The Argosy — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The House of Halliwell. 9G GMAT rer’ ti. THE MAJOR’S INVESTMENT. “Now for a bit of cosy chat all to ourselves, according to old custom,” cried Aunt Copp, drawing her chair to the fire between Major and Mrs. Halliwell, and putting her feet on the fender. ‘ What a good-looking young fellow Alfred grows !” “ He'll do,” said Major Halliwell. “Do! I should think his looks would do. Why in the world do you make a parson of him ?” “He did not like the army. And one could not put a Halliwell to trade.” “But a parson!” remonstrated Aunt Copp. “Poor creatures, if they do get into any little scrape or peccadillo, it must put such a weight of responsibility on their heads. And men are not saints all their lives long, parsons or no parsons.” “ Oh, he will get along, just as other parsons do,” laughed the Major. “He is an excellently-disposed lad,” added Mrs. Halliwell. ‘“ He has not a vice about him.” “ Mothers always think that,” responded Aunt Copp, in her pro- voking way. ‘‘I hope he'll get a good living: not one of your paltry starvation things, at a hundred a-year.” “T expect to leave him something worth having, Rebecca,” said the Major. ‘‘ More than I once thought for.” “ How’s that?” cried Aunt Copp, pricking up her ears. ‘ They'll have—now there are only five of them—from three to four thousand each, I suppose.” “Double that, I hope,” said the Major. ‘‘ Your fortune-telling cards were not far out to-night, when they said I was up to my ears in business. I am not, but my money is.” “What on earth do you mean ?” questioned Aunt Copp. ‘“T withdrew my money from the funds about fourteen months ago, to invest it. It brings me in larger interest, and the capital— whenever I like to withdraw it—will also be doubled in the shape of a bonus.” ‘““ Invest it in what ?” was the sharp question. “In a Company. The Perpetual Aid Fire and Life Insurance Company.” Aunt Copp gazed at the Major. ‘‘ What possessed you to do that? And you,” she added, turning short round to Mrs. Halliwell, ‘‘ hove could you let him do it?” ‘“ Did anyone ever do a thing yet that you did not find fault with, Rebecca?” testily demanded the Major. ‘Because I have my weather eye open, and can see into things clearer than some folk,” responded Aunt Copp. ‘ Mrs, Halliwell, -comichooks.c@© am