The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-11-14
4 MODERN ROMANCE.
IN. Y. Correspondent Chicago Times

city, earning q livelihood in the fields of
magazine literature. YOn may see her
passing through the streets or riding in the
horse. cars, from her home TO the suburbs,
with roll of manuscript in her hand +; or
you may find her in the dipgy offices of the
magazines or the weekly papers, trying to
dispose of her productions
Her mother, the deceased wife of the
Earl of'Gainsborough, was Lady Augusta,
the eldest daughter of the Earl of Earoli.
Her two brothers are Viscount CampdeD
and Lord Edward, and her two younger
sisters are Lady Georgiana and Lady
Frances. The Earldom of Gainsborouah
belongs to the proudest aristocracy in the
kingdom of Great Britain. Noel, the
founder of the family, with Celestria, his
wife, was one of the mobiles who entered
England with the CoDqueror, who granted
him immense estates for his services, and
great note and magnihcence. The family
were raised to the earidom i'm 1852 bat it
ia within a century that the title passed to
the present branch of the family, whose liv-
ing representative is therefore known as the
second Ear Of GaiDsborough. BY referring
to that part of Burk's Peerage which con
tains the history of the earldom from which
Lady Blanche spraug, the following line,
which involves the history and my stery of
her career, will be found im medate,y after
her name:
"M. Thomas T. Murphy, March 6, 1870"
Lady Blanche married the Murphy who is
referred to at the date which is here indi-
Gated. The few people hereabout who are
acquainted with Mrs. B. Murphy" or the
editors who have received notes signed
Blanche Murphy" are not all aware that
pondent can be found under the coat-of-
arms of the Earl of Gainsborougb, in
Burk's Peerage. The Earl's ancient motto
is, Tout bien on rien," which, though not
easily put into English, may be translated,
e" All well or nothing :" and this motto has
an application to one living member of the
family, which probably was never dreamed
OF in any previous generation of its exis-
tence. 1t was not " all we'll in the sight
of Lady Blanche's father when she de-
born, to marry Mr. Murphy, and so she has
since been to him as " nothing" This
marriage, or mesalliance, of the eldest
daughter of 40 great q house, was of course
surprise and q horror to her father, then
in his fifty second year. The Earl, who is
ExtOn Hall, in which divine worship is
celebrated daily, and some seven years ago
he engaged young Irish musician, named
Murphy, as organist. AS a member of the
family Lady Blanche sang in the service
to the organ accompaniment, and thus be-
came familiar with the organist. She was
in her twenty-irs year, intellectual and
handsome, though unassuming and petite,
while he was a modest young Irishman, of
about the same age. Standing near him
every morning at mathis and every evening
at vespers, singing daily in harmony with
the solemn or joyous tunes which he per-
formed so finely, it was no wonder that the
affections of the twain were awakned to-
wards each other; though
she vac lady Of high degree.
Often when the services were over, and
the rest of the family had retired from the
chapel, abe would remain with him for
hours-he playing, and che singing, and
both practicing 30 as to perfect their
musical skiil. The sound of the instrument
and her voice, or both their voice., could
be heard at such times swelling out of the
chapel windows and trembling among the
foliage of the ancient woods.
The old Earl himself thought nothing of
all this, and the watchful eyes of Lady
Blanche's mother had recently been closed
in death. So matters went along for the
greater part of O year. At last, upon q
time one of the Earle relatives, who hap
Y pened to be visiting Exton Hall, asked him
If he was not surprised that his daughter
should spend so many hours every day
with the organist in the chapel after the
close of the service. The Earl was aston
ished that such a question should be asked
about his daughter's musical practice, and
when the observing relative was about to
go q step further in his inquiries, the Earl
forestalled the hint by laughing at the
thought of ouch an idea. 1t was, however,
on the very night after his suggestive in
quiry thai Lady Blanche and the organist
took their flight together from Exton Hall.
1t would be impossible to tell how the
naughty Earl was overwhelmed at his
daug hter's disappearance, and when che
sent him word soon afteFward from London
that she had been married to Murphy, the
Earl in his wrath disowned her, forbade
her to return to the ancestral halls, and
cut her of from all tho heritage of the fam
lily. Lady Blanche had of course known
that it would be impossible for her to form
such an alliance with her fathers consent,
or to mention such subject in his pres.
ence, though she probably never imagined
that such IL stern penalty would be visited
upon her for marrying out of her rank.
Lady Blanche was not a silly girl, nor
ignorant of the world at this time. SIZE
was twenty, one years of age che had seen
a great deal of high life ; she had been two
seasons in London society she was de.
: Nnfea of nrt and literatnra: sha VIVA q Hn.