The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-05-09
4 FAVOR OF FORTUNE,

HunlAbs Ulu, CuSGellat0Q
atructure of the time Of Queen Elizabeth
situated upon the coast of Essex and
overlooking the English channel, was
the seat of Admiral Sir Thomas Strout.
a rough, robust old British sailor, who
iourished during the early part of the
last andt he beginning of thepresent cen.
turtles. Originally the place had been
called an abbey. The admiral had Civ
en- its present name in honor of the
old on frigate, on board which he
had we'd as post-captain when it was
the flagship of England's sailor-king,
William ", then admiral and duke Of
Clarence.
In 1882, the time of which we write,
Sir Thomas, grown old aud battered in
the service, had beenhonorably retired
upon full pay. He was never SO happy
as when he could induce old shipmates
to share his hospitality.
Admirals of the Red, the White or
the Bhle were all gladly entertained by
Sir Thomas. Post captains were al
ways welcome; and even a commander,
If his war record was good, might find
favor in his sight. But lower than that
he did not like to go. In fact, he was
an aristocrat of the first water-the very
safest of the salt; and he would sooner
have admitted to social equality the
boat SWANS and the gunners of the old
school than to have admitted a lieuten-
ant of the new.
The only near relative which the old
admiralhad was a granddaughter, whom
he came very near to w%orshiping. He
was extreme in almost everything. His
wife had died when quite young, leav-
ing only II child, a beautiful girl, who
the proudefather was won't to declare
was the handsomest and the best and
the most intelligent girl in the kingdom.
She, rather late in life-her father
having keptthe generalrun o lovers at
a distance became the wife OF an earl,
but the carl was SO poor that when he
died, only five years after his marriage,
he did not leave behind him the where
with to pay his debts; the result being
that Lady Irene, the admiral's daughter,
came home to her father, bringing
with her an infant daughter-the little
Lady Emeline.
AT the time of the opening OF IL
story Sir Thomas daughter had been
dead several years, and the Lady Eme-
line had grown to o beautiful maiden of
10, with a character that lacked moth
ing to make it lovely and lavable. And
she had n lover-a young lieutenant of
the royal navy-named George Aging.
He bad come first to Jason Hall, hay
ing been sent with a message to the old
admiral by the board Of admiralty. On
that occasion he had toremainal night,
and Sir Thomas had detailed Lady
Emeline to entertain him. He was a
brave, loyal, t%ruehearted man; 26 years
of age; tall and strong and handsome
so handsome and SO genial and so pure-
minded that his beautiful young hostess
fell in love with him during that first
visit.
He was attached to the naval depart
ment at Whitehall, being on the staff of
one of the Lords Commissioners. His
father WINS only a merchant, but one of
the most wealthy in London. In fact,
few men had more influence at court
than had the elder Ayling, he having
been a lifelong friend and a devoted
of tle present king, and he never
obtruded himself. The only favor he
asked had been in behalf of his son.
Lieutenant Ayling had fallen desper.
in love with Lady Emeline, and Mt length
hetold her of it, and he told her so heart
and so ardently and so lovingly that
she could not keep back her W confess
sion, but said: ooh, George! my love!
my heart is all your own now"
But when he talked Of speaking with
her grandfather she trembled. She
knew the old admiral's whims andincon-
pose their union.
Fortune favors the brave" said
George laughingly, "Faint heart never
won fair lady. / shall beard the tiger
in his den. Surely he cannot eat me-"
And on a certain afternoon, when the
had brought down q packet
from the naval office, and had seen and
poken with his darling, he approached
the old admiral in his sanctorum and
told of his love for the beautiful Eme-
line, and boldly asked the vereran for
her hand.
What n shock was that for the British
admiral! At first he could not credit
the evidence of his senses. 1t could not
be possible that he heard Alright. And
the ardent lover stated his case a second
time-stated it SO that there could be
mistake, And then the wrathful tor
rent burst forth.
What! A lieutenant! sol of q Lon
don merchant a mere nobody! who had
never smelt powder who had never seen
a fleet put in line of battle! marry with
his granddnughtcr-the daughter of an
earl! And so he went on to the close;
and the close was this: Get out of
my house, sir! And don't you dare to
speak with Lady Emeline again!
You! You! You! marry with the
granddaughter and heiress of Admiral
Sir Thomas Strout! By heaven, if she
should do such q thing as listen to your
tale O love, IL would-would-I don't
know what I should do; but, if she
should marry with you, I'd cast her off
the instant! Now go! think you
have your. answer!"
The young and gentlemanly lieuten-
ant was thunderstrnck-utterly as
founded. He gazed upon the foaming
old tiger as he might have gazed upon
South Sea Islander gone mad.
well, sir, d'you hear me? Why
don't you move? What are you wait
ing here for? Idon,t think you've got
any more to say!" clustered the irute
admiral, while the extraordinary rush
OF blood to the head gave to his rough
and puffy face a color purely crimson.
aOn1v this nv dear air. for the Ores-