Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-03-21


Roysham owned little estate at Ridge.
ton, on the Hudson, and managed a small
produce aud commission warehouse in New
York. But ownership does not always
imply control. as all of Roysham's ac-
quaintances came TO understand, for, al
though the head of the family, paid The tax
es on the operty, and paid, also, the
bills of the butcher and grocer, it was
generally known that Mrs. Roysham was
sole manager of the family and its home,
and from the many blunders Roysham
committed in business it was believed that
Ms Roysham had great deal to say
about the doings of her nominal lord and
master at the office in New York
Whatever the case may have been, it was
noticed that as Roysham gained response
biities he seemed to loose worldly posses
sions. As his two boys and four girls
reached adult years they became renowned
for dressing in worse taste and materials
than any other young people in the neigh
borhood. This was no bar to their enjoy
ment of all society that was about them but
something else was.
New York overhowed in their direction,
and in a single year several farms on the
edge OF Ridgeton were cut up into villa sites
and dotted with the very obtrusive and I'M
slightly structures in which the New Yorker
generally indulges when he makes his home
in the country. The city incursion had
had a sudden and peculiar fleet upon the
Royshams. The sons and daughters, greatly
against their will were entirely withdrawn
pew in church from a long bench against
the wall and we'll to the rear to two short
seats in the main aisle and not far from the
chancel. Roysham, senior who for dozen
years had been compelled by his wife to re.
fuse the oft profered position of church
warden, was now forced into that dignity by
Mrs. Roysham, and, more important than
all else in the eyes of the lady
of the house, the head of the family sold
out one of his life insurance policies and
bought with the proceeds pair of spirited
horses and handsome carriage.
The meaning of all this was that Mrs
Roysham had determined that all her chill
dren should marry into some of the city fam
lilies who had arrived. In her eyes any one
who came from the city, built new house, |
wore handsome clothes, drove good horses, |
and was in business in Wall street. was rich, |
and as she had never ceased to regret that |
she did not marry money, she was resolved |
tn her children should avoid her error
and profit by it. By appearing exclusive, |
she was sure her sons aud daughters would |
attracs the attention of the city people, and
she trusted to the family prominence il
church-the only church in the village |
and the horses aud carriage to do whatever |
else was necessary.
As time went on, the horses continued to |
impoverish the family. Mr.. Roysham
economical bravely in one way or another,
until one winter it was remarked by some |
observing neighbors who had always known
them that the daughters went to church.
they seldom went anywhere else-without
cleaks, and the boys wore heavy erecting
jackets, instead of oyercoats, with business
suits under them. And all this time the
family had not made a single visiting &C.
q aintance among the city people.
But perseverance at last found its reward.
In front of one OF the Roysham pews sat the
family of old Grentham, a rich, private
Banker. The Grenthams had never given
any indication that they knew of the ex
istence of the Royshams which the latter
family declared was real mean, for all the
Roysham girls wildly admired young Plat
Grentham, who was cry handsome and
wore clothes that fitted him perfectly.
Through their servant, who knew ore of
the Grenthams' servants, the girls learned
t at Master Plat Was rather a wild boy,
and sometimes went on terrible sprees, and
that MS father talked to him savagely; but
the young ladies explained to one another
probably rich young men could not help
occasionally being a little wild, and that
PIatt needed only wife to make him a
model member of society. AS he was an
only son, Of course he must some day be-
come very rich.
One very rainy Sunday Miss Eunice
Roysham happened to be the only one OF
her family who attended service; by a
strange coincidence Plate Grentham was
the only occupant of his familys pew.
The young man looked very forlorn, and
Miss Eunice imagined from his appearance
that he had recently been more dissipated
than usual. and had been driven to church
by a mixture of remorse and repentance.
She was quite right in her suggestions, and
as there were no prayer-books in the Gren-
than pew, at which the young man APP
peared much disappointed, Miss Eunice
timidIy ventured to offer him her own. He
took it with sad but grateful smile, and af-
ter service he returned it with q few words
of thanks, which the young lady dextrously
made toe beginning of pleasant chat that
lasted two or three minutes.
Within five minutes the whole Roysham
family learned what had happened, and
Mrs. Roysham had planned to go to New
York the very next day and get at least two
new dresses for Eunice. She also instructed
her daughter to be more distant in her man.
ner toward the young rector, who had been
somewhat attentive for a year but whose
salary was small. Between new dresses
and new hopes Miss Eunice looked quite
pretty as she lounged on the lawn in the
late afternoon. when every one was astir.
And as Plat arentham often walked past