The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-08-21
ONLY FOR ONE WEEK,
[CoNTINUED.]

CONTINUED
Dear Miss Fortescue:-I feel very
grateful to you for allowing me to make
full explanation of what must appear
to you to have been my extraordinary
behavior to you on the night of the ball
and if, after the perusal of this letter,
you will consent to give me your assist
ance, my gratitude will be boundless
forindeed you will help me out Of great
difficulty, one through which my happi-
ness might be shipwrecked, unless can
manage to evade it. must tell you all
from the beginning, before I can expect
you to Judge Of the case. When I was
about fifteen years old, my father, who
vas then my only surviving parent, died,
leaving me to the care and guardianship
Of his half.brother, who was twelve years
bis Junior, then just twenty eight years
of age. My fathers marriage had been
all unhappy one, and his dying request
TO my uncle was, then he would use his
utmost endeavours to prevent me from
contracting an early marriage, in order
that my Judgment and taste should be
so far matured as to render an 1mpru-
dent choice least probable. True to ithe
promises thus exacted my uncle, as
grew older, used every means in his pow
sr to exclude me from female society,
keeping,as vigilent watch over me as
was consistent with the exercise of the
duties which his profession involved
His regiment was ordered to India, when
had completed my twenty-frst year.
Before his departure, he made arrange
ments with q friend of his who was on
the point of sailing in a yacht for the
Atlantic, that should accompany him
This plan pleased me, as offering an
opportunity of gratifying my long cher
ished wish to see the world and some.
thing Of life, for had till then limited
experience, my University career having
been short and studious one, my uncle
having prohibited travel in the vaca-
tons, which I usually had spent with
him in some quiet place. 1t was with
delight that heard we were bound for
America, and that we should probably
visit Canada, where the gentleman
whom was to accompany had bache-
lor brother residing In his last inter-
view with me, before starting, my uncle
talked to me long and seriously as to my
future, and upon the Importance of my
exercising the greatest discretion in the
choice of wife, should at any time he
matrimonially disposed. He reminded
me that nv fortune had been placed by
my father at his disposal for Inc, until
should reach my twenty-6fth year. At
ter that time he should ceas to exercise
his right to influence my actions, but
that until theu he would in no case con-
sent to my marriage, or, indeed, to any
engagement of the kind, unless he should
himself be perfectly satisfied with
the lady-who must possess no
less that three requirements of his own
naking-namely: That she should he
tall, that her name should be Constance
aud that she should possess, at least Que
Thousand pounds. To these he annexed
q condition which bound me to wait to
engage myself until he should sec her.
und be enabled thus to form his own
Judgment. l had not yet dreamed of
marrying at all, and troubled myself very
little about the promises which readily
made to what ] considered my uucIe's
eccentric exactions. Nor did / think
then that he seriously intended to stand
to them, but faucied he was testing in u
grave kind Of way as he often did in con-
versatiOn with me. After a delightful
voyage we reached the new world, and
soon arrived at Toronto, our destination
was most kindly welcomed by my
friends brother, who, though single
man, was Of a very sociable disposition,
and had large acquaintance. The
brothers were not SO vigilant over mo as
my uncle might have wished, in their
kiud.hearted zeal to interest and amuse
me, aud had plenty Of opportunities of
becoming acquainted with the fair sex
Amongst tho many charming girls whom
met In society, Miss FOrtescue attract
ed NE the most, aud after repeated meet
ings, felt that was falling IN love With
her. She did not discourage mo, and We
were not long in establishing q mutual
understanding. did not mention to
Mary, for that Was my lady loves name
anything about my uncle's strange con-
ditfons, but simply told her that I must
gain his consent to our engagement, and
that should not be free to marry Ter
until had attained my twenty-fifth
year; but secretlyI began to think of
my promise with some degree of anxiety
discovered that Mary's second name
was Constance, to my surprise and in-
tense relief She was more than com.
monty tall, certainly; but the third re-
quirement, the one thousand pounds,was
wanting 1t was such a piece of good
luck about her name and her height, but
particularly the former. that the import
auce of the money difficulty did snot
weigh with me much. As for that some
godmother, and a number of contingent
cies might happen to help usiu this par
ticular; so I wrote to my uncle to tell
him that I had chosen q dear, fascinating
girl, whom he could not fail to approve
Of that she possessed the requirements
which he deemed necessary, and l felt
certain of his consent to my engaging
myself, as soon as he should be able to
make her acquaintance. Ny Constance,
Itold him, was all he could desire. /
never said word about the fortune. In
reply, my uncle told me that he was sur
prised at my having so soon found
young lady who answered so completely
10 his pattern, for he had imagined it
would he more difficult for me to meet
Bic acquisitions in these particulars.
ewsvSel he would not withhold