Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-04-06
pRIDE'S PENALTY.

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was left an orphan at an early age,
but with immense wealth. Arriving al
manhood, | enjoyed all that untram-
melled leisure that money could pro
cure. travelled, and for some wears
pursued those amusements, and pleas
ures which the old world, with its ex-
perience of luxury, offers to the unoc-
cupied and wealthy When / was
about thirty ] determined to marry
and as my property consisted chiefly
L wished, when / married. to return
there, and make it my home. Then !
thought it would be better to select a
wife from my own country women,-
one who would consent to settle down
TO the domestic life of her own home
and shrunk from selecting my future
life companion among the gay and
brilliant bellies of foreign circles
was weaFied of travelling, and pined for
some new sphere of enjoyment A
quiet married life would procure hap
piness for me, | felt sure: and on my
voyage home, L built all sorts of do
mestic castles In the air.
/ thought ii would be very easy in
my own country to obtain Just the kind
of wife wanted. had no doubt of
nv success. / knew | had fine per-
sonal appearance, and good address,
which would, of course, secure the
heart of the happy lady of my selec-
tion; then my handsome fortune and
excellent position in society would
smooth away all family difficulties.
just after my return home I found
there were as many obstacles existing
to my marriage, as abroad the women
were the same,-beautiful, accomplish
ed, and interesting. but mere women of
the world.
/ mixed in the fashionable world, of
course. and was a mark for scores of
maneuvering mammas and fair daugh-
tiers. No one asked what faults had,
or whether my disposition was such as
to ensure happiness in married life
Ny passionate, wilful temper was term
ed a becoming spirit, my selfishne SIS
was either overlooked or uncared for
/ possessed every charm of mind and
person because j was an excellent
match. Disgusted, / almost resolve.
upon old bachelorhood for the rest of
my life.
One summer, after recovering from
an attack of illness, 1 happened by
chance, in travelling about to restore
nv lost health, to stop at q sea-bathing
place, unfrequented by the fashionable
world. 1t was so unlike every other
watering place / had ever visited, that
/ resolved to remain there until I be-
came tired of it, as had been of every
thing else.
At this retired place / met Fanny
FaIrclough. Her parents had gone
their health rather than for amusement.
1 soon discovered that Mr.. Fairclough
and my father had been college friends
and thoul b they had but rarely met
after they had left college, the recol-
lection of their boyish intimacy was
so pleasant to Mr.. Fairclough that he
received the son of his old friend warm
ly and affectionately.
From my first interview with Fanny
Fairclough 1 felt interested in her, and
an intimate acquaintance increased that
interest. / soon penetrated her char
acter-not a difficult task, for never
had / seen face so expressive of the
feeling of the soul as hers. Her &c
tions, too, were dictated alone by the
impulses of pure heart. found that
she was artless, intelligent, and affec-
tionate. Nevertheless, when circum-
stances aroused her, she possessed an
lmpetuous temper and not a little pride.
/ soon found that she was rather self
willed but L excused this failing, for
she had always been the petted play
thing of parents, friends, and teachers.
These were her only faults, and /
thought they might easily be corrected,
for, while barshDess but incensed her,
she was as easily controlled by gentle
ness as child, and / determined to
win her
/ loved her as had never loved wo-
nan; | read with her her favorite au-
thors and mine; 1 walked and rode,
sung and talked with her. / told her
of the lands 1 had visited, of the won
ders had seen; and when at last 1
gave utteranceto my love, my words
fell on-a willing ear, and soon obtain
ed permission to ask her hand of her
parents. Great WAS their astonishment
when they heard their girli,h daugh.
ter demanded In marriage. They had
seen my attentions it was true; but
they had looked on me as so much her
senior-she was but twenty, beyond
thirty-that they had never imagined
the possibility of my becoming lover.
However, when they found that she
really loved me, they offered no object
ion, stipulating, however, that our mar
riage should be deferred for one year,
and If at the expiration of that time
we both remained unchanged, they
promised that she should become mine.
pleaded In vain for q speedy mar
riage; 1 feared that the prize / had
won might possibly be lost to me, and,
with all my natural impetuosity of tenn
per, I sought to secure immediately
what L hoped would perfect my day
dream of happiness; but they were
firm Their daughter, they said, was
very young, and might possibly have
mistaken girlish liking for serious at
tachment. I, too, might be influenced
by passing fancy. -
Yielded to what / could not con-
tre but there was source of salts
faction mingled with my disappoint-
ment. | saw that my wealth had no
influence in their decision, and the
fear which had always haunted me Of
being married from mercenary motives,
was destroyed at length 1 was loved,
fondly and devotedly loved, and for
myself alone.
The year passed away more rapidly
than I had anticipated. Oh, what
happy year was that EVEN now,
friendless and alone, a sorrow-stricken
old man on the verge of the grave, I
look back upon that period as the
nuuuy side of nv existence. In