The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-12-26
"A Favor Of. Fortune.
From the .New York Ledger.

llSH OnaHn6i, WAS tue seat @l AuIliT-
al Sir Thomas Strout, a rough, ro-
bust old British sailor, who fiouFish-
ed during the latter part of the last,
and the beginning of the present
centuries. Originally the place had
been called an Abbey; the admiral
had given it its present name in
honor of the old Jason frigate, on
board which he had served as post
captain when it was the flagship
of England's sailor king, William
", then admiral, and Duke. of
Clarence. III ~ -1a@a
n Ih 1882, the ftihej Of f.thieh we
write, Sir Thomas, grown old and
battered in the service, had been
honorably retired upon full pay.
He was never so happy as when he
could induce old shipmates to share
bis hospitality,
Admirals of the Red, the White,
or the Blue were all gladly enter
tanned by Sir, Thomas. Rost- cap
tains were always welcome; and
even a commander, if his war rec
ord was good, might find favor in
sight. But lower than that he did
not like to 90. In fact he was a
aristocrat of the first water-the
very safest ofthe salt; andhe would
sooner have admitted TO social equal
ity the boatswains than admitted a
lieutenant of the new.
The only near relative which the
old admiral had was a granddaugh
ter, whom he came very near wor-
shiping He was extreme in al
most everything. His wife had
died when quite young, leaving only
one child, a beautiful girl, who, the
proud father was wont to declare,
was the handsomest rand the best
and the fnost-intelFigent girl in the
kingdom. She, rather late in life
her father having kept the general
run of lovers at a distance-became
the wife of an earl, but the earl was
SO poor that, when, be died, only five
years after his marriage, he did not
leave behind him th e wherewith to
pay his debts, the result being that
Lady Irene, the admirals daughter,
came home to her father, bringing
with her an infant danghter-the
little Lady Emeline.
Atfthe time of the opening OF our
story Sir Thomas's daughter had
been dead several years, and the
Lady Emeiine had grown to a beau
tiful maiden of nineteen, with a
character that lacked nothing to
make it lovely and lovable. And
she had a lover-a young lieutenant
of the'royal paTy-namedt George
Ayling. He had come first to ia
son Hall, having been sent with a
message to the old admiral by the
Board of Admiralty. On that occa-
sion he had had 10 remain all night,
and Sir Thomas had detailed Lady
Emeline toentertain him. He was
a brave, loyal true.hearted man;
twenGY-six years of age;-tall- and
strong and hapdsome-soh handsome
and so genial and So pure minded
that his beautiful J oung hostess fell
in love with him. during that first
visit. =
He was attached to the Naval De-
partment at Whitehall, being on the
staff of one of the hords Commits
sioners. His father was only amer
chant, but oneo the most wealthy
in London. I'm fact, few men had
more influence at court than had
the elder "A Fhng, he having been a
lifelong friend, and devoted helper,
of .theapresent king; and he never
Dbtrnded himself. The only favor
he had ever asked had been in be-
haff efshfs son
Lieutenant Ayling had fallen des-
sperNtelY in love with Lady Eme-
line; and at length he told her of it !,
and he told her so heartily and so
ardentiy aud 20 lovinglY that she
.couldsnof keep back herr own con
fession, but said
90, George my love my heart
is all your, own noW.4 =
But when he spoke of speaking
with her grandfather she itrembled.
She knew the old adntirals whifrns
and inconsistencies, and she feared
be would oppose their union.
Fortune favorst the brave, said
George, laughihgly.. thsFafntt heart
never won fair lady. I shall beard
the tiger in his den. Surely he can
not eat me-"
And, On eeftai61 afternoon,
when the lieutenant had brought
down a packet from the naval office,
and bad seen and spoken to his
darling, he approached the old ADJ
miral in his sanctum sanctorum, and
told of his love for the beautiful
Eneines and boldly asked the vet
eran for her hand.
| 1What " shock was that for the
British admiral at first be- could
mot credit The evidence of his senses.
1t could net be possible that he
had heard Alright And the ardent
lover stated his case q second time
-stated " 40 that there tonfd be nc
mistake. And then the wrathful
torrent burst ferth.s al
- WHAT a lieutenant son of a
London merchant A mere no.
body HaIstripIing, who never smelt
powder; who never even. saw q
fleet put in line Of battlel. marry
with HIS granddaughter edaugh-
ter of an earl And 90 he went on
TO the close; and the close was this
lE7ssGetout ofImy house, SRI Get
out, sir And don't you dare to
speak with the Lady Emeline again
Youl You You marry with the
granddaughter and heiress of Ad-
miral Sir Thomas Stroutl By the
tit was q big oath)l III shai.should
do such a-thing - listen to your tale
of love, 4 would w0uld-IT don't