufus had said, ' I can*t go on offering myself for ever ; but I love you better than my life, and always shall.' 'I like you Rufus,' said Milly, ' and it seems hard ; but uncle will not relent. I can't lead a poor woman's life even for you.' 'Then good-bye, Milly,' said Rufus. There's no love where money can be set against it.' So they parted. And now Georgina was forty, and Milly thirty-eight, and Dolly thirty-five. Business was worse with the doctor. A richer practitioner had taken much of his practice. Dr Rush trudged 'over the country, in all weathers and at all hours ; and so one night some ruffian, who did not know how empty his wallet was, attacked him in a lonely place, and left him for dead. To be continued.