The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-02-04
A Curious Page of Family History.

- 80 IA = 011AxxV xR18EO1Y.
Inc Chambellaus were an old Yorkshire
iamily. which once had held n h;gh nlsce
among the landed gentry Of the conntrv. 3
knight oi That family had been Crusader n the
army OF Richard Cnur de Lion and now he
.ay! WIN az ms insignia about him, in the
parish church, while others Of his race -.
posed in the same chanceI, under monn,nens.
and brasses, which spoke Of their name and
fame during their generations. In the lapse Of
time the family had become impoverished. and
gradually merged into the class ofyeomen. re.
tanning only q remnant Of the broad lands
which had once belonged TO them. In lids,
the elder branch Of the family, consisting of
the father, two sons, and a daughter, resided ut
what had once been the mansion house. Ii
had been built originally in the reign Of Ste
phen, and was carious specimeNof different
kinds OF architecture, bearing traces OF it's
gradual Transformation from the stronghold Of
the days when it was no metaphor to say that.
every mans house was his castle, down 10 the
more peaceful of lawful and orderly times. II
had now become little more than better sort
OF farmhouse. What had been the tilt-y ard
was filled with a row OF comfortable barns,
cart-sheds, and hay-stacks: a low wall of
rough gray onesincl0sed small garden: a
narrow gravel walk edged on each side with
currant-trees and gooseberry bushes, led up to
the line old porch, embowered in the ivy and
creepeTs which covered nearly the whole of
the building with its luxuriant growth. The
Old gateway at the entrance of the yard was
still surmounted with the f'coat arnnor'' of the
family, carved in stone but the gates them
selves had long ago disappeared, apd been re-
placed by acommen wooden farm-yard gate.
The 'coat armor'' itselfwas covered with moss,
and fine crop of grass and house-leek grew
among the stonesaof the walls, to which it
would have communicated desolate appear
ance, II the farm yard arrangements had been
less orderly.
Halsted Hall, as it was called, was six miles
from the city of York, and stood about mile
from the main road. The only approach to il
was by long rough lane, so much cut up BY
the carts and cattle that it was almost impas-
sable to ot-passengers, except in the height of
summer depth of winter, when the mud had
been dried up by the sun or frost. s
The father and brothers attended the differ
ent taIrs and markets in the ordinary course of
business; their sister, Mary Chambellan, man.
aged the affairs of the house and dairy. She
led avery secluded life, forthey had no neigh.
bofs, and OF general society there was none
nearer than the cityitself. Mary however, had
plenty OF occupation, and was quite contented
with her lot. She was near IL, tall, welt formed.
and an air of composed dignity which suit.
ed well with her position, which was of great re-
spoons billy for SO young person. Her mother,
who had been dead rather more than year,
had been woman of superior education and
strong character. To her Mary owed all the
instruction she had ever received, and the
,inge of refinement which made her manners
very superior to those Of either her father or
brothers. She, however, was quite unconscious
ofthis, and they all lived very happily together
in the old out-of the-way place.
1t happened that, in the spring OF 1745, an
uncle of her mothers, who resided at York,
was about to celebrate the marriage of one of
his daughters; Mary Chambellan, with her
father and brothers, were invited to the festyi-
ties. The father would have sent an excuse
for himself and Mary; he was getting old, and
did not like to be put out of his usual ways.
The brothers, however, pleaded earnestly that
their sister might have little recreation
Finally consent was obtained, and she went
with her brothers.
I,was very fine wedding, and ball and
supper finished the rejoicings. Some of the
officers, quartered with their reg giments in York
were invited to this ball. Among others was
certain Captain Henry. Pollexfen. He was
young man of good family in the south of
England, heir to a large fortune; and extreme
ly handsome and attractive onhis own account,
independent of these advantages. f;s
He was, by all accounts, a type Of the fine.
high spirited young fellow of those days; good
eomPCfSus SCuCfuus, uuu OtcfHOWIHS Win Wit0
animal life and spirits, which he threw off in
thousand impetuous sextrayagances. He could
dance all night at q ball, ride dozen miles 10
meet the hounds the following morning, and,
after hard days sport, sit down to deep ca.
rouse, and be as fresh and gay after it as if he
had been following the precepts of Lewis Cor
naro. The women contended with each other
to attract his attentions; but although he was
devoted to every woman he came near, and re-
Ii Il. IL 4 4 a.
indefatigably, his attentions were so indiscrimi-
nate, that there was not one belle who could
fiatter herself that she had secured him for her
"humble seryant's--as lovers were then wont
to style themselves. Mary Chambellan was
not, certainly, the belle Of the wedding ball
room, and by no means equal in fortune or So
cial position to most of the women present; but
whether from perverseness, or caprice, or love
of novelty, Henry Pollexfen was attracted by
her, and devoted himself to her exclusively.
The next York Assembly was to take place
in few days; and this young man, who did not
know what contradiction meant, made Mary
promise 10 be his partner there. Old Mr..
Chamhellan, however, who thought his daugh-
ter had been away from home long enough
fetched her back himself on the following day;
and Mary would as soon have dared to ask to
go to the moon as to remain to 60 10 the assem-.
bly,. Henry Pollexfen was extremely disap.
pointed when he found that Miss Chambellan
bad returned home but he was too much ca
ressed and sought after to be able to think long
about the matter, and SO his sudden fancy soon
passed away.
In the autumn Of the same year he met one
of her brothers in the hunting field. Accident
threw them together toward the close of hard
davis run; when, in clearing a stone fence,
some loose'stones were dislodged, and struck
Captain Pollexfen's horse, laming him severe.
ly. Night was coming on; il was impossible
to return 10 his quarters on fool; and young
Chu.nbellan invited bis fellow sportsman 70 go
home withhim-H Halsted Hail being the nearest
hab;,ation. The invitation was accepted
Although old Mr.. Chambellan would as soon
have opened his doors TO dragon, yet even
he could find no fault under the circumstances,
and was constrained to welcome their danger
ons guest with old-fashioned hospitality. He
soon become so charmed with his visitor,
that he invited him to return, and the visitor
gladly did so.