Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-07-20
my STRATEGIC CoURTsHIpp.

friend You like to take with you for a lew
days shooting. Why, my dear Fred, you
have bound me to you forever by the Sc
lection of myself i feel quite new man
already; for L must confess that when you
came in just now, 1 was suffering from an
unusually desperate fitof the blues"
..Consequent, in q remote degree. on last
nights supper" suggested Fred Clayton
{" and a good DEAL also, on the way in which
you keep cooped up in these dismal quar-
Fred glanced contemptuously round my
dfngy Temple chambers as he spoke-a sur
vey scarcely necessary, considering their
intimate resemblance to his own adjoining
rooms. However, Iforbore any remark; in
deed the delightful prospect just presented
to me absorbed al my attention, and
grasped my friends M hand in fever Of grat-
Ia Telf me all about it,1 I said, d and how
you came to think of me-" ,,.la 49,
eas.TheIe'sa nothing to tell,o replied Fred,
seating himself on the corner of the table
and swinging his legs backwards and for
wards slazilg. sn' This morning l got letter
from am old fellow in the country, remind
ing ne-as9 if / could remember it-that
he aud my father; had been friends thirty
years ago, and asking meadown 20 his place
for a few days shooting, with permission to
bring a friend If / liked .is9i's15 5s s.Iil,
S5s,And his niece that you told me of-the
heiress ?" said l.. 7kI7 i.alir 9ai ,gssgso7ai q
sOh, of course he did not mention her."
said Fred land merely tell you because
ifEou choose to- put yourself under my
guidance, Il may be the means of helping
you to goodthing: You know" he added
more deliberately, chow disinterested my
assistance canybe after the little condolences
we exchanged last night" Itka2o
''True," said ], charmed with the recol-
lection, "you pretty cousin-the secret
engagement" ago- -yazgLaI
YES" interrupted Fred; lyon know all
about it; and we know more about each
other than most fellows; SO it was natural
1 should think of you as a companion for
my holiday, and I'm right glad you're in
elinedfor the trip.n s=aai '7
So saying, and silencipg my renewed pro-
testations of pleasure, Fred left me, APP
pointing a rendezvous at the first train
leaving for our destination, some two or
three hours later. EE
Fred Clayton and had been school-fel-
lows in our early days, and many of his
vacations were spent in my fathers house.
OF late years, however, he had lived eX-
clusiyely in London; like me. a young as
pirant to the uncertain honors of the bar.
but, unlike me, possessing large circle OF
friends and dacquaintances, and never with
out superabundance of invitations to
dinners, balls and concerts, for Fred was
said to be very popular, especially In Ia
dies society.
IL
younger sons without auy expectations.
there was but little resemblance between
Fred Clayton and Jack Harris. Ny resi-
dence in London only dated back few
months, and already the greatcity possess
ed no charm for me; pined for the couu-
try, for freedom, and for the active life of
home. / might, indeed, with the assist
ance of Clayton, or through letters of in
PRODUCTION from members of my own fam
lily, have procured fashionable invitations,
and received partial liberation in society !;
but the prospect OF a crush, heated rooms
and strange faces, was thought of terror
tony timid nature, especially with the I'M
derlying chance of presentation to young
lady, and the unhappy knowledge that my
deficiences in the art of small talk would
make such chance a prospective martyr
dom. No; confessed in my own heart
that society was not my forte; other tai
eEts Icertainly had-deeper, more intrinsic
merits than those that passed for genuine
in 3 ball room-but they were merits to
develop in an atmosphere of peaeefulness
and repose; qualities to expand in the
aniet of a -dessessfe -hcurJI. And a Thrift
ofjoy shot through me as, cramming every
available article of clothing into small
portmanteau, took leave of my comforta-
bic chambers, and allowed my fancy to
dwell on a brilliant possibility that Clay
toms words had evoked. An heiress and
a beauty-a country beauty, of course !;
blushes and simplicity, and rich-how-
rich? Rich enough to live on grand es-
tate; to keep q large stud; to dispense
princely hospitality? must ask Fred u,
. This, however, was secondary. would
not, of course, acknowledge myself to be
mercenary. Love must come first; love,
independent of fortune ezsffl "a 80 81
Like dams kiss, unasked unsoug1t,. 81. ~
,ssAk Love gives itsei. but is not bought"
Sol assured myself; but then, in all can
dor, did not anticipate any very great
difficulty on this score, for / had ever been
painfully susceptible of the tender passion.
Finally, for success, / must trust somewhat
to my own individual attractions (and here
a nervous tremOr seized me), and not lit
e-to the cooperation of my friend, for
whose pre-engagementI was more gratified
than Liked to acknowledge to myself. q
.o1t, ,sz-771 .g-s4 II sz-~T
Fifty thousand pounds" said Clayton,
in answer to my inquiries, when we had
secured coupe to ourselves, and were pre-
pairing it for The comfort of all future tray-
eleIs by lighting our cigars; fifty thou
sand, my boy, and the estate, if you consent
to take her NAME" s-e .-ss-- .-a7
Il Her name? What is her name?"
asked. EgTrCE = -
i. Efing-Miss Effing, he replied. Sand
now, it you think the attempt worth maxi
ing, Twill let you know how the land lies,
anu give you skeIcu Ot your campaign.
The time is short, and of course cannot
insure you second invitation if all is not
concluded during our present trip. Now
then, old fellow, rro or con ?" 7's.r.- i5r si
My reply was given with fervor quite
warranted by the occasion. s
Fred Clayton threw himself back in his
seat, and after arriving, by much perse-
verance, at a sufficiently comfortable posi-
ton, he began his instructions, interrupted
only by an occasional puff at his cigar,
which momentary pause rendered his
words all the more. impressive-at least
saOur great difficulty said he, "is the
uncle, Mr.. Merrick-his name is Merrick.
I told you before he was eccentric; but
that is not the word-'exacting' describes
him better. He is awtully exacting, and
possesses immense influence over his niece;
an influence so great that his choice would
be hers, even were she not still under age,
which believe she is. My dear fellow, all
depends upon the impression you make in
that quarter: i cannot exaggerate the i'm
portance of devoting yourselffrom the very
first to Notwithstanding his tastes, shar-
ing his pleasures, and attaching him firmly
to your interests. The old fellow is so sell
fish in insisting on these attentions that
don't think, we're even free, could stand
enough of his society to insure success.
But there's DO knowing, the prize is well
worth winning, and perfectly attainable
through him, and through him alone"
sand about Miss Efing ?'' inquired.
sMss Efjng is charming girl said
Fred, "quite young, and ready to believe
anything bad of lover her uncle con-
demns. Being an heiress and a beauty.
she has already received several proposals,
but all have been rejected in consequence
of the suitors having had the egregious
folly to pay more attention to the niece
than to the uncle" 1ai
So then the uncle was the only real diff
culty-not very grave one, thought