National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-12-27
WHY DID HE WED HER.

ptuhIVi CuNJou plHHNOT VI 4hlShlsSlppl
In his seventeenth year Cleve embarke,
for st. Louis, with his parents, on the i'll
fatod steamer Lucy Lee, which persisted
by an explosion within sight of her land
ing.
Among the lost was Cleve's mother, anc
his father was SO, fatally injured that he
died soon after his removal to the Plant
ers' hotel, having first made will leav
ing all his property to Cleve, and appoint
ing his old college chum, Judge Barn, o
New York. executor Of his will.
Whom the funeral was over the judg
returned to New York. taking Clcve witt
him. Tho judges wife received the youtl
very kindly, and tried to make him hap
py. But for a long time nothing coul,
rouse him from the deep sorrow Of his tor
rible bereavement.
Ono thing, however, Interested him
through sympathy.
There was about tho premises little
dark-eyed, dark.haired child, of about 6
years old, who seemed to belong to no
body, aud went about the house "like d
tame kitten"
She seemed to have OWNED the cause
Of Cleve Stuarts gloom. She would
stand before him, with her small hands
folded demurely on her bosom, and her
dark eyes fixed solemnly on his face, SC
often, that at last ono afternoon ClevI
called out:
Come here, baby"
She came promptly.
He took her upon his knees, and In
CURED:
What is your name?"
Palma" she replied.
"Who Is your mothers"
MY mozer is an ain2el in Heaven"
"Oh ! Poor littlo girl Where is your
fatherY
wiz mozer, him too" replied tho
child, without removing her grave, dark
eyes from tho face of the youth.
why do you look ut me so, Palma2"
"7duse lee so sorry for co."
ooh You know, .then, that l, too,
have lost both my dear parents?" began
the youth but his voice failed, aud his
eyes filled with tears, as he pressed the
little one close to his breast.
Don't cwy. | love co." she said, talk
ing tiny handkerchief out of timer
pocket and beginning to wipo his eyes.
IF you love me, baby, you are the only
one in the world that does" he said, aud
bent his head and kissed the little, dark,
upturned face.
Then suddenly, with boys scorn OF
'sentimentality," he put the child off his
soon as he got chance Cleve asked Mrs.
Barn who Palma was. The old lady re-
piled:
Hers Is sad story. She is the child
of runaway match. Her father was the
youngest son of North of England
squire, and an officer in the hussars. He
fell in love with beautiful housemaid,
and married her, was cast of by his
family, and ostracised by the officers of
his regiment. He was obliged to soil out
and come with his wife 10 this country,
where they lived on the price Of his com
mission as long as the money lasted, and
then went down, down, till finally they
all fell sick of the typhoid foyer.
"The father died first; then the mother.
Tho child recovered, as you see. The
poor woman had told me her story. After
she had passed away, wrote to Squire
Hay, of Haymore, England, and an
nounced the death Of his son and daugh-
ter-in-law, and described the destitute
condition Of his grandchild. In the
meantime i brought the girl home here
to await events. l also brought away
the papers relating to the marriage of the
parents, and tho birth and baptism of the
child. In about month got letter
from Squire Hay, in which he declared,
in SO many words, that he would have
nothing to do with the housemaid's brat
$50 here she has remained ever since.
1 do not know what we shall do with
her; but there Is time enough to think
about that, for she is only baby" con-
cluded Mrs BARN.
From this day the youth took a com.
passionate interest in the child. And as
for her. she was in the language of the
household, devoted to that boy"
Three years passed, Cleve Stuart was
prepared to enter college, and Palma was
pupil in the nearest primary school.
1t was proposed that Cleve should enter
Harvard as soon as the vacation WAS over,
but the young man changed his mind
and decided to go to Germany and enter
the University of Bonn.
When he sailed for Europe tho child
Palma grieved herself into u fit of illness,
from which she only recovered in time to
re-enter the primary school ut its reopen
ing.
Cleve Stuart had intended to stay but
four years abroad, but he stayed seven,
and would have stayed longer, but that
expected remittances did not arrive lat
length, when his funds were growing
alarmingly low, he made up his mind to
return home.
fate in the form of Lama LEIGH, the
most beautiful woman he had ever seen,
and the first one whom he had over loved.
With the air, manner, and costume of a
wealthy woman of fashion, she was sim
ply an accomplished and well-remuner-
ated govorness who was travelling with a
rich family in charge of their girls. She
was, besides, several years older than her
lover, but he did not care for all that. To
him she was princess, q goddess, and he
lifted adoring and worshipping eyes to
her beauty and divinity.
BY the time the steamer had half
crossed the Atlantic, Cleve Stuart and
LAMA LEIGH were engaged to be mar
ried, aud much of their lives planned out.
They were to be united as soon as con-
veniont after reaching New York, and in
the beginning of the new year 20 to the
south aud settle down on his beautiful
plantation on the banks of the Mississippi.
When the steamer reached New York,
Lamia LEIGH went with her employers
to their splendid mansion on Fifth
avenue, and Cleve Stuart went to o
hotel.
Within a short time, he learned the
changes wrought by the war. The eman-
cipation and the exodus had left his acres
uncultivated for years, SO that no revenue
had como from them. Tho remittances
that had been sent out to him during
that time had been spared from his late
guardians own income, and had only
ceased when the old judge suddenly left
tli2 world To min his Xyi ia who had oona
just before him to the better land.
He could get no news of Palma Hay,
who, he remembered, would If she
should live, be now about 10 years of
age.
10 was great shock suddenly to find
himself reduced to poverty. He had,
scarcely courage to go and tell his bo-
trothed of their misfortune
lie wont however. In a few DAYS and