Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-10-21
HIS TITLE.

MIS-. ABdlild WlleOu was u WiuOW I
yet in her prime, the mistress Of a
fortune, aud guardian of
her niece, Blanche Willoughby,
The only child of deceased sister.
Blanche's grandfather had taken
o1fense at the marriage Of Blanche's
whom he had cut off in
his will, dividing his ample for
tune between his daughter, Mrs.
and his granddaughter,
Blanche Willoughby, coupling the
bequest to the latter with the con-
dition that if she married at any
time before thirty without her
aunt's approval, her portion should |
be forfeited to the latter
And the old gentleman having
thus settled things to his mind,
and provided, as far as practicable, |
against the recurrence of improvi-
dent marriages in the family, died
in peace, and Blanche's mother
followed not long after.
Blanche found a home in her
aunt's house; and the years passed
happily till it became a question Of
accepting a lover Of her own choice,
or one of her aunt's. Blanche's
choice was Charles Wharton; her
aunt's wasn't; and on this point
the difference was irreconcilable.
Mrs. Wilson's opposition was
strengthened by the friendly ad-
vice of Monsieur LIE Baron LES
croe, a French nobleman, it was
said, whom political reasons had
driven into exile, and who, of late,
had been soiourning in the quiet
country town where Mrs. Wilson
rad her residence.
The baron was a man of military
port. Indeed, those who pretended
to know-and there are such every
where-asserted that his valor had
been displayed on many fields, and
that the glove, which constantly
covered his right hand, was worn to
conceal the Disagreement of an ugly
! wound received in his country,
service. The baron himself never
introduced these subjects; still ht
would converse upon them If 9th
: ers drew him out.
4, For one of his rank, he wa
. quite affable Soon he was the liol
|. Of the town; and when it got to b
: noised about that he was payini
. attentions to the rich and bloomin
: widow, more than half a score G
;, appreciative hearts burned wit
If envy.
: "Bong zhoor, madame" he woul
5 say On dropping in for cozy cha
, , with the widow.
"Bong zhoor, Moshoo," the vic
e ow would simper back.
!. Then would invariably come u
d the subject Of Charles Wharton
y y who had gone to practice law in th
. city, whittier the baron went on a
Ii occasional flying visit.
le 'Ahl msdam," the baron woul
sigh, "tees yeray-veray mallyrC
vat You call sadlp
g "More bad reports about Charl
X Wharton | dare say the wido
RS would reply.
70 "0h! madame, l fear Eat Moshc
egr 81 Vhartong ees Won tray movay sio
re hay-von veray hard case"
as "l'll never consent to his MARI
n ing my niecel' the widow would e
le. claim. "Her fortune shall nev
y come into his hands-)r hers cit
cir er if she throws herself away {
by him!"
an "Eet would be Won pesh-th
ISee you call SIM" the baron would s
CO @ solemnly.
ht, One day, at the end Of the usu
'ni rehearsal, the baron was sudden
!" ,sr struck with weakness in one knt
nv on which be dropped GRACEFUL
in clasped the widows hand, and bro
out into torrent of amatory bro
II en- English, to which it would
,,s Is impossible to do justice by a
he known arts of orthography.
"; threw himself, his title and hone
or ina lump at her feet, and implor
vas vas her to be his, and his only, forey,
,ir sir The widows fancy, in its wild
yel flights, have never scared to sucl
her hight a. this. She felt fattered
ich the baron'S polite condesconsit
on. on had even come to look upon him
pbs something of a friend; but to hi
low a title placed within her grasp
be have it in her power, at a word,
ght be transformed from plain NJ
Agatha Wilson into Madame III
croc, it fairly made her head VII
me and her heart leap to her mouth
arn "Vooly VOC be miner" beseechi
ney y " whiued the baron.
ups uRo "Wee Noshoo," softly sighed
her widow, in her best Parisian,
ess- "0nly let me catch that low !
to bian, Charles Wharton, dangl
WA ,nG after Blanche now, thought
nte widow to herself, as the baron, a
lap. kissing her hand, gracefully !
and busted the obeisant knee.
tA's rs she takes up with anything less Il
a prince or a duke, she shall ne
y il finger a penny Of her grandfath