Daily Republican., 1884-03-27


And l owed all my annoyance and
distress TO my revered father who had
been sleeping gracefully In his grave
for twenty years, presumably bissfully
unconscious of the misery a single act
of his had entailed upon his innocent
son.
1t happened In this way.
My father and his friend, Lucius
Grey hurst, had been chums and con-
slant life. companiOns.
When they married theysfoolishly made
the Quixotic agreement that their chill
dren should intermarry, always pro-
vl1 ng th " were blessed with children
and VI Tie proper sex.
As fate would have it, was born to
my parents, and daughter, six years
my junior, to Lucius Greyhurst.
In order to insure the success of their
scheme, my father and his friend left
wills which bequeathed their entire
estates to May Greyhurst and myself,
provided We married, otherwise the
fortunes we're to go to the heather Or 10
the dogs, for any good they should do US.
Lucius Greyhurst died young and
very wealthy, and his daughter was
sent to an aunt in Paris to be educated.
My father lived long enough To dissi :
pate his money in speculation, and left
me to paddle my own canoe AZ best !
could.
At twenty-six l found myself clerk
ing it in a lawyers office In New York,
and suppose Miss May Greyhurst was
doing the elegant" in Partisan society.
We had never met.
had no desire to make her acquaint-
ance, and dare say she fully recipro-
Gated my politeness.
If ever thought of her. l fancied
her making some grand alliance with a
foreign noblelnan, and indifferently
let ing her vast fortune slip from her
keeping.
Having attained my twenty.sixth
birthday, found myself confronted by
my annual vacation Of two weeks.
Naturally wondered what ! should
do with myself, and how far the mea-
ger stipend l had saved up would car
ry me.
| had my widowed mother in the
country, and of course should pass a
part of the time with her, but what
should do with the remainder?
In the midst of my quandary came a
letter from my mother, clause OF
which Isubjoin
81 understand" the good lawyer
wrote, "that May Greyhusrt has re.
turned from Paris with her aunt and
cousin, and is at the Hotel Windsor in
Saratoga for the summer w hen you
leave town, go to Saratoga and have a
look at her ; then come to me and tell
me what you think of her Do not
dream, my dear boy, that mean to try
to make the match which your poor
father proposed, for never approved
of it, and he knew it. But ~ Miss
Greyhurst need never know who you
are, 90 and see what sort Of a girl she
is.
The idea struck me favorably. 1t
seemed like quite romantic adventure
to make the acquaintance OF ones
betrothed wife withonL her knowing
IL.
OF course it vas taking an undue adj
vantage of the poor girl; but having
not cent to my name, was no sort
of parti. She would not have me,
and had not the slightest idea of OF.
fering myself.
Sol packed up and went to Sara
toga. :,
| registered at the Windsor as Paul
Garth, and at once set about finding
the & hurst party.
Y may believe me when l tell
you that had no difficulty in discover
ing Tue trio, since had scarcely been
al he hotel al hour before l learned
lAtt Miss May Greyhurst, my intended,
WAS the belle of the house in fact, the
most conspicuous woman of the season.
She was tall, naughty as a queen, and
very beautiful.
The gossips said that she had a do
zen or more offers of marriage from
wealthy men, but that she was already
engaged to rich French marquis who
was to join the party later in. the season.
And this was the woman my father
had intended me to marry.
/ had hearty laugh in my
sleeve, and turned my attention to Miss
Greyhurst' 3 cousin.
Her name wasMariOn.I found her the
sweetest, prettiest little rosebud OF
girl ever looked at.
She was as retiring as wood violet,
and the gossips obligingly informed me
that she and her mother subsisted en-
tirely upon the bounty Of Miss May.
can assure you l made Marion
Greyhurst's acquaintance in very short
order, and do not hesitate to say l
fell desperately in love with the sweet
little creature.
She proved so frank and cordial, |
felt ashamed of myself to deceive her
in regard to my name, but what could
l do with May Greyhurst there? -.
l took violent dislike to her, and
determind that she should not know
who was until she was safely married
and out of the way.
| fell so deeply in love with little Mari
on that Ipelsuaded IN yself, that, as she
was poor girl, l could offer myself
with impuDity.
She seemed just the person to be hap
py az a poor mans wife.
Fate seemed to conspire in my favor.
One perfect morning found myself
al one by her side in the Congress Park.
Passionate words sprang unbidden to
my lips.
Without,the slightest preamble, seiz-
ed her hand and exclaim ed:
II love your
She blushed lik e a rose and hung her
fair head, but she did not withdraw
her hand from my clasp.
Was l answered?
thought so. -.
Marion" l continued, when with
a gasp she wrenched her hand away
and sprang to her feet.
son, Mr.. Garth - she gasped.
WHAT" | cried, in Amusement
"You have made fatal mistake -
"WhaU do you mean ?"
81 am not Marion Greyhurst!'
"Who are you, then? -
"May-May Greyhurst - :.
Feeling more dead than alive, !
sprang to my feet exclaimng:
" And ] am not Paul Grath -
Her sweet eyes formed the query
which l fastened to answer.
al am philiD Chester, your intended