Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-08-07
nv LAWYERS informing me, somewhat

tIliS caule aDOuI. h Hi"liiei "'to IL
Miss Ringwood, and she was the
youngest Of three children; the eld
est was Aldina, the second was Geof.
frey, and the third (my mother) Alice.
Their mother (who had been widow
since my mothers birth) lived at this
little. place in Cumberland, and which
was known as The Shadows. She
died shortly after my mothers mar
ii ge with my father, Capt Westcar.
Ny Aunt Alina and my Uncle Geof-
frey-the one at that time aged twen-
ty-eight, and the other twentysix-
continued to reside at The Shadows.
My father and mother had to 60 to
India, where was born, and where,
when quite "a child, I was left an or
phan. A few months after my moth
er's marriage my aunt disappeared; !;
" few weeks after that event, and my
Uncle Geoffrey dropped down dead,
as he was playing at cards with Mr..
Maryon, the proprietor of a neigh
boring mansion known as The Mere.
a fortnight after my uncle's death,
my Aunt Aldina returned to The
Shadows, and never left it again till
she was carried out in her coffin to
her grave in the church yard. Ever
since her return from her mysterious
disappearance she maintained an i'm
penetrable reserve. As a school-boy
t visited her twice or thrice, but these
visits depressed my youthful spirits
to such ali extent that as I grew old
er l excused myself from accepting
my aunt's not very pressing invita-
tons; and at the time I am now
speaking of I had not seen her for
eight or ten years. l was rather sur
prised, therefore, when she bequeath-
ed me The Shadows, which, as the
surviving child, she inherited under
her mothers marriage settlement.
But The Shadows had always ex-
ercised grim influence over me, and
the knowledge that l was now going
to it as my home oppressed me. The
road seemed unusually dark, cold
and lonely. At last passed the
lodge, and 200 yards more brought
me to the porch. Very soon the door
was opened by an elderly female,
whom | we'll remembered as having
been my aunt's housekeeper and cook.
l had pleasant recoilections of her,
and was glad to see her. To tell the
truth, l had not anticipated my visit
to my newly-acquired property with
any great degree Of enthusiasm; but
a very tolerable dinner had an in
spiriting effect, and l was pleased to
learn that there was bin Of old Ma
deira in the cellar. Naturally soon
grew cheerful, and consequently talk
ative, and summoned Mrs. Balk for a
little gossip. The substance of what
I gathered from her rather diffusive
conversation was as follows:
Ny aunt had resided at The Shall
lows ever since the death of nv un-
Gle Geoffrey, but she had maintained
silent and reserved habit, and Mrs.
Balk was Of opinion that she had had
some great misfortune. She had per-
sistentlv refused al intercourse with
the people at the Mere Squire Ma
ryon, himself cold and taci.urn
man, had once or twice showed a dis
position 10 be friendly, but she had
sternly repulsed all such ov.rtures.
Mrs. Balk was Of opinion that Miss
Ringwood was not "quite right" as
she expressed it, on some topics; es-
pecially did she seem impressed with
the idea that The Mere ought to be-
long to her. 1t appeared that the
Ringwoods and Maryons were distant
connections; that The Mere belonged
in former times to certain Sir Henry
Benet; thai he was bachelor, and
that Squire Maryon's father and old
Mr. Ringwood were cousins of his,
and that there was some doubt as to
which WAS the real heir; that Sir
Henry, who disIked old Maryon, had
frequently said he had SET any chance
Of dispute at rest, by bequeathing the
Mere property by will. to Mr.. Ring
wood, my mothers father; that, on
his death, no such will could be found;
and the family lawyers agreed that
Mr.. Maryon was the legal inheritor,
and my uncle Geoffrey and lis sisters
must be content to take The Shadows
or nothing at all. Mr.. Mary"n was
comparatively rich, and the Ring
woods poor, consequently they were
advised not to enter upon a costly
lawsuit. My amt Aldina maintained
10 the last that Sir Henry had made
81 will, and that Mr. Maryon knew it,
but had destroyed or suppressed the
document. I did not gather from
Mrs. Balk's narrative that Miss Ring
wood mad any foundation for her be-
lief, and l dismi> sed the notion at
once rs baseless.
And my uncle Geofrey died of
apoplexy, you say, Mrs. Balk ?"
l don t say so, >ir, no more did
Miss Ringwood; but they said 50.
Whom do you mean by tseye"
The people at The Mere--the
young doctor, friend of Squire Mary
on's who was brought over from York.
and the rest; he fell heavily from his
chair, and his head struck against the
fender"
Playing at cards with Mr.. Mary
on, | think you said.
Yes, Sir; he was too fond Of cards,
l believe, was ,}!r. Godfrey"
"Is Mr. Maryon seen much in The
country-.is he hospitable ?"
"Well. Sir, he goes up to London
: good dead, and has sonic friends
iown 4oa toxin occasionally: bat he
les not seem 70 care much abo:t the
people in the nelghborhood."
"He has some children. Mrs. Balk?'
Only one daughter, Sir; a sweet,
pretty thing she is Her mother died
when Miss A2ies was born
You have 10 idea, Mrs Balk,
what my Aunt Aldina's great mis-