Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-01-25

1
you will be Mrs. Nathaniel Nokes.'
! Then Susan. who was quite certain that
the landlady would never believe that, m
formed her that my uncle was her father
who had suddenly recognized In her his
long-lost child.
'Mlor, do congratulate you.' .cried the
lanalady; Susan, you will never forget to
recommend the hotel
My ufcle kept his word; for before six
days were over Susan was Mrs. Nokes.
There are marriages of convenience, and
there are marriages TOR there used to be-
OF affection; | hardly know under which Of
these heads to place this particular union.
\ Necessity did ce-taialy. IN manner dictate
IL; and the circumstances under which IL
took place were very ludicrous; but few
s0Arriages OF romance have probably turn
ed Que half so well. So Ear as Clara and
were concerned, he might just as well have
married the Montmorenci-ds ice thought he
had done. for, OF course, zee did not hear
from him to the contrary, nor had he had
the moral courage TO inform his friends
that any change had been made IN his ma
trimonial arrangements. They only knew
that he yas married, and took 1t for grant
ed that 1t was to the hgh-born young wo-
man to whom he had been engaged. My
uncle cas- doubtless great deal happier
as II VAS. He used .ossr to himself at the
Office every day over the bottles, She's
worth eight hundred dozen of the other
one. There was something wrong about
that Montmorenci vintage, for 81 its
sparkle. Now, my Susan's all good; good
the first day; good the second IayS good
for keeping; and slseS pas kke port, be-
cause there's no crustiness a6oat her. And
she'spo fool, neither, though she don't
play the piano and things
AS a matter OF fact. M WAS verv clever,
land had not been discovered BY ,SociSty'
In the neighborhood OF The TamArisss to
have been Interior in position 70 them
selves She always spoke French. which.
though it was not good French. was a coed
deal better than that OF her visitors, and
that. OF course, was her chief Safeguard
My uncle had never boastcd to his coan-
try ne!ghbors Of his brides s6cdinpNsh-
| nents bat be feared above everything the
hour which should bring down u The Ia
tMarlsks those friends from the city who
N461 always Wanting to kn0y when they
were TO nave the pleasure of hearing her
play and so,s, and q svesng her beautiful
sketches in-ou.
ClaaFaad ! aud Chlcka5lddy were by this
time In vstS 3iscousolHe condition, and
MATTERS wcft- gong yefy hard with us. We
were Eoing under, as the gradual sinking
aud for my part had given up all hope OF
coming ~ again. But my wife was still OF
good heart, She had always clueg TO fhe
notion that II she could only have got
speech with my uncle she could have soft
vncG him toward Us, while after his mar
| rage she had actually believed ii possible
that an appeal TO this newy-married wife
might prove successful She had therefore
written her letter, which csme back -,
us-not. indeed, unopened, ss that to my
uncle had done, because the recipient had
not been forewaLged against it-but With
out one word OF reply. -
After tnat experience it, seemed to me
I mere midsummer madness to persevere,
! but Clara thought otherwise. 4 shall make
q personal aPPeh to her, Charles, with
Chicksbiddy.' Her air was that OF a Cen
I eral who summons hrs picked troops-the
re>erve-fora last charge. Napoleon at
Waterloo, calling up the Old Guard might
have worn a similar expression of coun-
tenagas rrIt was very touching to see her
| contideIice TO the attractions that this poor
little wee thing because 1t vas all In all
TO herr would havS for a stranger, but that
did not. prevent me from perceiying the
| hopelessncss of Ic.
'My dear said !. never go with baby
- Iyoman who has not got one. We
-haye heard, 1t is true, she Is charitable
(for tidings to that effect had reached US
from her country neighbers) but we are
! not the sort of poor to recommend our.
| selves to her charity. She will give YOU
a ticket for her soup kitchen, no doubt
but she won't recommend her husband 10
j kill the fatted calf for his prodigal nephew,
! TO provide US with mock turtle Her OBJ
ject will rather be to keep US out OF her
husbands Sight; to persuade him that she
alone Is the object he mas to live for--and
especially to die for. | dare say she has
made him leave all his property toherby
this time. Where there Is a way, you
may depend upon 1t, there is a will. with 4
woman OF that kind. My uncie's bride
has been TOO highly placed to feel for folks
inour position. We are q very humble near
"a mere baking-pear, asit were-while
she Is jasMRAelle on the top OF the tree
Let us hope that she Viii be sweet and
tender put IN Clara, quietly. Beautiful
We know she Is, and accomplished
+. Yes answered drily; 4 wish she new
er had been. II there was no further de-
mand for Montmorencis in their native
land, the supply should have ceased. ob
ject 10 the surplus that had been imported
into this country by the House of Nokes.'
However, II ended, as may be surmised.
In my giving way TO Clara. and ia our all
three going down to The Tamarisks;
4 through Chickabiddy took my side of the
argument. and protested aganIsk; the pro-
eeedhIg throughout the Journey
We walked from the station to The Tama-
risks, partly because We had no money to
spare for vehicle. aud partly because |
was glad to put of the dreaded interview
as long as possible. II was our last chance.
and through Clara called it (afterwird)
a coup d'etat, it seemed Just then much
more like a aferlorn hope. At the gardengate
We separated; my wife going straight up
to the house door-for she had the cour-
age of lion. since she was about to do
battle f0f her husband and child-while
remain IN the laurels. with Chickabiddy,
who Jw1kfo be sent for as a last resource
His appearance in the'frst instance would
have excited suspicion; while the sight of
me would have acted on my uncle like
red rsg on butl
That should be in position to record
what took place between Clara and aunt
by-marrage is. of course, natural enough:
but that should have been able 10 set
down wlhar my uncle said to Susan at the
Hotel OF the Four Seasons may have
seemed to verge on the domain OF fiction.
Before this little history Is closed, how
ever, it will be sect that the matter admits
of an easy explanation. Similarly, 1t will
be found that do not draw on my im-
between Mr.. ard Mrs. Nathaniel Nokes in
their country house. They lived. l am
bound to confess, most happily together.
My uncle's conscience by no means troub-
led him as it ought to have done, consider
ing his cruelty to me and mine, but it did
prick him little, which-combined with
his unparalleled obstinacy-no doubt
caused him to set his wife on guard against
us. The only bitter drop in his cup, how
ever was the terror with which he regard
ed any incurson from his London friends.
and their discovery of his having married
beneath him. His neighbors had no sus
picions of anything amiss- TO hear his
Susan talk broken English to the sqrire's
wife was he protested, as good as play.
But these country people, As he said, would
believe anything; and London people be-
lieve nothing-only gave credit. Especially
he feared three persons of his acqualn-
tan.e, named Sponge, Rasper and Robin